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

As AI reshapes enterprise operating models, the profile of the modern technology leader is changing just as quickly.

In this special Technovation Summit May 2026 panel, Metis Strategy’s Steven Norton sits down with executive search leaders Tarun Inuganti of Korn Ferry, Ryan Bulkoski of Heidrick & Struggles, and Mike Doonan of SPMB Executive Search to discuss how AI is redefining executive hiring, leadership expectations, and boardroom dynamics.

The conversation explores why nonlinear career paths are becoming more valuable, how organizations are approaching Chief AI Officer roles, and why storytelling, influence, and change leadership are now essential executive capabilities.

Key topics include:

Why cross-industry experience is becoming a competitive advantage

The rise of AI-fluent boards and executive teams

How Chief AI Officer roles are evolving

Why leadership influence now matters more than technical expertise alone

What recruiters look for in next-generation CIOs and technology leaders

What separates founders who successfully scale companies from those who struggle to evolve beyond the startup phase?

In this episode of Technoventure, Peter High speaks with Enrique Salem, Partner at Bain Capital Ventures and former CEO of Symantec, about leadership, cybersecurity, enterprise software, and the evolving role of AI in both business growth and cyber threats. Enrique shares lessons from building and leading organizations at global scale, advising founders, and investing in next-generation technology platforms.

Key topics include:

Building mission-driven organizations that scale

Why trust and accountability accelerate execution

How AI is reshaping cybersecurity threats and defenses

Reducing customer friction in enterprise software adoption

What great founders understand about self-awareness and leadership

As telecom infrastructure becomes increasingly software-defined, technology leaders must rethink everything from engineering talent to AI operations and customer experience.

In this episode of Technovation, Peter High speaks with Jake Perlman, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology and Information Officer at Charter Communications, about how one of the nation’s largest connectivity providers is transforming its network into a software-driven platform. Jake shares how Charter is integrating AI, telemetry, predictive analytics, and edge infrastructure to improve operations at scale while enabling faster innovation across the business.

Key highlights include:

Why modern telecom networks increasingly resemble software platforms

How AI is improving technician workflows and predictive operations

Charter’s approach to agile organizational design and engineering culture

The strategic role of edge computing and distributed infrastructure

Why continuous learning has become essential for technology leadership

AI isn’t just a capability, it’s an operating model shift.

In this episode of Technovation, Peter High speaks with Ramana Thumu, CTO of Expedia Group, about how one of the world’s largest travel platforms is embedding AI into the core of how it operates. From AI squads integrated into business units to enterprise-wide AI literacy, Ramana shares how Expedia is aligning culture, processes, and technology to scale AI impact.

They also explore how Expedia is reinventing engineering through AI agents, building a data foundation to power personalization, and reimagining the traveler experience through agentic AI.

Key highlights include:

Embedding AI into business workflows through AI squads

Driving 3–5x productivity gains with AI-native engineering

Building trusted data assets to scale AI innovation

Creating agentic experiences across the travel journey

Managing rapid AI evolution with flexible platform architecture

Retail is no longer about transactions, it’s about designing experiences that create joy.

In this episode of Technovation, Peter High speaks with Prat Vemana, Chief Information and Product Officer at Target, about how one of the world’s largest retailers is redefining customer experience across digital and physical channels.

Prat shares how Target is embedding design into every layer of the organization, leveraging AI to power conversational commerce, and building a unified, multi-channel journey that blends convenience with inspiration.

Key highlights include:

Why Target views itself as “in the business of joy”

How UX is evolving into an enterprise-wide capability

The shift from search and browse to conversational discovery

Building AI-ready data through semantic and contextual layers

Deploying agentic AI to accelerate decision-making at scale