In this powerful conversation, Wesley Eugene, SVP North America at HIT Global, joins Mehmet to explore a new framework for technology leadership. They go deep into human centered design, why digital transformations fail, how AI forces us to rethink what it means to work, and why empathy is now a competitive advantage.
Wesley draws from years of experience in digital transformation, design thinking, and ITIL modernization. He shares the hidden gaps in traditional IT practices, the philosophical questions AI forces us to ask, and the skills leaders must build to stay relevant in the coming decade.
This episode is a thoughtful, practical, and timely reminder that technology is at its best when it elevates people.
👤 About Wesley Eugene
Wesley Eugene is the SVP North America at HIT Global, an organization focused on humanizing IT through integrated human centered design. Wesley has led major digital transformation programs, advised global enterprises, and worked alongside design pioneers including Ideal’s leadership team. He champions a future where technology is designed around people, not processes, and where AI augments human potential instead of replacing it.
🔥 Key Takeaways
• Most digital transformations fail because leaders lose sight of purpose and experience.
• True transformation is a business transformation, not a tech project.
• Technology without humanity becomes vanity and often leads to harm.
• The experience layer is becoming the most important layer in the tech stack.
• AI should serve as human augmentation rather than human replacement.
• Leaders must invest in empathy, storytelling, creativity, and curiosity.
• Regulation is not the enemy of innovation. It is the brake that lets innovation go fast safely.
• The rise of AI forces society to rethink work, value, consciousness, and what it means to be human.
• Creativity still happens when we disconnect. Nature remains the best CPU upgrade.
🎧 What You Will Learn
• Why human centered design is the missing link in IT and AI.
• The root causes of failed digital transformations across industries.
• How to build a purpose driven technology strategy that unites the whole company.
• Why every tech leader must become a storyteller.
• How to prepare your teams for the AI era.
• The ethical, environmental, and human considerations AI leaders must prioritize.
• Why curiosity is the most underrated leadership skill in tech today.
⏱️ Episode Highlights (Timestamps)
00:00 Welcome and intro
01:00 The mission behind HIT Global and humanizing IT
04:00 Lessons from IDEO, design thinking, and rapid prototyping
07:00 Why technology needs to be humanized now
10:00 The experience layer and the future of value creation
13:00 Why digital transformations fail
16:00 The story of buy in and the NASA janitor
18:00 Chasing tech vs transforming the business
21:00 Why IT is misunderstood and how to fix it
27:00 TBM and the importance of storytelling in tech
30:00 The promise of AI and the threat of losing the human
33:00 The seatbelt metaphor for responsible innovation
38:00 AI leaders, risk, and accountability
45:00 What AI forces us to confront about humanity
50:00 AI as human augmentation, not replacement
56:00 The skills leaders need for the next decade
59:00 Creativity, nature, and switching off screens
01:03 Final advice and how to learn more from HIT Global
📚 Resources Mentioned
• HIT Global Services: https://www.hitglobal.services/
• Human Centered Design for IT Service Management by Katrina McDermott
• IDEO and the history of the Apple Mouse
• TBM Council (Technology Business Management Framework)
• Humanizing AI Certification at HIT Global
• LinkedIn profile of Wesley Eugene: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleyeugene/
In this episode, Luv Kapur joins Mehmet to break down how composability is reshaping modern engineering. Luv is an engineering leader at Bit, working across their open source and enterprise platforms, and one of the earliest advocates for modular, reusable software as a way to unlock scale.
They explore why composability matters, how modular systems speed up delivery, and the cultural shift required inside engineering teams. Luv also shares real results from enterprise adoption, including faster iteration cycles, fewer defects, and measurable ROI in the eight-figure range. The conversation closes with a deep look into HopeAI, Bit’s AI architect designed to orchestrate existing components rather than generate endless code.
This is a practical and insightful episode for any CTO, engineering leader, or founder navigating the next era of platform development.
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About Luv Kapur
Luv Kapur is an Engineering Lead and Solutions Architect at Bit. His background spans platform engineering, dev tooling, internal systems, and leading enterprise adoption of composable software. He has helped teams move from monolithic and fragmented architectures to modular systems that enable real speed, discoverability, and developer empowerment.
He now works across Bit’s open source ecosystem and Bit Cloud for enterprise, helping organizations adopt composability and shift toward a more scalable engineering model.
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Key Takeaways
• Composability is an operating model that enables teams to build with reusable building blocks and ship faster.
• Modular architectures reduce defects, improve consistency, and increase transparency across engineering teams.
• Discoverability and ownership are core success factors. Without them, composability collapses into fragmentation.
• AI should act as an orchestrator, not a generator. The future belongs to systems that reuse proven components.
• Enterprise ROI from composability is measurable, from reduced iteration time to real cost savings in the millions.
• Citizen developers will play a bigger role as AI unlocks access to complex internal systems.
• Engineers will still be needed, but AI will free them to solve harder and more meaningful problems.
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What You Will Learn
• How modular software accelerates delivery
• Why enterprises struggle with legacy systems and how bottom up adoption solves it
• How to measure success in composability using real metrics
• The cultural shift required for high performing engineering teams
• How AI can guide architecture instead of generating more code
• The role of discoverability, ownership, and inner source in large organizations
• What HopeAI is and how it works as an AI architect
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Episode Highlights
00:00 Introduction and guest background
03:00 What composability really means and why it matters
06:00 Modular architectures explained with real world examples
10:00 What defines high performance engineering teams
14:00 Why companies fail when adopting composability
17:00 The shift from top down mandates to bottom up success
20:00 Tangible metrics teams can measure
23:00 AI as orchestrator versus generator
27:00 Why code reuse will define the next decade
31:00 Inside HopeAI and how it guides architecture
35:00 Enterprise results and real ROI
37:00 The future of platform development
41:00 Why engineers remain irreplaceable
42:00 How to connect with Luv Kapur
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Resources Mentioned
• Bit (Open Source): https://bit.dev
• Bit Cloud (Enterprise): https://bit.cloud
• Luv Kapur on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luvkapur/
In this powerful conversation, Christina Richardson — serial founder, resilience researcher, and founder of Foundology — joins Mehmet to unpack the real psychological journey of entrepreneurship.
Christina shares the story behind her 2 AM wake-up call that wasn’t a heart attack but a full nervous system collapse. That moment led her to study over 400 founders, uncover patterns of burnout, and build a framework that helps founders perform at their best without destroying themselves.
We dive deep into the myths of hustle culture, the neuroscience of performance, the four pillars of resilience, the importance of early warning signs, and why founders must learn to scale themselves as fast as they scale their startups.
This episode is essential listening for anyone building under pressure.
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👤 About Christina Richardson
Christina Richardson is the founder of Foundology, a global resilience platform helping founders navigate stress, uncertainty, and the emotional demands of building a company. Through evidence-backed founder circles, community support, and tools like the upcoming Founder Fuel Gauge, Foundology equips founders with what most startup ecosystems overlook: human performance.
Christina is also an Associate Professor at University College London, where she teaches founder development, leadership, and performance psychology. As a serial entrepreneur with a small exit and a very real burnout story, her work sits at the intersection of research, resilience, and lived experience.
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💡 Key Takeaways
• Why hustle culture and “9-9-6” thinking are biologically flawed
• What really causes burnout, panic attacks, and chronic overwhelm
• The emotional burden founders carry — team, family, investors, expectations
• Why founders stop performing well long before they burn out
• The four pillars of founder resilience:
• Why loneliness is a silent performance killer
• How to scale your leadership as the company scales
• Why equanimity is the most underrated founder skill
• How AI helps founders — and how it also fuels unhealthy pressure
• Why human connection will remain irreplaceable in the AI era
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🎧 What You’ll Learn
• How to spot the first early-warning signs of burnout
• How to build a daily rhythm that supports clarity and flow
• Why recovery is as important as output
• How to replace guilt-driven work habits with resilient thinking
• Why founders perform better with structured peer circles
• How to avoid the trap of meddling as your team grows
• How ecosystems and investors can support founders — the right way
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⏱️ Episode Highlights (Timestamps)
00:00 – Introduction and Christina’s story
02:00 – The 2 AM “heart attack” that changed everything
05:00 – The symptoms founders ignore: irritability, migraines, digestion issues
07:00 – The myth of the grind and the danger of ecosystem bravado
08:30 – Your brain under stress: the science of performance and recovery
11:00 – What the 400-founder resilience study revealed
13:00 – The four pillars of resilience
17:00 – The rise of founder circles and why they work
20:00 – Loneliness as a toxic performance blocker
22:00 – How founders can scale themselves alongside the company
25:00 – Leadership at scale: equanimity and coaching mindset
28:00 – The fine line between support and pressure from investors
34:00 – Why some people cross the entrepreneurial chasm and others don’t
38:00 – How AI helps and hurts founders
41:00 – Why human connection will always matter
42:00 – What’s next for Foundology
43:00 – Where to find Christina and Foundology
⸻
🔗 Resources Mentioned
• Foundology – Supporting Founder Resilience
• Founder Fuel Gauge (Early Access)
https://foundology.org/founder-fuel
• Join the Founder Fuel Community (Free)
https://foundology.org/community
• Christina Richardson on LinkedIn
Digital transformation isn’t about technology — it’s about leadership, culture, and execution. In this episode, veteran CTO and transformation expert Tory Bjorklund joins Mehmet to debunk hype-driven transformation, explain why most initiatives fail, and share his proven framework for executing technology-driven change that sticks.
Whether you’re scaling a startup or modernizing a large enterprise, this conversation brings clarity and practical wisdom to one of the most misunderstood journeys in tech.
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👤 About the Guest
Tory Bjorklund is a serial entrepreneur, CTO, and transformation advisor with decades of experience leading large-scale technology and organizational change across manufacturing, fintech, and enterprise software. He is currently building Victoria Fide, focused on helping organizations succeed with transformational change, and is the author of The Digital Transformation Guidebook.
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🔑 Key Takeaways
• Digital transformation fails when technology leads instead of business goals
• Why “go-live” is the beginning, not the finish line
• The role of leadership and communication in successful transformation
• AI reality check: where companies are going wrong
• How to reset a failing transformation before it’s too late
• Why ERP and enterprise tools remain underutilized
• Building a culture that embraces change, not fears it
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📘 What You’ll Learn
• A 3-stage framework for transformation: Prepare → Execute → Sustain
• How to align executive teams and technology leaders
• Why transformation is continuous, not a project
• Practical steps for avoiding costly technology mistakes
• How to think about AI beyond the hype cycle
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🧠 Episode Highlights
0:00 — Intro
1:20 — Tory’s journey across tech, manufacturing & consulting
4:30 — Tech push vs business pull: who drives innovation?
7:05 — Why 70% of digital transformations fail
10:40 — How to course-correct a failing initiative
14:20 — Defining success and ROI from day one
18:30 — The Prepare → Execute → Sustain model
22:40 — Who should own transformation inside the company
26:00 — AI reality: personal productivity vs enterprise value
32:00 — Why ERP & existing tools are still underutilized
37:20 — Industrial AI & the real disruption
39:40 — About Tory’s book
42:00 — Closing thoughts
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🔗 Resources Mentioned
• Victoria Fide – https://victoriafide.com
• Tory’s upcoming book: The Digital Transformation Guidebook
• Connect with Tory on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/torybjorklund/
In this episode, we sit down with Liam O’Neil, Managing Director at BPMD, to explore how modern organizations can use process intelligence, AI, and change design to build scalable, resilient systems.
We go deep into process mining, task mining, the future of process teams, breaking organizational silos, and how AI is reshaping enterprise transformation.
Whether you’re a CTO, operator, or founder, this episode demystifies what “process” really means in the AI era — and why it’s more strategic than ever.
⸻
👤 About Liam O’Neil
Liam O’Neil is the Managing Director of BPMD, helping companies transform how they operate through process intelligence, workflow design, automation, and AI-driven change.
He has led transformation programs across industries, guiding teams through ERP shifts, hyperautomation, and data-driven operational design.
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🔑 Key Takeaways
• Why process ≠ bureaucracy — and how to reframe it
• Moving from siloed teams to connected “change maker functions”
• Process mining vs task mining (and when to use each)
• AI’s role in accelerating process intelligence & automation
• Why CTOs must partner with process functions to drive value
• How to spot early signs of underperforming transformation programs
• Where process teams sit in modern org structures
• Innovation vs stability — and when not to automate
• Using upstream fixes to unlock downstream efficiency
• The real reason RPA stalled — and what AI does differently
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🎧 What You’ll Learn
• The evolution of process work in the AI age
• Real-world examples of process intelligence saving time & cost
• How to structure process teams for speed, not bureaucracy
• Tools and frameworks shaping enterprise workflow (Signavio, Celonis, SAP, etc.)
• How generative & agentic AI is changing execution and adoption
• Why culture, communication, and accountability still matter most
⸻
🕒 Episode Highlights
Timestamp
Topic
00:00
Welcome & guest intro
01:20
Liam’s journey into process & automation
03:10
Why smart teams get stuck in silos
04:50
Fixing upstream issues to remove downstream pain
06:10
Why process has a “bureaucracy problem”
09:00
How modern process teams look today
11:50
Process mining vs task mining — explained simply
15:20
Real enterprise examples & outcomes
17:10
Where AI accelerates process work
20:00
Why change dies without ownership & communication
24:15
Balancing innovation vs experience
27:00
Capability modeling for tech investment decisions
29:00
Signals CTOs should watch for in transformation
32:40
Where to start tomorrow if you lead technology
34:30
The next evolution of process with AI
38:00
RPA vs AI — why adoption looks different
41:20
Closing thoughts & where to find Liam
🔗 Resources Mentioned
• Liam’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/l-oneill/
• Liam’s company: http://bpm-d.com/
• Celonis
• WalkMe / digital adoption platforms
• LeanIX / enterprise architecture
• RPA vs next-gen AI workflows
In this episode, Apexon CEO Sriniketh Chakravarthi joins us to unpack what it really takes to build and scale a global technology services company in the era of AI and automation.
We explore the intersection of technology, culture, and execution — and why the future belongs to leaders who can combine deep tech understanding with human-centric leadership.
From scaling teams to embracing Agentic AI, Sriniketh brings a grounded, operator-first perspective shaped by experience across strategy, M&A, and hands-on execution in some of the world’s most dynamic tech environments.
👤 About Sriniketh
Sriniketh Chakravarthi
CEO, Apexon
A seasoned technology leader with a background in financial services, strategy, and digital engineering, Sriniketh has led Apexon’s transformation into a next-gen digital engineering partner focused on AI, digital experience, and data-powered innovation.
Backed by Goldman Sachs and Everstone Capital, Apexon operates across the US, UK, India, and Mexico with a mission to improve human life through digital transformation.
🔑 Key Takeaways
• Culture is the No.1 driver of sustainable performance at scale
• Execution is a leadership discipline — not a buzzword
• AI will transform services, but humans remain the multiplier
• Entrepreneurial DNA must be protected even in large orgs
• Services firms must evolve into AI orchestration partners
• The next era belongs to companies combining talent, tooling, and trust
• Change management in AI era is harder than the tech work itself
🎓 What You Will Learn
• How to build a culture that scales with growth
• Why AI will reshape the technology services industry
• What “agentic AI” really means for enterprises
• Lessons on leadership, humility, and talent development
• How to balance investor expectations with people-first leadership
• Why operators must stay hands-on and continuously learn
• Strategies to upskill teams for AI-first work environments
📌 Episode Highlights
Time
Topic
00:00
Intro & welcome
01:00
Sriniketh’s journey: strategy → operating → CEO
04:00
Leadership pillars: culture, execution, strategy
08:30
Team mindset & the importance of low-ego talent
10:20
Tech as a force for good — real healthcare impact stories
14:30
Keeping entrepreneurship alive in a 5,000+ person org
17:40
Merging multiple companies into one culture & mission
21:00
Talent in the AI era: young engineers & reskilling
26:00
Balancing investors and people — sports team analogy
32:00
The future of services in the age of AI & agents
38:00
AgentThrive: scaling AI in enterprise environments
46:00
Human + AI collaboration and the next workforce frontier
52:00
Advice for entrepreneurs building future-ready teams
57:00
Closing thoughts & where to connect
🔗 Resources Mentioned
• Apexon Website: https://www.apexon.com/
• Sriniketh LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srinikethchakravarthi/
• “Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done” — Ram Charan
In this episode, Mehmet sits down with Brian Corcodilos, CEO of Designblendz, to explore how technology is transforming the built environment — from 3D visualization and digital twins to the future of AR-powered real estate.
Brian shares his journey from pro-gamer to architect-founder, scaling a design studio from a college dorm room to a 30-person innovation-driven firm. We dive deep into the intersection of architecture, virtual worlds, AI, AR, and how emerging technologies are reshaping how we design, sell, and experience real estate.
If you care about AI, real estate, and the future of human-centric design, this episode is a must-listen.
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About Brian Corcodilos
Brian Corcodilos is the Founder & CEO of Designblendz, a Philadelphia-based architecture and visualization studio specializing in BIM, photorealistic 3D, drone-based digital environments, and immersive design.
A former competitive gamer turned architect-operator, Brian combines technical skill with creative vision to help developers, municipalities, and brands design smarter and sell faster in a virtual-first world.
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✅ Key Takeaways
• The connection between gaming, virtual worlds, and architecture
• Why AR — not VR — will win mass adoption
• How AI is reshaping architecture & 3D visualization workflows
• The future of virtual real estate and augmented built spaces
• Why blockchain will matter again — and where
• Scaling a service business through culture, delegation, and trust
• What traditional industries get wrong about tech adoption
Episode Highlights
00:00
Intro
01:20
From pro-gamer to architect-founder
04:15
When 3D visualization became a business advantage
08:32
How AI is upending the design pipeline
12:40
The real value behind photoreal rendering
17:45
AR vs. VR — why VR flopped and AR will dominate
23:18
AI assistants, workflows, and replacing admin work
29:10
Deepfakes, blockchain, and proof-of-reality
33:40
The future of virtual real estate & urban space
42:10
Founder lessons — scaling, culture, letting go
49:15
M&A as a growth strategy in architecture
53:40
Closing thoughts + where to follow Brian
Resources Mentioned
• Designblendz — www.designblendz.com
• Brian’s LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/bcorcodilos/
In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we sit down with Ahmed Bahgat, a leading IT expert, digital forensics specialist, and court-appointed arbitrator who has handled 600+ cyber and technology-related cases across the UAE, GCC, and Canada.
From cyber breaches and data leaks to AI deployment disputes and cryptocurrency investigations, Ahmed shares real-world insights into modern digital crime — and how organizations should protect themselves before it’s too late.
Whether you’re a founder, executive, or tech leader, this episode will give you a rare insider perspective on the legal, technical, and business complexities shaping cybersecurity and AI in today’s digital economy.
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👤 About Ahmed Bahgat
Ahmed Bahgat is an IT expert, digital forensics specialist, and arbitrator with over 20 years of experience across oil & gas, banking, retail, and government sectors.
He is certified in blockchain, AI, and IT service management, and serves as a registered expert in federal courts across the UAE, Bahrain, and beyond.
He has led IT across 18 countries and has been assigned to 600+ cyber and tech disputes, covering:
• Cyber fraud & data theft
• AI implementation conflicts
• Cryptocurrency cases
• Internal data abuse & insider threats
• Digital forensics & evidence analysis
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🔑 Key Takeaways
✅ The rise of cyber disputes and AI legal cases in the UAE & beyond
✅ How digital forensics works in real investigations
✅ What executives MUST know before signing tech contracts
✅ Why “we’re too small to be hacked” is dangerous thinking
✅ How poor data governance and access control lead to legal liability
✅ The growing trend of private AI models for government & enterprises
✅ Real examples of data leakage and fraud incidents
✅ Steps every company should take to build digital readiness
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📚 What You Will Learn
• How cybercrime and digital evidence are handled legally
• Key mistakes companies make with data & cybersecurity
• Why proactive cyber policies save companies millions
• What founders should know about AI risk & compliance
• How to protect your business from internal & external threats
🕒 Episode Timestamps
00:00 – Intro
01:00 – Ahmed’s journey from engineer to cyber arbitrator
04:00 – Why hands-on tech experience matters in legal cases
06:00 – The reality of cybercrime and tech disputes in the region
08:30 – Why companies ignore security until disaster strikes
11:00 – Digital forensic tools and processes explained
14:30 – Mapping digital evidence to UAE federal cyber law
17:00 – Common enterprise security gaps (and why they fail)
20:00 – Insider threats and financial fraud case examples
22:00 – Cryptocurrency, AI & social media disputes on the rise
24:00 – Private AI vs public AI — what companies should know
27:00 – Final advice for business leaders & tech teams
🔗 Resources Mentioned
• UAE Federal Cybercrime Law (Law No. 34 of 2021)
• Digital forensics tools: FTK, Wireshark, UFED
• Local cyber agencies (Dubai Police Cyber Dept., etc.)
⸻
🤝 Connect With Ahmed Bahgat
🔗 LinkedIn: — https://www.linkedin.com/in/bahgatexpert/
Tourism is becoming a strategic economic engine for cities like Dubai, Singapore, Riyadh, and Milan. But one massive gap has been untouched: tax-free shopping.
Every year, billions in VAT refunds leave local economies instead of being reinvested into retail and travel ecosystems.
Ameer Jumahboy, Co-Founder & CEO of Utu, is changing that.
He shares:
• How digital tax-free systems work under the hood
• Why airports are the next major retail battleground
• How AI and data will transform travel spending behavior
• Lessons from building with a second-generation founder and global retail pioneer (his father)
This is a deep dive into a misunderstood, under-innovated, $5B opportunity.
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👤 About Ameer Jumahboy
Ameer Jumahboy is the Co-Founder & CEO of Utu, a travel-fintech platform reimagining tax-free shopping.
From Singapore to Dubai and Europe, Utu modernizes VAT refunds by turning them into instant retail value — boosting tourism spend and upgrading traveler experience.
His co-founder is his father — the industry veteran who built two global tax-free giants (Global Blue & Planet). Together, they are scaling a third-generation travel retail model across continents.
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🔑 Key Takeaways
• The tax-free refund system is a massive under-innovated fintech layer
• Digitization unlocks new value for travelers, governments, and retailers
• Airports are evolving into data-first, conversion-driven retail hubs
• Middle East destinations are redefining tourism infrastructure
• Legacy industries need youthful vision + institutional experience
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🎧 What You’ll Learn
• How tax-free systems actually work — and why digital matters
• Role of AI in travel retail personalization & spend prediction
• Expansion strategy across GCC, Europe, and global hubs
• How to build a business with family — and win
• The psychology of travel spending and loyalty mechanics
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🧭 Episode Highlights
• (01:30) Ameer’s journey & building with his father
• (05:00) The problem with legacy tax-free systems
• (09:15) Product-market fit after multiple iterations
• (12:50) Stakeholders in tax-free innovation
• (18:20) Why GCC is primed for travel tech leadership
• (23:10) Cracking the UAE retail ecosystem through Gold Souk
• (27:40) Data, AI, and the next evolution of airport retail
• (34:10) Competition, first-mover advantage & innovation culture
• (39:00) Vision: a global travel-commerce layer
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🔗 Resources Mentioned
• Utu — https://utu.global/
• Global Blue & Planet (industry context)
Ameer’s Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ameerjumabhoy/
In this episode, Mehmet sits down with Art Rivilis, CTO of Augment, to explore how AI is moving beyond copilots and into the era of AI teammates — intelligent agents that think, act, and collaborate like humans.
Art shares his journey from immigrant engineer to CTO, the lessons learned through two major acquisitions (Shopify and Flexport), and what it really takes to lead engineering teams through hypergrowth and M&A.
From redefining logistics through AI to tackling the hard problems of workflow automation and prompt design, this conversation unpacks how today’s CTOs can build systems — and teams — that scale with intelligence, not just speed.
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👤 About the Guest
Art Rivilis is the Chief Technology Officer at Augment, a pioneering AI company building intelligent teammates for the logistics and freight industry.
With 20 years of experience in engineering and product leadership, Art has held pivotal roles at VMware, Flixster, Symphony, Deliver (acquired by Shopify), and Flexport.
His expertise spans distributed systems, startup scaling, and AI-driven automation.
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🚀 Key Takeaways
• From Code to Leadership: How a lifelong engineer transitions from building software to building teams.
• Leading Through Acquisitions: Lessons from being acquired twice and integrating engineering cultures.
• Beyond Copilots: Why the next wave of AI isn’t about assistance, but collaboration.
• AI in Logistics: How Augment is using agentic AI to revolutionize freight and supply chain operations.
• Prompting for Precision: Why writing great prompts may be the hardest skill in the age of AI.
• Scaling Teams, Scaling Trust: The organizational inflection points at 100+ engineers — and how to maintain clarity and culture.
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🎓 What You’ll Learn
• What it takes to lead a startup through two acquisitions and come out stronger.
• How AI teammates differ from copilots — and why that matters for the future of work.
• The real-world challenges of integrating AI into legacy industries like logistics.
• Why prompt engineering and human context remain essential in building reliable AI systems.
• How CTOs can prepare for the agentic AI revolution — where systems act, not just assist.
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🕒 Episode Highlights (Timestamps for YouTube & Spotify)
00:00 – Intro & what to expect in this episode
02:00 – Art’s early passion for tech and first steps as an engineer
09:00 – From engineer to leader: why he became a CTO
17:00 – The challenges of being on the “acquired” side of M&A
25:00 – Integrating engineering teams and maintaining trust
33:00 – The 100-person rule: when to scale and when to delegate
37:00 – What Augment is building and why logistics is ripe for AI
45:00 – How the logistics industry is responding to AI adoption
53:00 – Can agentic AI transform other verticals?
57:00 – The next frontier: prompts, reasoning, and superintelligence
1:04:00 – Final reflections and where to find Art
⸻
🔗 Resources Mentioned
• Augment – Official Website: https://www.goaugment.com/
• The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton Christensen
• Art Rivilis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arturrivilis/
In this episode, Mehmet Gonullu sits down with Carina Negreanu, CTO of Robin AI, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the legal industry. From her roots in physics and machine learning to leading one of the most innovative legal tech companies, Carina shares how Robin AI is using AI to simplify contracts, enhance trust, and improve lawyer productivity.
The conversation dives deep into the intersection of AI, law, and human judgment, discussing the challenges of accuracy, bias, verification, and the evolving role of co-pilots and agents in legal workflows.
⸻
About Carina Negreanu
Carina Negreanu is the CTO of Robin AI, a fast-growing legal tech company transforming how organizations manage contracts. Before joining Robin AI, she was Principal Research Manager at Microsoft Research, where she led groundbreaking work on formula generation and co-generation for Excel. Carina holds a PhD in Physics, where she studied Einstein’s General Relativity systems — a foundation that shaped her rigorous, data-driven approach to AI.
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Key Takeaways
• AI as an Enabler, Not a Replacement – Tools should empower lawyers to verify results and enhance confidence, not automate judgment.
• Verification First Mindset – Robin AI’s approach builds user trust through transparency and feedback loops.
• Bridging Accuracy and Bias – Continuous improvement and human oversight are essential for ethical AI adoption.
• The Build vs. Buy Debate in AI – Why enterprises should evaluate long-term maintenance, model evolution, and vendor credibility.
• The Adoption Challenge – AI success depends as much on user education and expectation-setting as on the technology itself.
• Legal Co-Pilots & AI Agents – The next frontier: workflow automation that simplifies contract negotiation and legal research.
• Personalization is the Future – AI that understands user preferences and adapts over time will redefine the legal workspace.
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What You’ll Learn
• How Robin AI automates and verifies complex contract review workflows
• The importance of human-in-the-loop AI for high-stakes decisions
• Why enterprise AI adoption struggles — and how to fix it
• How legal copilots and agents are redefining trust, transparency, and productivity
• The role of personalization and verification in next-gen AI systems
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Episode Highlights (Timestamps)
00:02 — Carina’s journey from physics to AI leadership
00:05 — How Robin AI simplifies contract workflows
00:09 — Tackling accuracy and bias in legal tech
00:13 — Build vs. Buy: navigating AI decision-making
00:18 — Why enterprise AI adoption often fails
00:27 — The rise of legal copilots and workflow agents
00:34 — The future of interoperability and AI ethics
00:37 — Personalization as the next big leap in AI
00:39 — Carina’s advice for CTOs evaluating AI partners
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Resources Mentioned
• Robin AI: https://robinai.com/ – Learn more about Carina’s company and its Legal Intelligence Platform
• Carina Negreanu on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carina-suzana-negreanu/
In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we sit down with Mark Vange, founder of Autom8ly and former CTO at Electronic Arts, to explore what he calls “cooperative AI.”
Mark shares how decades of experience in gaming, enterprise software, and automation shaped his belief that the true power of AI lies not in replacing humans but in partnering with them.
From building video games at 13 to running global tech teams at EA and now leading AI-driven automation across industries, Mark explains how trust, context, and human design principles drive adoption and ROI.
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👤 About Mark Vange
Mark Vange is a technologist, entrepreneur, and founder of Autom8ly, a platform that helps businesses implement AI automation through partnerships with vertical experts.
He previously served as Chief Technology Officer at Electronic Arts, guiding the company’s transition from boxed titles to online, mobile, and social games.
Today, Mark focuses on bridging AI’s technical potential with real-world business outcomes — building what he calls “a post-code world” where trust and attention are the new currencies.
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💡 Key Takeaways
• Cooperative AI > Autonomous AI: The future of automation lies in AI that works with people, not instead of them.
• The Post-Code World: Code is no longer the moat — trust, domain knowledge, and market access are.
• Adoption Through ROI: Start with tasks nobody likes doing; deliver measurable value fast.
• Agility Re-Defined: Speed today isn’t about writing code — it’s about adapting architectures, partners, and trust frameworks.
• Compliance as an Enabler: Secure, compliant, and explainable AI wins enterprise adoption.
• Education Before Implementation: Clarity on the “why” behind automation is more valuable than hype or dashboards.
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🎧 What Listeners Will Learn
• How Autom8ly’s partnership-driven model helps vertical experts scale with AI.
• The nine-step framework for identifying automation opportunities that deliver ROI.
• Why “vibe coding” is a trap — and what real engineering looks like in a cooperative AI world.
• How encrypted retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) enables privacy-first healthcare use cases.
• Why trust and attention now matter more than algorithms or lines of code.
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🕒 Episode Highlights
00:02 — Mark’s journey from video-game prodigy to EA CTO
00:08 — How Autom8ly partners with industry experts to scale AI solutions
00:15 — Defining “Cooperative AI” and why it outperforms autonomous systems
00:19 — Human trust and the psychology of AI adoption
00:25 — Compliance and agility: balancing speed with enterprise trust
00:33 — Building configurable, LLM-agnostic AI systems
00:37 — The rise of the post-code world and the new moats of trust and access
00:42 — Encrypted RAG in healthcare: AI with privacy by design
00:46 — Advice for founders: start with real problems, not tech trends
00:50 — AI buzzwords to ignore and why clarity beats vibes
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🧭 Resources Mentioned
• Autom8ly.com — Mark’s company website
• Mark Vange on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markvange
In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, host Mehmet Gonullu sits down with Pete Steege, Founder of B2B Clarity and author of Radical Clarity. Pete helps “accidental CEOs” — technical experts who suddenly find themselves leading companies — move from chaos to focus by simplifying what matters most.
They explore how meaning, empathy, and intentional leadership drive business growth, why founders must rediscover their true story, and how doing less can unlock exponential results.
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👤 About Pete Steege
Pete Steege is the Founder of B2B Clarity, a consultancy helping B2B tech CEOs find clarity and focus in their business strategy and messaging. A former engineer turned advisor and author, Pete guides technical leaders to uncover the “why” behind their business and communicate it with radical simplicity.
He’s also the author of Radical Clarity: Simplify to Grow, which offers frameworks for CEOs to align their team, culture, and growth around purpose.
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💡 Key Takeaways
• The concept of the Accidental CEO — when expertise turns into leadership.
• Why doing less often accelerates growth.
• The power of defining your company’s “true story” and bullseye market.
• How empathy and generosity shape authentic leadership.
• Why founders should say “no” more often — and how clarity becomes their compass.
• Balancing authenticity and AI in the noisy digital age.
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🎓 What You’ll Learn
• How to identify your true purpose as a founder or CEO.
• Practical ways to simplify your operations and messaging.
• The mindset shift from expert to leader.
• How radical clarity drives alignment across culture, customers, and growth.
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🕒 Episode Highlights
• 00:02:00 — What it means to be an “accidental CEO.”
• 00:04:00 — The inspiration behind Radical Clarity.
• 00:08:00 — The role of empathy and generosity in leadership.
• 00:12:00 — Why doing less creates space for meaning and growth.
• 00:24:00 — Authenticity, intention, and generosity as a CEO mindset.
• 00:39:00 — How to stay human in the AI-driven world.
• 00:50:00 — The Accidental CEO Audit and how Pete works with founders.
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🔗 Resources Mentioned
• Book: Radical Clarity: Simplify to Grow — https://www.b2b-clarity.com/books/radical-clarity/
• Website: https://www.b2b-clarity.com/cto— access Pete’s frameworks, audit, and contact info.
In this episode, Mehmet sits down with Federico Ramallo, founder of Density Labs and Prevetted AI, to explore how technology, culture, and human connection intersect in building world-class engineering teams.
From managing nearshore teams in Mexico to scaling engineering partnerships for U.S. startups, Federico shares the secrets behind a 6-year average retention rate, and why trust, ownership, and transparent communication are the real differentiators.
They also dive into how AI is reshaping technical hiring, when to trust automation, and why the human layer still matters more than ever in the future of work.
⸻
👤 About the Guest
Federico Ramallo is a serial entrepreneur, software engineer, and founder of Density Labs, a boutique engineering firm connecting U.S. companies with top Latin American talent, and Prevetted AI, a platform using AI and human judgment to screen and match world-class engineers.
He is also co-author of Open the Valve: The New Path to Creative Play and host of the Prevetted Podcast.
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🧩 Key Takeaways
• How to build remote engineering teams that last for years, not months
• Why empathy and feedback loops are key to retention
• How to balance human screening with AI automation
• The cultural nuances that make or break nearshore success
• Why honesty and transparency are non-negotiable in global teams
• What AI can and can’t replace in tech hiring
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📚 What Listeners Will Learn
• The operational systems behind high-performing global teams
• How startups can use AI responsibly in recruitment
• The power of under-promising and over-delivering in remote work
• Practical lessons for CTOs hiring beyond their borders
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🕒 Episode Highlights (Timestamps)
00:00 – Introduction and Federico’s journey from Argentina to Mexico
04:00 – Building Density Labs: solving the outsourcing “trust gap”
10:00 – Quality, ownership, and feedback in remote engineering
15:00 – How Prevetted AI combines AI agents with human screening
23:00 – The impact of culture and communication on remote success
27:00 – Achieving 6-year retention in engineering teams
35:00 – Training programs and building future-ready engineers
43:00 – Honest conversations about AI in recruitment
47:00 – Will AI replace engineers? The real answer
49:00 – Lessons from cross-border collaboration
55:00 – Federico’s books, podcast, and creative philosophy
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🔗 Resources Mentioned
• Prevetted AI: https://prevetted.ai/
• Density Labs: https://densitylabs.io/
• Open the Valve: The New Path to Creative Play (book)
• Prevetted Podcast: https://prevetted.ai/podcast
In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, host Mehmet Gonullu sits down with Eckhard Jann — former commercial pilot, safety manager, author of Error One, and host of the Error One podcast — to explore how lessons from aviation safety can transform leadership, culture, and decision-making in startups.
Drawing from 30 years in the cockpit and years of investigating human error, Eckhard unpacks why mistakes are inevitable but manageable, how psychological safety shapes resilient teams, and why “error culture” may be the missing ingredient in modern business leadership.
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👤 About the Guest
Eckhard Jann is a business consultant, author, and former commercial pilot with three decades of aviation experience. His bestselling book Error One and his podcast of the same name bring the science and psychology of human error to a global audience. Eckhard’s mission: to help leaders, founders, and teams build systems that learn before they fail.
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💡 Key Takeaways
• ✈️ Aviation’s secret: Every procedure, rule, and checklist was “written in blood” — mistakes are teachers, not threats.
• 🧠 Error chains: Big failures are never caused by one mistake — they result from small, ignored signals that compound over time.
• 🗣️ Culture over blame: Teams must be empowered to talk about errors without fear; silence is the real danger.
• 🤝 Psychological safety: Great leaders invite criticism, feedback, and correction from everyone — even the youngest team member.
• 🚀 Startup relevance: Just like in aviation, startups thrive when they treat missteps as learning loops, not career-ending moments.
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🎓 What You’ll Learn
• The concept of “Error One” and how to identify early warning signs in teams and organizations
• How aviation built a resilient safety culture and what startups can borrow from it
• Why blame culture kills innovation
• How psychology and systems thinking can prevent failure before it happens
• The role of human creativity in an AI-driven world where automation can’t anticipate the unexpected
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🕒 Episode Highlights (Timestamps)
• 00:00 – Introduction and Eckhard’s journey from pilot to author
• 03:00 – Why aviation learned safety “written in blood”
• 07:00 – The inevitability of human error and how we grow from it
• 11:00 – The iceberg analogy: visible accidents vs. hidden small mistakes
• 14:00 – Spotting early signals: empowering teams to speak up
• 18:00 – The psychology of fear and building error-safe cultures
• 23:00 – What startups can learn from cockpit teamwork
• 30:00 – Leadership humility and feedback loops
• 33:00 – SpaceX vs. Boeing: two mindsets on risk and failure
• 35:00 – Why AI can’t replace human creativity in crisis situations
• 41:00 – Inside the Error One podcast and its most powerful stories
• 46:00 – Final reflections: separating the error from the person
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🔗 Resources Mentioned
• 📘 Error One by Eckhard Jann — https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DM6Z16GL?dplnkId=c43308fc-bc40-4317-b5af-eebb9c49a3ea&nodl=1
• 🎧 Error One Podcast — https://open.spotify.com/show/09uOW1cp2kQ3Qx91kjQslG?si=4OIu_CbUS-qtdk_FkePsaA
Training: https://aviationinvestigation.com/en/willkommen-beim-aviation-investigation-training-english/
• 🔗 Connect with Eckhard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eckhardjann
In this episode, Mehmet sits down with Sebastian Gierlinger, VP of Engineering at Storyblok, to explore what it really takes to build software and teams that stand the test of time. From composable architectures to developer-first design, Sebastian shares practical wisdom for engineering leaders navigating complexity, scalability, and AI adoption.
The conversation moves beyond code—into mindset, balance, and how curiosity fuels sustainable innovation in a fast-changing world.
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👤 About the Guest
Sebastian Gierlinger is the VP of Engineering at Storyblok, the leading headless CMS platform empowering developers and marketers to create, manage, and scale digital experiences seamlessly. At Storyblok, Sebastian leads teams across product, design, developer experience, and infrastructure—driving the evolution of modern content architecture and developer workflows.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgierlinger/
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💡 Key Takeaways
• Composable Thinking: Why modular architectures give freedom, flexibility, and future-proof scalability.
• Developer-First Philosophy: How to balance developer experience with marketing and design usability.
• AI in Engineering: Where AI adds real value—from bug hunting to workflow acceleration—and where caution is still needed.
• Fighting Complexity Creep: Why simplicity in infrastructure often wins over “trend-driven” tech adoption.
• Building for Tomorrow: How to leave your path open—designing systems that adapt rather than age.
• Shape Up Methodology: How Storyblok keeps developer motivation high and stress low with six-week build cycles.
• Leadership in Tech: From learning Rust to staying relevant—why curiosity is a core trait of modern engineering leaders.
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🎯 What You’ll Learn
• The mindset shift from monolithic systems to composable, headless architectures.
• The role of developer-first platforms in scaling innovation.
• Real-world examples of cost and performance gains from digital modernization.
• How to lead engineering teams through AI-driven change without losing quality or morale.
• Why being technology-agnostic is essential for long-term sustainability.
⏱️ Episode Highlights
00:00 — Introduction and guest overview
02:00 — What is Storyblok and how headless CMS transforms content delivery
04:30 — Moving from legacy to composable architecture
06:00 — What “developer-first” really means
09:00 — The secret to creating unfair advantages in engineering
11:00 — When to trust AI—and when to stay cautious
14:00 — The rise of “bug hunting” with LLMs
15:00 — Understanding “complexity creep” in DevOps
19:00 — Building today with tomorrow in mind
22:00 — Customer success story: Diamond Shipyards transformation
25:00 — How AI and automation are reshaping content workflows
27:00 — Balancing delivery pressure and team motivation
30:00 — Using Shape Up methodology for sustainable pace
31:00 — How engineers can grow into leadership
34:00 — Framework fatigue, tech choices, and staying agnostic
40:00 — Why outdated libraries can break your security frameworks
42:00 — Final advice: stay curious, stay flexible, build sustainably
🧭 Resources Mentioned
• Storyblok: https://www.storyblok.com/
• Shape Up Methodology by 37signals
• ISO/IEC 27001 Security Certification Framework
In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we dive into the digital transformation wave reshaping businesses in the UAE and beyond. Mehmet sits down with Moosa Alavi, Founder & CEO of Techbot ERP, to explore how cloud-based ERP solutions are empowering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to automate operations, make smarter decisions, and embrace the future of AI-driven business.
From his 25-year journey in the signage industry to founding a leading ERP implementation company, Moosa shares firsthand lessons on scaling, cost-cutting through automation, and why ERP is no longer optional for modern businesses.
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👤 About the Guest
Moosa Alavi is the Founder & CEO of Techbot ERP, a Dubai-based company that helps businesses digitize operations and optimize performance through ERP implementation.
He’s also a Gold Partner of DU (Odoo) and an active member of professional communities like BNI and IPA, championing mentorship, collaboration, and SME growth across the GCC.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/moossa-m-alavi/
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💡 Key Takeaways
• The UAE’s $3.5B ERP market is booming — driven by digital transformation and compliance needs.
• Cloud adoption and AI integration are revolutionizing how SMEs operate and make decisions.
• A well-implemented ERP can reduce manual tasks, cut costs, and increase sales performance by up to 20%.
• ERP isn’t just for big corporations — it’s now affordable, modular, and scalable for SMEs.
• Moosa’s story proves that innovation often starts from personal pain points.
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🧠 What You’ll Learn
• How ERP and automation streamline business workflows.
• Why digital transformation in the UAE is accelerating.
• How AI and analytics are reshaping ERP systems.
• The importance of professional communities for SME founders.
• Lessons from scaling Techbot ERP across GCC and beyond.
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🔍 Episode Highlights with Timestamps
[00:00] — Welcome to The CTO Show with Mehmet
[02:00] — Moosa’s journey: from signage manufacturing to ERP founder
[05:00] — Discovering the gaps that led to Techbot ERP
[09:00] — Why digital transformation is more than a buzzword
[11:00] — Cloud, compliance, and cost-cutting: The real ERP drivers
[15:00] — How going paperless boosts credibility and customer trust
[18:00] — Understanding DU partnership and Odoo implementation
[24:00] — Real business results: saving time, money, and manpower
[29:00] — CRM and automation’s impact on sales growth
[31:00] — The rise of AI-powered ERP and predictive insights
[34:00] — Techbot’s expansion plans across GCC, Asia, and Europe
[36:00] — The power of mentorship and community networks
[41:00] — Final advice: ERP as a growth catalyst, not a cost
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🧰 Resources Mentioned
In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we dive into one of the most pressing questions of our time: Can privacy survive in the age of AI surveillance?
Joining Mehmet is Kee Jefferys, Co-Founder of Session, a decentralized, privacy-first messaging platform built on blockchain technology. Kee breaks down how Session protects users from metadata tracking, how it differs from mainstream encrypted messengers, and why the future of secure communication depends on decentralization and design — not regulation.
From AI’s hunger for data to global legislative pushes for backdoors, this episode exposes the real privacy battleground — and the technologies fighting back.
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👤 About Kee Jefferys
Kee Jefferys is the Co-Founder of Session, a decentralized private messaging app built on blockchain technology. With over seven years in the secure communications and crypto space, Kee’s work focuses on end-to-end encryption, metadata protection, and decentralized network infrastructure that prioritizes user anonymity.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kee-j-090502157/
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💡 Key Takeaways
• Metadata is the real privacy leak: Even if messages are encrypted, metadata reveals who talks to whom, when, and how often.
• Decentralization is the defense: Session’s community-run node network eliminates centralized data collection points.
• AI’s new appetite — your chats: As AI companies run out of training data, chat data is the next frontier.
• No phone numbers, no emails, no tracking: Session removes identity links at signup, using seed phrases for recovery.
• Privacy vs. policy: Governments in the UK, Australia, and EU are moving toward “chat control” legislation that could mandate surveillance backdoors.
• Session’s model: A freemium app sustained by a decentralized token economy — built to stay independent, not ad-driven.
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🎓 What You’ll Learn
• How blockchain can power real-world privacy tools
• The difference between encryption and metadata protection
• Why AI surveillance is escalating the privacy arms race
• How decentralized infrastructure creates resilience
• What “Session Pro” means for sustainability without compromising anonymity
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⏱️ Episode Highlights
• [00:02:00] Kee’s journey from crypto networks to founding Session
• [00:06:00] The dangers of metadata collection
• [00:09:00] Governments pushing for encryption backdoors
• [00:13:00] How Session’s decentralized nodes ensure privacy
• [00:19:00] Scaling to 1M+ users without phone numbers or servers
• [00:25:00] AI’s growing role in surveillance and data mining
• [00:30:00] Building a sustainable, non-profit, privacy-first business
• [00:36:00] The frictionless onboarding experience and UX design
• [00:39:00] Kee’s advice for anyone starting their privacy journey
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🔗 Resources Mentioned
• Session — Private Messaging App
• ProtonMail — Encrypted Email
• Tutanota — Secure Mail Alternative
In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, host Mehmet Gonullu welcomes Marco Benítez, Founder & CEO of Rook, a data infrastructure company powering the next generation of preventive healthcare.
From martial arts discipline to building one of the most promising health data platforms in the world, Marco shares his entrepreneurial journey, the evolution of wearables, and how clean data and AI are redefining human health.
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👤 About the Guest
Marco Benítez is a biomedical engineer and serial entrepreneur originally from Mexico, now based in the U.S. His company Rook connects over 400 wearables, medical devices, and lab tests through a single API—helping organizations transform raw biometric data into actionable health insights.
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💡 Key Takeaways
• How Rook’s API integrates 400+ devices to deliver real-time health intelligence
• The evolution from fitness tracking to Medicine 3.0 and preventive care
• Why data normalization and security compliance (HIPAA, GDPR) are core to scaling health tech
• The role of AI in making wearable data truly meaningful for longevity and wellness
• Marco’s founder mindset — how discipline, persistence, and transparency drive success
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🎓 What You’ll Learn
• Why the future of medicine lies in prevention, not reaction
• The intersection of biomedical engineering, AI, and human behavior
• How startups can leverage clean data to power reliable AI models
• Lessons on raising capital in the U.S. health tech ecosystem
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🕒 Episode Highlights
00:00 – Intro & Marco’s journey from Mexico to Miami
05:00 – The story behind Rook and its wearable integrations
10:00 – Overcoming data privacy and compliance challenges
18:00 – The shift from fitness apps to clinical-grade health platforms
24:00 – Medicine 3.0 and the power of preventive data
27:00 – AI’s role in transforming wearables into insights
37:00 – Building a B2B SaaS model for health tech scalability
40:00 – Marco’s advice for founders raising in the U.S.
44:00 – The future of health data and Rook’s vision
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🔗 Resources Mentioned
• Rook Official Website: https://www.tryrook.io/
• Medicine 3.0 by Peter Attia (book reference)
In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, I sit down with Steve and Melissa Fultz — founders of The Fultz Group, authors of Family Business Facelift, and consultants helping family businesses unlock hidden revenue and embrace digital transformation.
From uncovering inefficiencies worth hundreds of thousands to guiding owners through AI adoption, Steve and Melissa share practical strategies for future-proofing businesses while keeping the human touch at the core.
Whether you’re a founder, family business owner, or investor, this conversation will open your eyes to how technology and automation can transform businesses without losing what makes them human.
About the Guests
Steve & Melissa Fultz are co-founders of The Fultz Group. Melissa brings decades of Fortune 500 leadership experience in healthcare and automation, while Steve combines family business roots with psychology and marketing expertise. Together, they help business owners scale, modernize, and find freedom through systems and technology. They are co-authors of Family Business Facelift.
Key Takeaways
• Why many business owners wear “velvet handcuffs” — and how to break free.
• The hidden revenue formula that uncovers $50K–$100K without extra marketing spend.
• How AI and automation can serve as a “board of advisors” for small businesses.
• Why tech readiness assessments are the first step to digital transformation.
• The importance of human connection in a tech-driven world.
What You’ll Learn
• How to identify inefficiencies and hidden revenue streams in your business.
• Practical ways family businesses can modernize without massive budgets.
• How to overcome resistance to technology and build team-wide adoption.
• The role of coaching, community, and mentorship in digital transformation.
Episode Highlights
• [00:05] The “velvet handcuffs” problem: when businesses own their owners.
• [00:12] Why many companies resist modernization — and how to overcome it.
• [00:20] How to set realistic expectations for AI adoption.
• [00:28] Coaching, community, and group learning as transformation catalysts.
• [00:35] Case study: helping a business owner scale and pursue her passion.
• [00:45] Future of AI, automation, and the importance of the human touch.
Resources Mentioned
• Family Business Facelift (Book + Workbook) – https://a.co/d/jfvef06
• Steve’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevefultzphd/
• Melissa’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissahufffultz/