Welcome to today’s episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, where host Kovid Batra talks with Jagannath Kintali, former Head of Engineering at Dojo and ex-startup co-founder, about building impactful engineering teams focused on customer delight.

Jagannath shares his extensive experience of over 18+ years in engineering, discussing the importance of building what is needed rather than overshooting with extravagant systems. He emphasises creating high-performance teams through trust, purpose, and customer empathy. Jagannath highlights his journey, the learnings from his startup, and how he implemented these insights at Dojo, including stories about curtain ordering systems and observability projects. This episode provides valuable insights on leadership, team building, and aligning engineering efforts towards solving real customer problems.

💡 Highlights

a) Getting Candid

👨‍💻 Jagannath’s rise from Orissa to tech leadership in the UK

✈️ Passion for engineering and a dream to fly

📈 Startup lessons: product focus, team-building, and execution

b) Key Takeaways

👥 Building customer-driven, high-performing teams

🛠️ How trust, purpose, and empathy drive engineering success

⚖️ Startup insights: start small, iterate fast

🔍 Implementing learnings at Dojo with real-world projects

🚀 Aligning engineering teams to solve real customer problems

👨‍💼 Practical advice for leaders balancing system design with customer needs

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🎧 Full Episode

This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.

Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋

1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.

2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.

Welcome to today’s episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, where host Kovid Batra sits down with Venkat Rangasamy, Director of Engineering at Oracle and an advisory member at HBR, to discuss how AI is reshaping the engineering landscape. Venkat shares his journey from a humble background to leading at Oracle, diving into his passion for mentorship and the revolutionary impact of AI on the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).

In this episode, Venkat explores how AI is making product development faster, cheaper, and more efficient, while also addressing the challenges of using public versus local LLMs. He offers actionable advice for engineering leaders in startups, focusing on the evolving role of developers and how to navigate this transformative phase in tech.

💡 Highlights

a) Getting Candid

👨‍💻 Venkat’s humble background to leading at Oracle

🤖 His passion for mentorship and generative AI

b) Key Takeaways

🤖 How AI is revolutionizing the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

⚖️ Challenges with public vs. local LLMs

🔒 Security and IP concerns with AI

💡 Making product development cheaper, faster, and more efficient with AI

👨‍💼 Evolving role of developers in the AI-driven era

🛠️ Actionable advice for engineering leaders navigating this shift

Looking for top tech mentors like Venkat who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move?

Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.

Accelerate your journey towards success🚀

🎧 Full Episode

This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.

Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋

1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.

2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.

Welcome to today’s episode of the groCTO Originals podcast, where host Kovid Batra interviews James Charlesworth, Director of Engineering, Sheffield Site Lead at Pendo, to discuss the common conflict between product and engineering teams.

James brings over 15 years of experience in engineering and leadership to share strategies for fostering empathy, collaboration, and effective communication. He emphasizes the importance of understanding each team's priorities, the impact of misalignment, and how impactful one-on-one interactions can build trust within teams.

💡 Highlights

a) Getting Candid

👨‍💻 James’ background and early passion for tech

🎸 Exploring creative non-tech hobbies

b) Professional Journey

🎓 A pivotal moment: Choosing the wrong degree

🧭 Navigating life and discovering your niche

c) Key Takeaways

💟 Bridging the ‘Product vs Engineering’ gap with empathy

👔 The role and influence of Engineering Managers

🤝 How frequent 1-on-1s build trust within teams

🌱 Practical tips for introverts in tech

Looking for top tech mentors like James who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move?

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Accelerate your journey towards success🚀

🎧 Full Episode

This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.

Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋

1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.

2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.

Welcome to another episode of exploring tech leadership! Today, your host Kovid Batra welcomes Vladislav Maličević, CTO at Jedox.

Vlado shares his 20-year journey from being one of the first developers at Jedox to becoming the CTO of the company. He discusses his personal background, the growth and transformation of Jedox, and the company's strategic decisions, including the shift from open-source to a full-fledged cloud platform.

💡 Highlights

a) Getting Candid

✨ Vladislav’s introduction

🇩🇪 Personal life & shift to Germany

b) Professional Journey

👨🏻‍💻 Vlado’s journey from developer to CTO at Jedox

🚀 Competing with existing competitors like IBM & SAP

c) Key Takeaways

📈 Jedox's evolution: How they created space in the market

👩‍💻 The role of open source in Jedox's growth

✅ Transition to cloud and key decisions

🎯 Building vs. Outsourcing: How to make the right choice?

Looking for top tech mentors like Vladislav who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move?

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Accelerate your journey towards success🚀

🎧 Full Episode

This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.

Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋

1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.

2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.

Welcome to another episode of exploring tech leadership! Today, your host Kovid Batra welcomes Leonid Bugaev, Head of Engineering at Tyk.

With 20 years in IT, mostly with startups, Leo brings a fresh perspective on entrepreneurship and leadership. He’ll share his insights on navigating economic downturns, building strong engineering teams, and keeping motivation high in tough times. Leo’s focus on transparent communication and strategic priorities offers valuable guidance for thriving in any economic climate.

💡 Highlights

a) Getting Candid

👨🏻‍💻 Leonid’s introduction

✨ Personal life & hobbies

b) Professional Journey

🚀 Starting a business at 17 & working with startups

💰 Side hustles & monetization

c) Key Takeaways

📈 Understanding the patterns of economic downturns

👩‍💻 How to build business context for Engineering teams

✅ Avoiding chaos & maintaining motivation

🎯 Leo’s strategic priorities during a recession

💬 Building trust with transparent communication

Looking for top tech mentors like Leonid who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move?

Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.

Accelerate your journey towards success🚀

🎧 Full Episode

This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.

Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋

1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.

2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.

Welcome to today's podcast episode, where we dive deep into the minds shaping the future of tech leadership! Today, your host Kovid Batra sits down with Sergio Visinoni, who is many things - a visionary Fractional CTO, Tech Advisor, and Mentor at groCTO Community. He’s also the brilliant mind behind the newsletter 'Sudo Make Me a CTO'.

Sergio made a bold leap from the traditional VP of Engineering role to the world of solopreneurship, and he hasn’t looked back since. In this episode, he’ll unravel how he’s reimagined Maslow’s hierarchy for tech and business teams, offering insights that could transform the way you lead and innovate.

💡 Highlights

a) Getting Candid

👨🏻‍💻 Sergio’s introduction

✨ Personal life & hobbies

b) Professional Journey

🙋‍♂️ From Software Engineer to Solopreneur

🚀 Building the newsletter ‘Sudo Make Me a CTO’

c) Key Takeaways

📈 How Maslow’s hierarchy for tech teams was created

🔺 Levels & benefits of Maslow’s pyramid

👩‍💻 How Maslow’s hierarchy serves tech & business needs

✅ Addressing implementation challenges

📝 Power of data-driven decision-making

You can now book a complimentary 1:1 mentorship session with Sergio. Contact us to schedule.

🎧 Full Episode

This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.

Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋

1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.

2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.

Welcome to today's episode of the podcast! Your host, Kovid Batra, sits down with Leigh Rathbone, Head of Quality Engineering at CAVU, with past contributions to various reputable organisations like Sony Ericsson & The Very Group.

Leigh has been at the forefront of tech innovation, from developing the first touchscreen smartphone and smartwatch to working with AR, VR, and AI tech. In this episode, he shares his insights on the evolution of software testing and automation. Tune in to hear his thoughts on balancing human effort and AI in the tech world.

💡 Highlights

a) Getting Candid

👨🏻‍💻 Leigh’s introduction

✨ Life-defining moment in Leigh’s career

b) Professional Journey

📱 Building the first touchscreen smartphone & smartwatch at Sony Ericsson

🚀 The beginning of automation with WinRunner

c) Key Takeaways

📈 The evolution of software testing & growing trends

🤖 How to effectively utilize AI in testing

✅ Continuous upskilling & team collaboration techniques

🎮 Hands-on testing approach to AR, VR & 3D gaming

🙋‍♀️ The unique value of humans in testing

Looking for top tech mentors like Leigh who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move?

Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.

Accelerate your journey towards success🚀

🎧 Full Episode

This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.

Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋

1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.

2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.

In this episode, host Kovid Batra is joined by Paul Lewis, a seasoned technology leader with over 30 years of experience. Paul has held prominent roles, including CTO at Hitachi Vantara, and currently serves as CTO at Pythian.

In addition to his professional roles, Paul actively contributes to academia as a board member of the Schulich School of Business. In today’s episode, Paul shares his insights on building tech teams from scratch, offering valuable perspectives from his vast experience in the technology sector.

💡 Highlights

a) Getting Candid

👨🏻‍💻 Paul’s introduction

🌈 Witnessing a spectrum of technology

b) Professional Journey

💼 Switching from IT to OT at Hitachi Vantara

🚀 Innovation & future tech at Pythian

c) Key Takeaways

💟 Establishing a collaborative team culture

✅ Hiring & talent acquisition strategy

💬 Processes & communication in growing teams

🤖 Aligning tech innovation with business requirements

Looking for top tech mentors like Paul who can help you take up your new tech leadership role with confidence or guide you with your next career move?

Sign up with groCTO Connect for 1:1 mentorship from top CTOs & tech leaders.

Accelerate your journey towards success🚀

🎧 Full Episode

This episode is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & more.

Thanks for listening to the podcast. That’s it for today 👋

1) Subscribe to groCTO — If you aren’t already, consider becoming a groCTO subscriber.

2) Share amongst fellow Engineering Leaders and CTOs! Your referral empowers & builds our groCTO community.