Episodes

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we dive into the transformative world of digital health with RJ Kedziora, Co-Founder, CEO, and CTO of Estenda Solutions. RJ joins us to discuss how AI, wearable technology, and an empathetic approach to user needs are shaping the future of healthcare. With over two decades of experience leading Estenda, RJ brings a unique perspective on the intersection of technology and patient care. The conversation begins with RJ’s journey into tech and healt...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we dive into the vital topic of employee motivation and loyalty, specifically within the MENA region, with Kirill Morozov, CEO of TEAL HR. Kirill joins us to discuss his journey and the driving force behind founding TEAL HR, a platform designed to transform how businesses motivate and retain their employees. Drawing from his background in industries ranging from medical equipment to smart cities, Kirill shares his unique perspective on why employee sa...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we sit down with Tommy Ogden, Director at Activera Consulting, to explore the intersection of analytics, frameworks, and AI in driving value within the big data landscape. Tommy, a seasoned consultant with experience across both boutique and big-name firms like Accenture, shares insights into why he returned to the world of boutique consulting, where agility and flexibility are key to rapid and impactful transformations. Tommy dives into his jou...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we welcome Nick Jain, CEO of IdeaScale, a leading B2B SaaS platform focused on innovation management. Nick shares his journey from Wall Street to the world of SaaS and innovation, bringing with him years of experience in investment and executive leadership. Starting with his background in mathematics, physics, and an MBA from Harvard, Nick describes how his career pivoted toward running businesses with a focus on driving value for customers and managi...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we sit down with Hubert Behaghel, CTO of Veriff, to discuss the critical intersection of AI, security, and user experience in the digital age. As the internet continues to evolve, establishing digital trust has become more essential than ever, especially with the rise of identity fraud and impersonation threats. Hubert shares his journey from his early career as a consultant to becoming the CTO of Veriff, a company dedicated to making the intern...

In this insightful episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we are joined by Erik Salo, Vice President of Marketing and Product Management at Vdura, to dive deep into the critical role that data plays in AI innovation. Erik shares his extensive career journey, starting from his early days in data storage to his leadership roles at major tech companies like AMD and Seagate, and now at Vdura, where he is at the forefront of storage solutions for High-Performance Computing (HPC) and AI. Throughou...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, host Mehmet Gonullu sits down with Gagan Singh, Founder and CEO of WOWS Global, to discuss the intricacies of startup fundraising, navigating private markets, and the increasing importance of secondary transactions. Gagan shares his unique perspective, having experienced both sides of the table as a venture capitalist and entrepreneur. He dives deep into how WOWS Global is reshaping the fundraising landscape for startups by providing liquidity solutio...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, Mehmet welcomes Matt Van Itallie, founder and CEO of SEMA, to explore the evolving world of technical due diligence, particularly in the context of generative AI in coding and software acquisition. Matt shares his journey from a non-professional coder to leading SEMA, a company dedicated to bridging the gap between tech and non-tech teams. He explains how SEMA treats code as data and why understanding the nuances of software is essential, especially d...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we dive deep into the world of purpose-driven entrepreneurship with Elona Lopari, a seasoned entrepreneur and leadership coach who helps companies align purpose with profit. Elona shares her journey from climbing the corporate ladder in a Fortune 500 company to taking a bold leap into entrepreneurship, driven by a desire to find fulfillment and make a greater impact. She discusses the challenges of transitioning from a secure corporate job to the unce...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we sit down with Peter Curk, the CEO and CPO of Iconomi, a leading crypto portfolio management platform. Peter shares his journey from a non-technical background in industries like retail, energy, and telecommunications to leading a company at the forefront of crypto investments. He discusses the founding story of Iconomi, which was born from the need to simplify access to crypto investments for everyday users. With deep insights, Peter explains how t...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, Mehmet is joined by Nicky Senyard, Founder and CEO of Fintel Connect, a leader in affiliate marketing for financial services. Nicky shares her journey of over 24 years in affiliate marketing, highlighting her work with banks, credit unions, and fintechs to help them scale their operations. She delves into the unique challenges and opportunities of integrating affiliate marketing into the heavily regulated financial industry, emphasizing the importance...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we are joined by Colm Nee, CTO of Enlighted, a Siemens company focused on IoT and sustainability. Colm shares his journey and expertise in using AI and IoT to create smarter, more energy-efficient buildings. With a background in machine learning, Colm is passionate about solving complex problems, particularly those related to sustainability in commercial buildings. Throughout the conversation, we delve into the challenges and innovations surrounding d...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we are joined by IT veteran David Boscia, who brings over 32 years of experience in the IT domain, including leadership roles at NCR Corporation. David shares his journey managing tens of thousands of endpoints, discussing the complexities of handling a global network of devices and the challenges that arise in ensuring compliance, security, and smooth user experience. David delves into the importance of identity and access management (IAM) in m...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we have the pleasure of hosting Mohammad Bahareth, an award-winning business consultant and entrepreneur from Saudi Arabia. Mohammad shares his personal journey, including his challenges with dyslexia and ADHD, and how they shaped his path to becoming a successful entrepreneur. His story is one of resilience, passion, and continuous learning, with valuable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs across the MENA region and beyond. Mohammad discusses h...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we are joined by Tammy Klotz, a cybersecurity veteran and CISO with over 30 years of experience in IT and cybersecurity. Tammy shares her journey, starting in infrastructure roles and moving into cybersecurity leadership, currently holding her third CISO role in the manufacturing industry. She emphasizes the importance of translating cybersecurity risks into business risks and how this communication is vital for effective leadership. Tammy discu...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we dive deep into the future of e-commerce with Dan Brownsher, CEO of Channel Key. Dan brings over a decade of experience in building and scaling e-commerce businesses, particularly on the Amazon platform. He shares his journey from founding a private label business to leading an Amazon-focused agency that manages over half a billion dollars in retail revenue annually. Dan offers valuable insights into the evolving landscape of e-commerce, empha...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we are joined by Glyn Roberts, CTO of Digital Solutions at Vention, a leading custom software development services company. With over 20 years of experience in the tech industry, Glyn has climbed the leadership ladder from a developer to overseeing a global team of over 3,000 engineers across 20 countries. Glyn shares his insights on the key challenges and strategies for managing distributed teams in a remote-first world. Glyn discusses the comp...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we are joined by Rob Futrick, the CTO of Anaconda, for an in-depth discussion on how Anaconda is positioning itself at the forefront of the AI revolution. Rob shares his impressive journey in the tech industry, from his first startup over 25 years ago to his time at Microsoft, where he led product teams for high-performance computing and AI software. He now leads engineering at Anaconda, a company with a strong legacy in Python and data science, and i...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we have the pleasure of speaking with Geoffrey Huck, a former tech professional turned public speaking coach. Geoffrey shares his incredible journey from being a self-described introvert with a deep passion for computers and algorithms to becoming a confident public speaker and influencer in the tech community. Geoffrey opens up about his early fascination with computers, which led him to develop a strong technical background. However, this pass...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we’re joined by Aaron Painter, CEO and Founder of NameTag. Aaron shares his journey from working at Microsoft for 14 years to founding NameTag, a company dedicated to securing digital identities. He discusses the growing threats of identity theft and social engineering, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw a surge in online account takeovers. Aaron explains how NameTag is addressing these challenges by creating technology...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we dive deep into the transformative world of AI with Stefan Fehr, an entrepreneur who has been at the forefront of leveraging AI for content creation. Stefan shares his journey, beginning in 2019, when he first used AI to generate text for websites, leading to significant increases in traffic. This experience inspired him to develop a tool that drastically reduces the time required to create high-quality blog articles, optimizing them for Google’s al...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we are joined by Nader Abdelrazik, the CEO and co-founder of MoneyHash, a pioneering payment orchestration platform in the emerging markets. Nader shares his journey from academia to entrepreneurship, detailing how his diverse background in economics and engineering has shaped his strategic approach to building a successful fintech company. We delve into the founding story of MoneyHash, exploring the synergy between Nader and his co-founder Must...

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we sit down with Danny Nathan, the driving force behind Apollo 21, a company that operates at the intersection of innovation consultancy and product design. Danny shares his insights on how companies, particularly those in the growth stage like Series A and beyond, can move beyond mere “innovation theater” and take meaningful steps toward true innovation that drives long-term success. He discusses the critical importance of operationalizing innovative...

In this episode of “The CTO Show with Mehmet,” we are joined by Ramesh Subramanian, a seasoned transformational leader and CFO with over 25 years of experience in global multinationals and government entities. Ramesh shares his deep insights into the critical factors that drive successful digital and business transformation, emphasizing the importance of addressing resistance to change and ensuring that transformations are led from the top with a clear vision. He highlights the need for a compre...