Tech Whisperers: Inside the Playbooks of the Best Digital Leaders

Jane Connell began her career without a college degree and no pre-determined path to executive leadership. Yet through grit, curiosity, authenticity, and an unwavering belief that leadership is ultimately about people, she has built one of the most respected careers in technology. In this episode, we are shining the light on Jane’s remarkable journey ahead of her induction into the CIO Hall of Fame.
Through a diverse group of Mystery Questioners who help us answer the question “What Would Jane Do?” Jane is sharing the leadership philosophies, career-defining moments, and deeply personal lessons that shaped her four-decade legacy at organizations like Johnson & Johnson, State Street Bank, and Verizon.
Connect with Jane: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-connell-b2377544/
Verizon: https://www.verizon.com/
Tune in for leadership wisdom from Jane, including:
How her grit and curiosity formed the foundation for her leadership journey
How authentic leadership and vulnerability became her greatest superpowers
How to drive meaningful innovation by immersing yourself in the business
Her First 100 Days Playbook for navigating complexity and building trust inside large organizations
How to overcome resistance and lead transformation without creating enemies
How AI is reshaping work, and why leaders must shift from org structures to workforce structures
Why women are falling out of technology, and why Jane believes AI can become an equalizer

Featuring submitted questions from:
Ahmed Khan, Associate Director, Application Development, Verizon
Velamur Sudharshan, SVP, Technology, Strategy & Architecture, Global Infrastructure & Security, Verizon
Avi Arora, Senior Director, Strategy & Transformation, Verizon
Geeta Mahindroo VP Corporate Systems, Verizon
Tom Connell, Jane’s Husband
Tyler Connell, Jane’s Son

While many leaders will put technology and innovation at the center of the story, Sal Companieh, Chief Digital & Information Officer at Cushman & Wakefield, keeps people, trust, and authentic relationships at the center instead. In this episode of Tech Whisperers, Sal sits down with host Dan Roberts for one of the most thoughtful leadership conversations we’ve ever featured.
We’re unpacking Sal’s leadership playbook to learn how empathy, curiosity, trust, and human connection have become the foundation of innovation at scale inside a 53,000-person global organization.
Connect with Sal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/salumeh-companieh-9171531/
Cushman & Wakefield: https://www.cushmanwakefield.com/
Tune in for Sal’s expert insights, including:
How Cushman & Wakefield uses its “AI Impact Barometer”
How to identify patterns and build trust in a large organization
Why it takes a strong CEO partnership to lead enterprise-wide transformation
How to create an environment where people can bring their whole self to work
How to stay grounded despite the pressures of leadership

Featuring submitted questions from:
Mia Mends, CEO of Cushman & Wakefield Services, Independent Director, H&R Block Board
Victoria Malkin, President, Cushman & Wakefield, Americas Markets
Miles Treaster, President, Cushman & Wakefield, Capital Markets
Simon Springett, Chief Technology Officer, Cushman & Wakefield
Kourosh Farboodmanesh, Co-Founder & COO of Trulo, Incoming Freshman at Duke, & Sal’s Amazing Son
Diana McKenzie, Board Director, Advisor, 2x CIO, Sal’s Mentor
Sandy Pudar, College Roommate & Long-Time Friend

What does successful leadership look like in the age of AI, constant disruption, and accelerating change? In this episode, Dan Roberts sits down with Sears Merritt, CIO at MassMutual. Rather than chasing headlines, Sears has spent more than a decade building systems, teams, and cultures that consistently deliver impact, all while staying deeply grounded in purpose, accountability, and policyholder-first service.
We are unpacking Sears’ leadership playbook to learn how MassMutual approaches innovation inside a 175-year-old institution, why adaptability is becoming a timeless leadership skill, and how organizations can create environments where breakthrough thinking naturally emerges.
Connect with Sears: https://www.linkedin.com/in/searsmerritt/
MassMutual: https://www.massmutual.com/
Listen to learn valuable leadership insights, including:
Why impact matters more than recognition or promotion
How to create long-term trust and consistency with customers
The most important leadership skills in the age of AI
How to adapt your “learning rate” in periods of rapid change
How focusing on outcomes instead of solutions can unlock innovation
The value of a strong CEO-CIO partnership

Featuring submitted questions from:
Sharmila Ramar, CTO & Global Head of Enterprise Infrastructure Services, MassMutual
Manoj Vallam, Head of HR Consulting, Enterprise Technology, & Experience, MassMutual
Sara Biller, Co-Founder, FinTech Sandbox, Board Member
Azer Bestavros, Associate Provost for Computing & Data Sciences, Boston University
Josh Alwitt, Leadership & Organization Coach, Josh Alwitt Leadership

Today’s guest is a technology executive who has mastered the art of honoring a strong legacy while reinventing it in an era of massive disruption. Leigh-Ann Russell is the CIO and Global Head of Engineering at BNY, which was founded 240 years ago.
In this episode, Leigh-Ann is opening up her leadership playbook and sharing her perspectives on how to lead through chaos with clarity, why coherence is her defining word for today’s AI era, and how organizations can balance trust, innovation, and transformation at scale.
Connect with Leigh-Ann
BNY

Tune in for expert advice from Leigh-Ann, including:
What it takes to safeguard trillions of dollars in assets
How to build executive alignment around AI
Overcoming AI fears
Coherence as a leadership strategy
The power of servant leadership
Embracing a beginner’s mindset

Featuring submitted questions from:
Shannon Hobbs, Chief People Officer, BNY
Adriana Marquez, VP Upstream Performance, BP
Keith Ferrazzi, NYT Best Selling Author, Founder of Ferrazzi Greenlight, Episode 86 Guest
Nastassja Hagan, Senior Director, COO, Engineering, BNY
Rowan Eleanor Donachie, University Student, Overachiever

This episode we’re sitting down with Sanjay Shringarpure, CIO at The Freeman Company, to unpack the intangibles of leadership. These are the qualities you can’t easily measure on a dashboard but are often the key difference between leaders who talk about transformation and those who actually achieve it.
Over his two decades of technology leadership experience, Sanjay has built a strong track record of leading major digital transformation projects by drawing on his ability to foster collaboration while delivering innovative solutions. From decision velocity to creating a culture of extreme transparency, he has mastered the intangibles of leadership, and in this episode, he’s sharing how you can leverage them to become a true force multiplier for your company.
Connect with Sanjay: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjay-shringarpure/
The Freeman Company: https://www.freeman.com/
Tune in for expert insights from Sanjay’s playbook, including:
How to leverage speed and preparation to make an impact in the first 45 days
The concept of healthy impatience and how to channel urgency without creating chaos
Building a “roundtable” leadership team for healthy debate and growth
Trust-building through integrity, sacrifice, and stacking micro wins early
Balancing candor and compassion
Knowing when to push, pause, or pivot through clarity of vision and transparency
Developing courage and conviction when the answers aren’t obvious
Building a culture where leaders grow leaders
Instilling the “playing hurt” mindset to show up and lead through tough moments

Featuring submitted questions from:
Dan Jennings, SVP of IT, The Freeman Company
Emily Xu, CDIO, EVP, RNDC
Tarak Patel, CIO, Saia
Paul Fletcher, COO of AV & Event Technology, The Freeman Company
John Dickson, CISO, Insight Global
Renee Pearson, CIO, Rollins