Technovation with Peter High (CIO, CTO, CDO, CXO Interviews)

Generac Power Systems is no longer just a generator company — it’s becoming a full-stack energy technology platform. In this episode of Technovation, CIO Talal Butt offers a behind-the-scenes look at how he’s reshaping the $4.3B manufacturer’s technology landscape to support that evolution. Speaking directly to senior IT and digital leaders, Talal shares how he’s building a modern digital ecosystem from scratch — one that’s powered by real-time data, platform thinking, and AI-driven decisioning. From architecting Generac’s first scalable data governance program to operationalizing GenAI use cases and redefining the partner experience, this episode is a playbook for CIOs navigating transformation in legacy industries. Highlights include: Digital Ecosystem Strategy: Creating a seamless platform experience for both customers and partners across 140+ countries. AI-Enabled Operations: How Generac is moving beyond dashboards to predictive models for forecasting, cross-sell, and supply chain optimization. Operational Excellence: Leveraging ITSM and root cause analysis to scale global operations while reducing tech debt and downtime. Platform Thinking: Building product lines to serve hyperscale data centers while unifying energy generation, storage, and management.

From predicting the next flavor trend to revolutionizing procurement with AI, Guy Peri is leading a bold digital transformation at McCormick & Company. In this episode of Technovation, host Peter High speaks with Guy about how he’s bringing AI and data strategy to life at a 135-year-old flavor giant. Drawing from nearly three decades at Procter & Gamble, Guy shares how McCormick is building a modern digital backbone, using AI to forecast demand and ingredient pricing, and upskilling employees into citizen data scientists. Highlights include: McCormick’s digital transformation pillars How AI predicts procurement costs and retail trends The making of the Flavor Forecast The future of Agentic AI and human-machine collaboration Upskilling and shifting organizational culture through digital fluency

What does it take to digitally transform a global manufacturing giant? In this episode of Technovation, host Peter High speaks with Regina Salazar, Chief Digital and Information Officer at Novelis, about how the world’s largest aluminum recycler is scaling enterprise-wide innovation through technology. Regina shares how she unified IT and digital into a single operating model, launched a global business relationship framework, and enhanced Novelis’ data architecture to support AI at scale. She also discusses the company’s ambitious smart factory in Alabama, how digital twins are reshaping operations, and Novelis’ roadmap to becoming a tech-enabled, sustainable enterprise. Highlights include: Factory of the Future: Inside Novelis’ new Alabama facility powered by digital twins, automation, and a next-gen MES platform. AI in Action: Real-world examples of predictive maintenance and cycle time optimization through AI and edge computing. Generative AI Strategy: How Novelis built a secure internal GPT on Azure while leveraging Copilot and Moveworks across the enterprise. Smart Robotics: Deploying robotic “dogs” to inspect hazardous environments and reduce risk. Vision 3×30: Novelis’ company-wide transformation focused on data literacy, governance, and technology architecture by 2030.

Caterpillar is celebrating 100 years of innovation—and it’s just getting started. In this episode of Technovation, host Peter High welcomes Jamie Engstrom, CIO and SVP of IT at Caterpillar, to discuss how the industrial giant is evolving through data strategy, digital transformation, and customer-centric innovation. Jamie shares her insights on leading a global IT organization of 2,200 professionals, the company’s customer-back mindset, and how Caterpillar leverages AI, telematics, and real-time analytics to support over 4 million assets across the globe. From smart manufacturing to supply chain modernization and condition monitoring systems, Jamie explores how Caterpillar is shaping the next century of industrial excellence. Key topics include: Caterpillar’s enterprise-wide data strategy and AI integration The role of IT in supporting 1.5M+ connected machines Supply chain optimization with predictive analytics Strategic CIO-CDO collaboration and leadership development Creating a sustainable future through smart infrastructure

Hertz CIO Tim Langley-Hawthorne joins Peter High on Technovation to share how he’s modernizing a $9B global fleet operation through AI, cloud, and a product-first mindset. Since joining post-COVID, Tim has sunset Hertz’s data centers, scaled AWS infrastructure, launched a consumer+fleet product org, and embedded AI from customer chat to tire inspections. He explains why he rejected a centralized AI model, the power of grassroots innovation, and why partnerships with firms like Palantir and Amadeus are accelerating results. This episode is packed with real-world digital transformation strategies from a high-stakes, asset-heavy enterprise.   Highlights include: Product Operating Model: Merged consumer and fleet tech under dual product strategy. AI in Action: How decentralized AI is enhancing CX, fleet, and operational speed. Fleet Optimization: Partnership with Palantir to keep cars rented and moving. Post-COVID Reset: Lessons in fleet lifecycle economics and demand response. Culture Change: Infusing big tech talent with long-tenured ops veterans.

A unified customer experience helps companies deliver consistency, build trust, and reduce friction across their offerings making it easier for customers to engage, buy, and stay loyal. That’s why Aflac is investing in a unified group strategy consolidating acquired products into a seamless, integrated experience across dental, vision, disability, and more. In this episode of Technovation, Peter High interviews Shelia Anderson, EVP and CIO of Aflac, and speaks with her about the company’s strategy for transforming IT from a fragmented, acquisition-heavy operation into a centralized, data-driven engine for business value. She outlines how Aflac avoided a costly cloud migration misstep, refocused its data and AI capabilities, and aligned talent strategy with architectural goals. Her approach to innovation is pragmatic and powerful: tie everything to business priorities and know your why. Highlights include: AI at Scale: Legacy ML driving value in claims; GenAI mapped to entire insurance lifecycle Talent Shift: Reducing third-party reliance and redefining internal job architecture Unified Group Strategy: Streamlined digital experience across acquired businesses Smart Cloud Strategy: Focused migration driven by value, not hype Innovation Alignment: Hatch Lab and GenAI tied to Aflac’s top goals

Wayne Sadin, CIO of PriceSmart with 40+ years leading tech turnarounds, describes modernizing legacy retail systems into a real-time, AI-ready platform. He discusses embedding IT into business teams, shifting budgeting to drive alignment, multichannel e-commerce and fulfillment, supporting local suppliers across 13 countries, and preparing systems for RPA and future AI-driven operations.

Jim Siders, the Chief Information Officer at Palantir and a former classical musician, shares insights into leading an ultra-efficient IT team within a $3.7 billion data analytics company. He discusses the innovative 'Customer Zero' strategy that informs product development and the drastic reduction of IT staff while enhancing impact. Siders emphasizes the pivotal role of AI and automation in reshaping enterprise IT, advocating for abandoning outdated structures to foster innovation and flexibility within tech teams.

In this episode of Technovation, host Peter High speaks with Ryan Snyder, Senior VP & CIO of Thermo Fisher Scientific, a $40 billion global leader in life sciences. Ryan shares how AI, automation, and data strategy are driving digital transformation—optimizing operations, accelerating clinical trials, and enhancing customer experiences. Key topics include: Thermo Fisher’s Three-Pillar AI Strategy – How AI is improving efficiency, products, and customer experience AI in Clinical Trials & Automation – Reducing drug development timelines and streamlining internal workflows Embedding IT Leaders in Business Units – A unique approach to aligning technology and business strategy Future AI Trends – Multimodal AI, reasoning models, and the next phase of AI-driven decision-making The Role of Empathy in IT Leadership – Ensuring AI enhances human collaboration, not replaces it

How is AI revolutionizing healthcare? In this episode of Technovation, Melissa Flicek, CIO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, joins host Peter High to explore how the nearly 100-year-old healthcare giant is leveraging AI and data analytics to enhance patient experiences and operational efficiency. With $15B+ in annual revenue, BCBSMN is modernizing its technology infrastructure, implementing AI-powered automation to streamline patient interactions, and consolidating data into a single-source architecture to ensure consistency across all touchpoints. Melissa shares how these innovations are improving customer service, optimizing clinical workflows, and supporting predictive healthcare modeling to help lower costs. Key topics include: How BCBSMN is using AI to accelerate patient approvals and improve decision-making The role of data governance in ensuring AI-driven healthcare is accurate and ethical How predictive analytics is helping employers proactively manage rising healthcare costs The future of AI-driven patient engagement, clinical automation, and digital healthcare experiences