The Case for Transparent Cost Models with Holly Hon of Entertainment Partners
Holly Hon, Senior Vice President of Operations at Entertainment Partners, joins David Wright to explore how strategic execution, data-driven leadership and cross-functional collaboration shape long-term success. Holly shares lessons from transforming services into scalable product organizations, building AI readiness through data governance and advocating for enterprise-wide change — all with a mindset rooted in continuous learning and purposeful leadership.Key Takeaways:(04:22) Good ideas don’t succeed without execution and sustained effort.(12:09) A flawed cost allocation model nearly led to the sunsetting of a profitable product.(13:33) Holly spent three years convincing leadership to fix the model — and succeeded.(15:24) Treating “no” as “not yet” when pursuing critical change.(19:52) At Rackspace, Holly pitched HIPAA-compliant cloud hosting ahead of its time.(24:58) Leadership isn’t earned by tenure. It’s a privilege that requires intention and purpose.(30:23) Strengthening data governance is foundational to enabling responsible AI.(38:42) Adopting a practice mindset helps leaders overcome impostor syndrome and grow sustainably.Resources Mentioned:Holly Honhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hollyhon/Entertainment Partners | LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/entertainment-partners/Entertainment Partners | Websitehttps://www.ep.com/Thanks for listening to the “Disruptive Innovators” podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, hit the subscribe button and never miss another insightful conversation. And be sure to leave a review to help get the word out about the Champions of Digital Business.#DisruptiveInnovation #Innovation #DisruptiveTech #DigitalBusiness
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40:56
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40:56
The Communication Advantage in Tech with Breno Gentil of C.I.KNOW
Host David Wright talks to Breno Gentil, Strategic Advisor of C.I.KNOW, whose previous roles include Global CTO of British American Tobacco and Senior Director of Digital and Technology at Heineken. Breno shares lessons from his global career leading transformation across consumer goods and explains why simplifying tech is core to IT leadership today. From AI hype to sailing analogies, this conversation dives into the people-centered realities behind digital progress.Key Takeaways:(06:12) People, not technology, are the core challenge in digital transformations.(09:23) Understanding customer pain points often unlocks the most valuable innovations.(16:10) Stoicism helps leaders focus energy on what they can control.(20:31) Sailing teaches adaptability and presence — vital traits for digital leaders.(23:55) Don’t get too attached to tech products that aren’t scalable.(27:04) The gap between business and tech leaders still fuels transformation failure.(30:45) Complex tech terminology alienates users and blocks adoption and alignment.(33:20) Communication skills matter more than technical skills in IT leadership today.(35:24) Tech leaders face constant reinvention unlike other corporate functions today.(40:19) Self-awareness and emotional intelligence boost leadership effectiveness and team impact.Resources Mentioned:Breno Gentilhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/bg-digital/C.I.KNOW | LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/ciknow/C.I. Know | Websitehttps://www.ciknow.com/Thanks for listening to the “Disruptive Innovators” podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, hit the subscribe button and never miss another insightful conversation. And be sure to leave a review to help get the word out about the Champions of Digital Business.#DisruptiveInnovation #Innovation #DisruptiveTech #DigitalBusiness
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41:00
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41:00
Creating Sustainable Success Through People and Purpose with Ramesh Razdan of Bain & Company
Ramesh Razdan, Global CIO/CTO of Bain & Company, joins David Wright to share how a foundation of humility, gratitude and servant leadership has shaped his journey from rural Kashmir to leading global technology transformation. They discuss managing change at scale, fostering collaboration across geographies and functions and how emerging technologies like AI can unlock personalized solutions in areas like healthcare.Key Takeaways:(03:10) Leaders must prioritize their physical and mental well-being.(08:55) Career progression requires readiness, not just achievement.(09:45) Growth is shaped by how we respond to challenges.(14:18) Collaboration between business and tech is essential for impact.(16:13) Adapting to rapid change is a critical leadership skill.(20:28) Innovation opens new possibilities for long-standing problems.(24:13) A growth mindset enables resilience in complexity.(27:22) Leadership today depends on communication, not control.(32:04) Sustainable success begins with self-care and perspective.Resources Mentioned:Ramesh Razdanhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/rameshrazdan/Bain & Company | LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/bain-and-company/Bain & Company | Websitehttp://www.bain.com“Search Inside Yourself” by Chade-Meng Tanhttps://www.amazon.com/Search-Inside-Yourself-Unexpected-Achieving/dp/0062116932Warren Buffett and Bill Gates on Time Managementhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxKB-1G2v1wThanks for listening to the “Disruptive Innovators” podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, hit the subscribe button and never miss another insightful conversation. And be sure to leave a review to help get the word out about the Champions of Digital Business.#DisruptiveInnovation #Innovation #DisruptiveTech #DigitalBusiness
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32:59
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32:59
Translating Technology Into Business Value with Brad Sexton of Terrible's
A technologist who embraces business leadership, prioritizes humility over ego and learns to truly let go can drive lasting transformation.Brad Sexton, Chief Information Officer of Terrible's, joins David Wright to talk about leadership, innovation and the realities of driving digital transformation in a diverse, fast-paced organization. Brad shares lessons learned from a career spanning government, hospitality and retail, offering practical insights on team empowerment and the importance of actionable data. The discussion covers how Terrible's deliberately different approach fuels growth, the challenges of integrating legacy systems and the value of learning from every member of the organization.Key Takeaways:(03:30) Listen to everyone and let good ideas lead.(13:42) Empathy and humility strengthen leadership effectiveness.(20:05) Leaders must learn to delegate and release control.(27:16) Broadening perspectives helps drive better decision-making.(29:59) Communication between technical and business teams is essential.(33:16) Timeless leadership principles remain highly relevant.(38:30) Leading innovation requires adaptability across business areas.(45:17) Data must be actionable to be useful.(53:04) Patience is a critical part of long-term success.Resources Mentioned:Brad Sextonhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/bradsexton1/Terrible's | Linkhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/terribles/Terrible’s | Websitehttp://www.terribles.comColin Powell’s 13 Rules of Leadershiphttps://www.score.org/greaterphoenix/resource/blog-post/a-salute-colin-powells-13-rules-leadershipThanks for listening to the “Disruptive Innovators” podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, hit the subscribe button and never miss another insightful conversation. And be sure to leave a review to help get the word out about the Champions of Digital Business.#DisruptiveInnovation #Innovation #DisruptiveTech #DigitalBusiness
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55:48
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55:48
The Future of Medical Imaging and AI with Dr. Aalpen Patel of MedQuest Associates
This week, David Wright is joined by Dr. Aalpen Patel, Chief Clinical and Innovation Officer of MedQuest Associates. Dr. Patel shares insights on innovation in healthcare, particularly in radiology, and discusses his journey from engineering to medicine. Dr. Patel emphasizes the importance of innovation in addressing healthcare challenges.Key Takeaways:(04:06) Removing the word "impossible" from your mindset and focusing on finding solutions rather than obstacles.(05:53) Overcoming challenges and adapting to new environments can shape resilience and work ethic.(08:31) Engineering principles can play a significant role in driving medical innovation.(10:08) AI and mathematical modeling can be used to improve diagnostics and risk stratification in healthcare.(13:41) Personalized medicine can increase positivity rates and potentially benefit healthcare margins.(25:01) Workforce shortages in radiology require innovative solutions such as remote workflows and AI augmentation.(27:06) AI can help reduce burnout by augmenting radiologists' work rather than increasing their workload.(31:49) The future of healthcare will likely involve AI at the center of innovation, improving efficiency and outcomes.Resources Mentioned:Dr. Aalpen Patel https://www.linkedin.com/in/aalpenpatel/MedQuest Associates | LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/medquest-associates/MedQuest Associates | Websitehttps://www.mqimaging.comBecker's Healthcarehttps://www.asccommunications.com/Mediumhttps://medium.com/EE Timeshttps://www.eetimes.com/SquawkBoxhttps://www.cnbc.com/squawk-box-us/?msockid=014c12082de5636d164800ce2c5e6294Thanks for listening to the “Disruptive Innovators” podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, hit the subscribe button and never miss another insightful conversation. And be sure to leave a review to help get the word out about the Champions of Digital Business.#DisruptiveInnovation #Innovation #DisruptiveTech #DigitalBusiness
About Disruptive Innovators: Champions of Digital Business - CIO & IT Leader Interviews, Digital Transformation, Digital Innovation
Disruptive Innovators features conversations with CIOs and IT/Digital leaders from around the world - diving into their personal backstory/career, their current role, trends they've been seeing and their vision for the future.
This podcast is made for people who recognize how quickly the digital business landscape is evolving - those who recognize that it takes a village of trusted advisors to navigate this ever-changing terrain – People who enjoy listening to high-level discussions surrounding what it means to be a leader, real-world examples of challenges faced, and industry-specific strategies leveraged to create exceptional business outcomes.
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