AWS Executive Insights

Rewiring Automotive Retail 26.05.2026 24m

The automotive retail industry is at a genuine inflection point. Rules are being rewritten, the competition is intensifying, and the pressure to transform has never been greater. In this episode, Hartmut Wagner, CEO of Nextlane, shares how his company is helping dealerships and manufacturers navigate that complexity through a cloud-based open ecosystem, transforming from the inside out in the process. For Hartmut, the key isn't the technology. It's the culture behind it, leading with values, proving AI's impact through real use cases, and empowering people until adoption stops feeling like a directive and starts feeling natural. This episode offers leaders a practical perspective on driving transformation in a traditional industry, building a culture of curiosity and innovation, and why enabling your people is always the most powerful place to start.

From Pilots to Paradigm Shift: AI Transformation at Jabil 11.05.2026 23m

AI transformation at enterprise scale isn't a project with a finish line; it's an organizational reckoning with how people learn, work, and create value. Vivian Sun, Senior Director of Data & AI at Jabil, brings that reality into sharp focus in this episode of AWS Executive Insights. In conversation with Taimur Rashid, Managing Director of the AWS Generative AI Innovation Center, Vivian explains why AI demands continuous learning, not a one-time skillset. She also explores how Jabil's Octopus Organization model works in practice, with a central body setting strategy and guardrails, while distributed teams retain the freedom to innovate in the ways that work best for them. Together, these principles are what turn early pilots into lasting organizational change. This episode offers leaders a practical framework for scaling AI transformation across a global organization, while keeping people, not technology, at the center of the journey.

The Pace of Change: DNB's Blueprint for the Future of Banking 07.05.2026 24m

For DNB, transformation isn't just a strategy. It's a survival imperative. In this episode, Kjerstin Braathen, CEO of Norway's largest bank, makes the case that the pace of change in financial services today is unlike anything we've seen before. Not just digitization, but a full reimagining of what it means to build a bank from the ground up in a digital world. Her answer? Stop tweaking the edges. Pick the must-win battles that matter most, move fast, and bring your people with you. Because at DNB, technology is only as powerful as the people behind it. And that means empowering everyone across the organization to lead the change. This episode offers leaders a compelling perspective on what it really takes to transform at speed, without leaving your culture behind.

The New Security Landscape: AI Agents, Automation, and Human Judgement 05.05.2026 21m

As AI agents become part of day-to-day business operations, security leaders face a new set of questions around identity, autonomy, permissions, and control. In this episode of AWS Executive Insights, Pascal Bornet speaks with Steve Schmidt, Chief Security Officer at Amazon, about how organisations should approach security in an era shaped by AI agents and automation. Bornet and Schmidt discuss why agents should have their own identity, how companies should think about permissions and logging, and why human judgement still matters in high-stakes environments. They also cover the risks introduced by prompt injection, the role of external guardrails, and how AI is already helping defenders move faster against threats at scale. This episode offers a practical view of how security teams and business leaders can respond to the rise of AI agents, with clear actions companies can take now to build safer systems from the start. Learn more about AWS Agentic AI: https://aws.amazon.com/ai/agentic-ai/?trk=80F9DhCw5AKb6zC

Accuracy Without Compromise: AI for Investment Management 28.04.2026 23m

Clearwater Analytics has gone from concept to over 800 AI agents in production, and Darrel Cherry, VP and Distinguished Engineer, shares the story behind that journey. In conversation with Arvind Mathur, Executive in Residence at AWS, Cherry traces how Clearwater built its own AI studio, multi-agent orchestration system, and no-code agent development environment before most of today's tools and frameworks even existed. Cherry also details how Clearwater ensures accuracy in a zero-error-tolerance industry, from building a custom LLM evaluation framework to maintaining full audit trails across every agent action. This episode offers leaders a practical blueprint for scaling AI from internal experimentation to enterprise-wide adoption, while maintaining the accuracy and trust that high-stakes industries demand.

Connectivity from Space: The Next Generation of Global Internet 21.04.2026 21m

What does it take to bring world-class connectivity to the billions of people and businesses that have never had reliable access? Tom Soderstrom, AWS Executive in Residence, and Chris Weber, VP of Business at Amazon Leo, share how Amazon Leo (formerly known as Project Kuiper) is building toward that vision one launch at a time, with over 200 satellites in orbit since this conversation took place in December 2025. Soderstrom and Weber discuss what sets Amazon Leo apart, from gigabit downlink speeds and private connectivity that never touches the public internet, to a customer-obsessed approach to service, support, and partnerships. This episode offers a compelling look at the technology, partnerships, and customer obsession driving Amazon Leo forward, and the global impact it stands to make along the way.

From Field Notes to Gen AI: Modernizing Conservation Science 14.04.2026 23m

For over 65 years, the Jane Goodall Institute has been quietly building one of the most extraordinary conservation datasets on earth, captured largely by hand in the forests of Gombe. Now, AI is unlocking its full potential. Dr. Lilian Pintea, VP of Conservation Science at JGI, joins Shaown Nandi, Vice President of AWS Technology, to share how decades of rigorous field research are shaping a thoughtful and powerful approach to AI in conservation science. Lilian discusses how JGI is building an AI platform to identify individual chimpanzees, extract behavioral insights from video, and unlock decades of multilingual field data. Grounded in JGI's community-led Tacare conservation model, he explains why earning community trust and designing for sustainability from the start are not just values. They are prerequisites. This episode is a reminder that the most enduring AI innovations are the ones built with the planet and its people in mind.

The Need for Bold Ambition and Speed in the AI Era 08.04.2026 21m

Most organizations are experimenting with AI. Far fewer are transforming with it. Bernhard Mühlreiter, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, makes the case for why that gap is closing and what it takes to be on the right side of it. In conversation with Richard Taylor, Retail and Consumer Goods Lead APJ at AWS, Mühlreiter outlines the three things that distinguish AI leaders: bold ambition, managing AI as a true transformation program, and broad-based capability building. He explores why lack of speed remains the biggest disappointment he sees in organizations today, and why, as Andy Jassy has noted, speed is ultimately a leadership decision. From T-shaped transformation frameworks to agile "digital factory" team structures, this episode offers executives a clear-eyed and practical perspective on how to move from isolated pilots to enterprise-wide AI impact.

Reinventing the Enterprise with Agentic AI 02.04.2026 22m

Enterprise transformation is entering a new phase, and the organizations that get it right won't just be adopting A; they'll be fundamentally rethinking how work gets done. Rajendra Prasad, Group Chief Executive at Accenture Technology, shares how Accenture is helping enterprises use AI as an innovation lens to redesign core business processes, not just automate them. In conversation with Shaown Nandi, Vice President of AWS Technology, RP introduces Accenture's Reinvention Deployment Engineers (RDEs), a new class of talent that combines deep technology expertise, industry and business process knowledge, and change management capability to drive enterprise reinvention at scale. He also shares his framework for measuring AI ROI, why embedded instrumentation of value is non-negotiable, and what C-suite leaders need to understand about the shift from BI to AI as the new user interface. For leaders navigating the pressure to adopt AI quickly while delivering real business impact, this episode offers a practical and compelling roadmap.

High Performing Security Teams in the AI Era 26.03.2026 22m

Security leadership has never been just about technology, but in the age of AI, the stakes for getting it right have never been higher. George Gerchow, Chief Security Officer at Bedrock Data, brings a candid and hard-won perspective on what it takes to build high-performing security teams and lead with purpose in a rapidly evolving threat landscape. In conversation with Clarke Rodgers, Senior Principal from the Office of the CISO at AWS, George shares how the security leader's role has shifted from basement-level blocker to boardroom-level business partner, and why approachability, vulnerability, and transparency are now core leadership traits. He explores how AI is transforming both sides of the security equation, from agentic tools that help defenders scale, to AI-powered bots lowering the barrier to entry for threat actors. From DevSecOps to responsible AI frameworks to the case for reviving defense in depth, this episode offers security leaders a grounded and practical perspective on building teams and strategies that can move fast without compromising trust.

Intelligent Work Management: Smartsheet’s AI Strategy 19.03.2026 18m

AI is reshaping not just what software can do, but how it gets built and by whom. JB Brown, VP of Engineering at Smartsheet, shares how his team is navigating that shift from both sides of the equation, developing AI-powered capabilities for customers while fundamentally rethinking how engineers do their work. In conversation with Chris McNabney, Director of Solution Architecture at AWS, JB explains how Smartsheet's intelligent work management vision, powered by a Knowledge Graph built on Amazon Neptune, is giving customers digital teammates that help drive strategic outcomes at a speed and scale previously out of reach. He also shares the concrete productivity gains his engineering teams are seeing with tools like Roo Code and Amazon Bedrock, including an 80% reduction in CI pipeline time and around a 60% drop in average token costs. From managing agentic workflows to building AI that earns enterprise trust, this episode offers engineering and product leaders a grounded look at what it takes to lead AI transformation from the front.

Beyond Human Identity: AI Agents, Security Culture, and Defense 10.03.2026 23m

What does it mean to secure the world's largest hyperscale cloud, while AI rewrites the rules of identity, threat detection, and security culture? In this episode of AWS Executive Insights: Security Series, Clarke Rodgers sits down with Amy Herzog, Chief Information Security Officer at AWS, for a candid conversation on what it takes to lead security at scale in the age of AI. Amy draws on her experience leading consumer AI products to argue that security should accelerate innovation, not hinder it. She explores how AWS is deploying AI for defense, why agentic AI demands a rethink of identity, and how the Security Guardians program embeds security culture across the entire organization.

Hybrid Cloud for Agentic AI: Lessons from IBM's AI Transformation 04.03.2026 22m

What distinguishes organizations that capture real value from AI from those still experimenting? In this episode of AWS Executive Insights, Roger Premo, Global Head of Strategy at IBM, breaks down the practical lessons behind IBM’s own AI transformation. From embedding generative AI into everyday workflows to codifying an agentic development lifecycle, IBM has paired leadership commitment with disciplined execution to drive measurable results. Premo discusses how hybrid cloud architecture enables agents to access data across heterogeneous environments, why data product management is now a business imperative, and how governance must be built into AI systems from the start. This essential discussion offers leaders a framework for moving beyond isolated pilots and building scalable, secure, and value-driven AI capabilities. Thank you to IBM for their partnership and participation in this discussion.

Agentic AI in Practice: Earning Trust Before Autonomy 03.03.2026 24m

In this #AWSExecutiveInsights conversation, Tom Soderstrom, AWS Executive in Residence, talks with Erin Kraemer, Sr. Principal Technical Product Manager for AWS Agentic AI, who draws on 25 years at Amazon to explore how organizations move from AI experimentation to production, built on observability, guardrails, and bringing your people along the journey.

Innovation Without Friction: Lessons for the AI Era 26.02.2026 24m

From covering the front desk as an intern to leading global business strategy, James Waters’ career at Booking.com mirrors the company’s own transformation. Now Chief Business Officer, Waters reflects on how experimentation, data-driven decision making, and a strong customer focus have powered Booking.com’s growth. As generative AI reshapes the travel industry, he shares how the company is evolving its connected trip vision while reinforcing responsible AI principles and strong technical foundations. This episode offers leaders a thoughtful perspective on scaling innovation, sustaining culture through change, and using AI to amplify human ingenuity.

The Power of Purpose: AWS VP Ruba Borno on Leading with Why 19.02.2026 23m

Dr. Ruba Borno, AWS Vice President of Global Specialists and Partners, shares her journey from refugee to technology leader and reveals what drives purpose-driven leadership. As a daughter of Palestinian refugees who came to the U.S. during the first Gulf War, she learned early that opportunity is a gift—and believes in "leaving the ladder there" for others to climb. In this conversation with host Richard Taylor, Dr. Borno discusses building high-performing teams, leading 18,000 engineers through COVID-19, and scaling customer support through AI innovation. She shares critical leadership lessons: ask the right questions rather than having all the answers, trust your instincts, and create environments where teams can safely innovate and fail.

Mission-Critical Modernization: CBA’s Core Banking Migration 16.02.2026 22m

What does it take to migrate the heart of a nation’s banking system to the cloud? In this AWS Executive Insights fireside chat, Ben Cabanas sits down with Simon Davies, GM of Core Banking at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, to unpack one of the most mission-critical cloud transformations in financial services. With nearly 40% of Australia’s liquidity flowing through CBA’s core platform, the stakes were enormous. Simon shares how CBA migrated the world’s largest SAP core banking deployment to AWS while improving reliability, reducing infrastructure costs by 30%, and enabling real-time customer experiences. Beyond the technical achievement, he reveals how transparency, cultural alignment, and a rallying cry of “believe” helped mobilize thousands across the organization to deliver change at national scale.

Redefining Human Connection in the Age of AI 03.02.2026 24m

What if AI's greatest potential isn't replacing humans—but empowering them? In this AWS Executive Insights fireside chat, Ian Wilson, VP of Senior Talent & Transformation at Amazon sits down with Edith Cooper, Co-Founder of Medley, Board Director at Amazon and PepsiCo, and former Goldman Sachs CHRO, to explore how leaders can navigate AI transformation while strengthening human connections. Cooper shares her "be bold and care" leadership philosophy, emphasizing that uncertainty demands more communication, not less. Discover how to create thriving workplaces where employees bring their full genius, apply human judgment to AI-driven insights, and build cultures of accountability and growth in partnership with other humans and AI technologies.

Data at Speed: Transforming Analytics into Business Victory | AWS Executive Summit Recap 27.01.2026 24m

At AWS re:Invent's Executive Summit, Tom Godden, Executive in Residence at AWS, delivered a masterclass on transforming data analytics from a technical initiative to a core business driver—using Formula 1 racing as the ultimate example of data excellence in action. Learn how leading organizations leverage advanced analytics and AI to convert millions of data points into actionable insights that drive competitive advantage. Discover a proven framework for data excellence that focuses on customer-centric utilization, agile strategies, and adaptive architecture. From avoiding the "$50 million mistake" of trying to "boil the ocean" to implementing real-time analytics like F1 teams, this session reveals how to elevate your data strategy and create business victory in today's AI-powered economy.

Thriving Amid Change: Navigating Continuous Business Transformation | AWS Executive Summit Recap 20.01.2026 31m

In this rebroadcast from the Executive Summit at re:Invent, AWS Executives in Residence Jana Werner and Phil Le-Brun deliver a powerful keynote challenging traditional transformation approaches by trading the risk of massive overhauls for a culture of continuous advancement. Drawing from their experience leading large-scale change across diverse organizations, they identify 40 common anti-patterns that prevent organizations from becoming better versions of themselves. You'll hear candid stories and hard-won leadership lessons from extreme mountaineers to world-class poker players and Amazon's own Day 1 culture. This session offers fresh perspective to help you bring laser-like clarity to your goals, foster true ownership among your teams, and free your organization to move at the speed of its best ideas.