When I started doing The Third Half - about eight or nine months ago, back when it was still called The Tech Ledger - one of the first people I thought of to have on the show was Michelle Prance.

It took what felt like months of polite pestering to get her here, but when she finally came on, I asked how she was, and without missing a beat she said: “Awesome.”

That one word sums up exactly why I wanted Michelle on the show. She is fun (and funny), energetic, and - as my grandmother would have said - sharp as a tack. Intelligent, insightful, and just all-round brilliant. Yes. She is actually ‘awesome’.

In this conversation, Michelle talks about how her eight-year-old son managed to ground her after what she called a crap day, and in doing so, articulated what financial services is actually for better than most boardrooms ever manage. She walks us through how she got into her career - economics degree, bars and clubs in London, a break that came through a personal recommendation rather than any recruitment agent - and then into the real substance of what good digital banking actually looks like today.

We talk about how leadership evolves over time. She shares the Church of Fail - a slightly weird if fantastic concept, and a great jumping-off point for her reframe that experimentation isn’t risky if you make things small enough to course-correct. We get into responsible growth, and one of our favourite topics on The Third Half: ESG and inclusion, where Michelle is refreshingly honest about her own luck as much as her success.

We close with a conversation about what she listens to when she’s out walking - or, as she puts it, rocking: running action at walking speed.

Always revealing, that question.

This is a really great interview. Michelle is one of the true standout leaders I’ve had the pleasure of working with, and every time I talk to her I come away genuinely uplifted.

I hope you enjoy this one.

Read the complete guide to Third Half careers

Want the full story? Listen to Scott’s full Blueprint conversation with Michelle Prance here.

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/c7171b71-9419-4d61-aec0-df465301cc5d/

If you enjoyed this conversation, you might also love our episode with Bhavin Visavadia — the consultant surgeon rebuilding faces, restoring lives, and shaping the next generation of NHS talent. Bhavin opens up about the power of teamwork, his passion for coaching young surgeons, and what it truly means to leave a legacy. Watch the full episode here: https://www.thethirdhalf.uk/p/tth-blueprint-episode-20-bhavin-visavadia

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#digitalbanking #fintech #natwest #banking #ai #artificialintelligence #digitaltransformation #leadership #womeninfinance #womenintech #responsiblegrowth #sustainability #esg #inclusion #diversity #futureofbanking #customerexperience #innovation #growthmindset #worktok #executiveleadership #businesstok #neobank #bankingtech #financialservices #podcast #thethirdhalf #podcastclip #careergrowth #purposedriven

Music credit: Marseille

I am delighted to post this full conversation with the brilliant Mr Bhavin Visavadia.

I got so much from the conversation with him. It was so uplifting to talk to a man who is absolutely at the height of his profession, saving lives and actually rebuilding lives for people who have suffered incredible trauma.

His story about how an ulcer can progress to needing such extensive reconstruction of the face is really moving.

I took so much out of it, and at times I could actually envisage myself being part of Bhavin’s team where he is providing such incredible care to what must be highly traumatised and very vulnerable people.

What was truly special was how Bhavin went on, in a very humble way, to talk about the amazing teamwork that goes on in surgery. From the front door, when somebody walks into reception, right through to the follow-up, helping people repair and rebuild their lives emotionally as well as physically. The number of times he mentioned ‘team’ and ‘teamwork’ in our conversation was very noticeable.

He then goes on to talk about his life as a coach and how he wants to truly give back to the next generation of surgeons coming through the NHS and the hospital system. How he balances putting them under pressure, while also putting his arm around them, and how deeply passionate and caring he is about it. He didn’t, I don’t think, even use the word ‘legacy’ once but that’s what I see him building, exactly what it felt like.

He is so invested in the profession moving forward, so that we can support and help so many other people who are affected by these conditions.

Bhavin is now up for, or has been nominated for, Vice President of the Royal College of Surgeons, which I know would be an incredible, worthy and well-deserved recognition of his work.

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. It really is up there with one of the most moving contributions that we have had so far on The Third Half.

Read the complete guide to Third Half careers

Want the full story? Listen to Scott’s full Blueprint conversation with Bhavin Visavadia here.

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/9a352943-16b4-4397-b880-aee7964ae513/

If you enjoyed this conversation, you might also love our episode with Peter Sandberg — the Swedish composer and pianist whose music features in Netflix's Stranger Things. Peter opens up about ADHD, his creative process, and his journey to 700 million streams. Watch the full episode here: https://www.thethirdhalf.uk/p/tth-blueprint-episode-18-peter-sandberg

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#surgery #surgeon #nhs #headandneckcancer #mouthcancer #cancersurvivor #reconstruction #medicaltok #healthtok #coaching #mentorship #leadership #teamwork #royalcollegeofsurgeons #doctorlife #hospitallife #canceraware #earlydetection #giveback #nextgeneration #burnout #mentalhealth #healthcareworkers #purposedriven #legacybuilding #thethirdhalf #podcast #podcastclip #inspiration #humanstories

Peter Sandberg is the Swedish composer and pianist whose music has been streamed more than 700 million times across digital platforms. His work features in Seasons 3 and 4 of Stranger Things on Netflix, and he has composed for brands including Volvo, Tesla and Vox. His new album, Temporary Coexistence of Humans, is released on Warner Classics on 1 May 2026.

In this episode of The Third Half Blueprint, Scott Hamilton sits down with Peter for one of the most quietly compelling conversations the show has produced. Behind the streams and the screen credits is someone who is genuinely thoughtful, grounded and - it turns out - still a little surprised by how it all happened.

In this conversation we cover:

•Growing up with ADHD - and how music became the one thing that made sense

•How Peter actually writes: from improvisation and accidents to structured “building blocks”

•The tension between creativity and routine, and why he protects both

•The 3:30am moment that nearly derailed a session - and what he learned from it

•The thinking behind Temporary Coexistence of Humans - his most personal album yet

•What stillness, slowing down and human connection mean to him right now

Peter Sandberg doesn’t fit the usual profile of a composer with 700 million streams. There’s no entourage, no hype cycle, no carefully managed persona. What comes through in this conversation - and what makes it one of Scott’s favourite Blueprint episodes - is how quietly honest he is about the less glamorous parts of a creative life.

He talks openly about growing up with ADHD and the way music gave him a structure and a release that little else could. It’s not a sob story - it’s a matter-of-fact account of someone who found the thing that worked and then devoted himself to it. For anyone navigating neurodiversity in a professional context, this part of the conversation alone is worth the thirty minutes.

The discussion about process is fascinating for anyone who makes things for a living. Peter describes writing as something closer to excavation than construction - starting with improvisation, capturing fragments, then slowly finding what the piece wants to be. He’s resistant to over-explaining his own work, which makes the moments when he does open up feel more earned.

The new album, Temporary Coexistence of Humans, sits in the space between classical composition and neoclassical minimalism - think Ludovico Einaudi or Max Richter, but with Peter’s own quieter sensibility. Released on Warner Classics, it’s built around solo piano and explores the small, fleeting moments of human connection that most of us barely notice. It sounds exactly like its title.

There’s also a broader theme running through the conversation that Scott doesn’t force but lets emerge naturally: the value of slowing down. In a media landscape that rewards noise, Peter Sandberg has built a significant career by doing the opposite. It’s a lesson that extends well beyond music.

Genuinely one of our favourite conversations on The Third Half to date. If Peter’s music is new to you, start with Temporary Coexistence of Humans - it really is a beautiful listen. You can find upcoming tour dates and the full album at https://petersandberg.com/ . He’s also on Spotify with over 1.2 million monthly listeners

Read the complete guide to Third Half careers

Want the full story? Listen to Scott’s full Blueprint conversation with Peter Sandberg here.

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/9a352943-16b4-4397-b880-aee7964ae513/

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Peter Sandberg, Stranger Things composer, neoclassical piano, Swedish composer UK, ADHD and creativity, Warner Classics 2026, Temporary Coexistence of Humans, ambient music, film and TV music composers, creative process, mental health and music, Blueprint podcast interview, The Third Half

When systems matter — a conversation with Chris Brocklesby

We shared three short clips from this conversation the other week.

This is the full version.

Chris Brocklesby is Chief Technology Officer at the British Heart Foundation. Before that, he’s spent his career running technology in organisations millions of people rely on — airlines, telecoms, retail, national infrastructure.

So this isn’t a conversation about “tech” in the abstract. It’s about what happens when systems really matter. When they’re visible. When they fail.

And when people are depending on them without even thinking about it.

We talk about that pressure — the reality of always being on, of incidents happening at the worst possible moment, and the responsibility that sits behind it.

We also talk about what changes when you move into a purpose-led organisation like the British Heart Foundation.

https://www.bhf.org.uk/how-you-can-help/how-to-save-a-life/how-to-do-cpr/learn-cpr-in-15-minutes

Not in a theoretical sense — but in how decisions are made, how trade-offs are weighed, and what the outcome actually represents.

There’s a simple line Chris uses that I love:

The bottom line doesn’t say profit. It says funds available for research.

That shift is subtle — but it changes everything. The final part of the conversation goes somewhere more personal.

Chris talks openly about navigating serious health challenges while operating at exec level — and, importantly, how he chose to handle that at work.

Not dramatically. Not performatively.

Just honestly.

It adds a layer to the conversation that most leadership discussions never quite get to.

As ever with The Third Half, this isn’t an interview in the traditional sense.

It’s a conversation about work, life, responsibility and perspective — and how those things evolve over time.

Read the complete guide to Third Half careers

Listen to the full conversation below

Paste this link on your preferred Audio streaming platform: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/df7bee63-e632-433e-8440-3be1afcbb51f/

The British Heart Foundation does extraordinary work across research, fundraising and retail — and if you’ve ever wondered how technology supports that at scale, this is well worth your time.

https://www.bhf.org.uk/how-you-can-help/how-to-save-a-life/how-to-do-cpr/learn-cpr-in-15-minutes

And if nothing else, it’s a reminder that behind every system, every decision, and every organisation… there are people carrying more than you might think.

People.

Planet.

Progress.

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The Ideas You Nearly Throw Away

On The Third Half the other week, Scott sat down with April De Angelis — one of the UK’s most established and respected playwrights and librettists.

Decades of work across theatre and opera. Award-winning. Still writing, still pushing, still curious.

And what we ended up with wasn’t an interview. It was a proper conversation.

About:

   •   how ideas actually form — and which ones you nearly throw away

   •   writing as a discipline, not a moment of magic

   •   why great theatre begins with character

   •   what it really takes to hold an audience

   •   and how your work can shift direction when something in the real world cuts through

There’s a brilliant story in here about a very famous playwright and the ideas he threw away.

And there are a couple of moments — the kind that don’t usually make it into standard profiles — where April talks very openly about what’s shaped her more recent work.

Genuinely one of our favourite conversations so far on The Third Half.

Read the complete guide to Third Half careers

Watch on YouTube | Listen on your favourite audio streaming platform

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/9e2f1b6f-5c7e-4346-8856-455ceaf9a90b/

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Bryan Redpath, 60-cap Scotland captain, and Andy Gomersall, member of Englands 2003 World Cup winning squad, join Scott Hamilton for The Third Half Blueprint: Before the Kickoff.
Two scrum halves from rival nations who spent their careers studying each other.

They discuss the intensity of modern pressure, the tactical chess game of elite rugby, and why Lions tour exhaustion is more mental than physical. They explore leadership presence, why South Africa dominate, and the human element in recovery and transition.

The conversation addresses crossing thresholds between pitch and home, why modern analysis can cloud instinct, and why athletes make great business hires—they get rinsed, work on it, come back stronger on Saturday.

Bryan’s advice before kickoff: “Just get that first five minutes out the way. Then everything settles.”

Andy’s life lesson: “Stop giving a monkey what people think.”

Read the complete guide to Third Half careers

Watch on YouTube | Listen on your favourite audio streaming platform https://player.captivate.fm/episode/b43b0496-49e1-4675-9add-2671a0b5c8c0/

Kent Bray, therapeutic counsellor and high-flying banking executive, joins Scott Hamilton for one of The Third Half's most powerful conversations. They discuss Kent's journey from Australia Under-21 rugby player and Oxford scholar to high-functioning cocaine addict spending £80,000 a year, and his transformation into a counsellor helping high achievers navigate mental health challenges, addiction, and identity crises.
Kent shares the reality of hiding in plain sight, the rugby culture that conditions emotional suppression ("I'm not hurt, I will not show I'm hurt"), and the 3:22am spiritual awakening in a hotel room that changed everything. They explore delayed emotional development in sports, the transition challenges elite performers face when the lights go off, the difference between presenting issues and root causes in counselling, and why asking for help is an act of strength, not weakness.
The conversation addresses crossing thresholds between work and home, the pursuit versus possession of success, rebuilding confidence after rock bottom, and Kent's approach to counselling that prioritises listening over sterility. Scott closes with racing heart: "There's hope. There's help. This is not uncommon."

Read the complete guide to Third Half careers

Kent's message: Be brave. Pick up the phone.

🎧 If you’d rather listen while “just finishing one last thing” before the break:https://player.captivate.fm/episode/473ffb71-07c8-4a1c-928b-8b7afca3f603/

The full episode is on Spotify and everywhere else. Search The Third Half or drop the RSS feed into whatever app you trust with your ears

James Walker, Chief Admin Officer at DXC Technology, joins Scott Hamilton to discuss his unconventional career journey from music industry rigging and Disney storytelling to leading technology operations at major financial institutions and IT services firms. They explore the evolution of AI-powered coding, the importance of storytelling in business, the challenges of remote work culture and trust-building, mental health in the workplace, and balancing operational efficiency with sustainability. James shares insights on mentorship, the future of work, and why building authentic relationships remains crucial in an increasingly digital world. The conversation touches on everything from technical debt and productivity tools to Brussels sprout soup and re-releasing 40-year-old punk tracks on streaming platforms.

It really does go down some strange tracks..

🎧 If you’d rather listen while “just finishing one last thing” before the break: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/cfafb7da-da97-4b54-8fea-0d4d92d1a5af/

The full episode is on Spotify and everywhere else. Search The Third Half or drop the RSS feed into whatever app you trust with your ears

Ismail Amla joins Scott Hamilton on The Third Half for a thoughtful, deeply human conversation about leadership, learning from failure, curiosity, and building things that last in a world that won’t stand still.

From a BBC Micro bought by his dad, to boardrooms spanning Network Rail, UK Sport, academia, startups and global consulting, Ismail’s career has been anything but linear. He reflects on studying computer science “last century”, surviving the dot-com crash as a first-time CEO, and the leadership lessons that only show up when things fall apart.

The conversation moves through startups versus corporates, moving a family from Bolton to New York, and why failure might be the most expensive and valuable MBA you’ll ever earn. Ismail shares sharp insights on why technology is perhaps no longer the differentiator it was, and why storytelling, diversity and trust now matter more than scale.

There’s also a timely dive into AI, technical debt, sustainability and ESG not as buzzwords, but as real leadership responsibilities with real societal impact.

It’s thoughtful, candid, occasionally funny, and refreshingly honest — a conversation about privilege, responsibility, and building cultures where curiosity and experimentation aren’t side projects, they’re business as usual.

🎧 If you’d rather listen while “just finishing one last thing” before the break:
https://player.captivate.fm/episode/e0a553f0-006c-4e86-80ab-05a69c6c01fb/

The full episode is on Spotify and everywhere else. Search The Third Half or drop the RSS feed into whatever app you trust with your ears.

Phillippa Mole joins Scott Hamilton on The Third Half for an energising conversation about curiosity, reinvention and following what makes your heart sing. From studying sport and art at York to a masters in sports psychology at Loughborough, Phillippa's career has been refreshingly unconventional—sports psychologist, broadcaster, bobsleigh brakewoman for Great Britain, and now celebrated coach and artist.

She shares stories from her broadcasting days at BBC and GMTV, scaling the walls of Broadcasting House to pitch herself, mastering live TV under pressure, and presenting the 2002 Commonwealth Games. The conversation moves through her time hurtling down ice tracks at 80mph in the World Cup, her early work in sports psychology with elite athletes, into nearly 20 years of coaching leaders and teams through Fresh Air Coaching, and her evolution from fixing individuals to working systemically with entire organisations.

Now in a creative new chapter, Phillippa reflects on returning to painting, exhibiting her work and exploring the feelings and movements that have shaped her journey. She discusses the parallels between sport, broadcasting, coaching and art—and why creativity might be the truest test of character.

It's warm, insightful and genuinely inspiring—a celebration of someone who's embraced every twist, trusted her instincts and found meaning in the beautiful unpredictability of life.

🎧 If you’d rather listen while pretending to work, folding laundry, or avoiding humans…

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/e26aa282-e4c4-40c5-a611-a5fbd8f92f45/

The full audio is on Spotify and everywhere else. Search The Third Half or paste the RSS feed into whatever app you trust with your ears.

Bryan Redpath joins Scott Hamilton on The Third Half for a compelling conversation that spans rugby legends, business lessons and the honest realities of transitioning from elite sport to the working world. The former Scotland scrum-half and captain shares stories from his decade representing his country, playing under coaching greats like Jim Telfer, and navigating the shift from amateur to professional rugby in the 1990s.

From the borders of Scotland to coaching at Gloucester, Sale and Leeds, Bryan opens up about the brutal honesty of selection, the mental challenges of coaching versus playing, and why rugby IQ matters more than ever in an era obsessed with data and conditioning. He reflects on the importance of instinct, the art of reading the game, and how technology can both enhance and overcomplicate athlete development.

The conversation moves into business, where Bryan discusses his journey into foreign exchange trading, working with startups and young entrepreneurs, and the lessons sport taught him about teamwork, resilience and mental health. He talks candidly about the value of sharing vulnerabilities, supporting colleagues through tough times, and why dreams—big or small—deserve to be pursued with everything you’ve got.

It’s insightful, authentic and inspiring—a masterclass in translating sporting excellence into meaningful work, genuine connection and lasting impact beyond the pitch.

🎧 If you’d rather listen while pretending to work, folding laundry, or avoiding humans…

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/c4f0cb8e-c983-4012-9c19-e0c786c4b652/

The full audio is on Spotify and everywhere else. Search The Third Half or paste the RSS feed into whatever app you trust with your ears.

My Girl The River joins Scott Hamilton on The Third Half for a warm, funny and deeply honest conversation about music, creativity, family and surviving the modern music landscape. Kris and Joe share the story of how they met, how their multi-genre sound refuses to fit into industry boxes, and why that has been both a blessing and a challenge.

From Nashville encounters to raising a musical daughter, from writing songs in 20-second bursts during nap times to navigating algorithms, aging formats and the realities of streaming, the duo give an unfiltered look at what it really means to make authentic music today. They talk candidly about songwriting, genre labels, the evolution of fans, and the brutal economics faced by independent artists.

The conversation also explores Joe’s history with “No More I Love You’s,” their evolving creative partnership, the emotional toll of staying in music, and why crowdfunding has become essential for artists who still want to make full albums that matter.

It’s thoughtful, humorous, relatable and inspiring — a celebration of artists who keep creating, keep evolving and keep finding meaning in the music they share with the world.

🎧 If you’d rather listen while pretending to work, folding laundry, or avoiding humans…

The full audio is on Spotify and everywhere else. Search The Third Half or paste the RSS feed into whatever app you trust with your ears.

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/5216b1c3-065c-4594-852d-6e9d9c6b7415/

Scott Hamilton with Phil Pavitt at The Third Half starts with light humour before shifting into a candid conversation about Phil’s career, leadership journey, and the reality of stepping away from full-time executive life. Phil reflects on building his reputation across government, technology, and global organisations — and what it truly feels like to leave behind decades of responsibility and reinvention.

He talks openly about the next chapter: launching a coaching school for CIOs and CISOs, supporting new leaders with the guidance he once needed, and shifting his energy into meaningful charity and community work.

A funny, thoughtful, and genuinely important conversation — from early career stories and tough decisions to purpose, leadership, and building a life beyond the job title.

👉 Hit play for sharp career insights, big laughs, and the kind of honesty you don’t usually get from a retired CIO (quotation marks very intentional).

Or listen while pretending you’re focused, folding laundry, or questioning all your life choices in afternoon traffic.

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/34ed55cc-3787-486a-a0ca-cf14df873f6e/

Scott Hamilton sits down with Richard Davies on The Third Half to talk the real stuff behind “transformation.” Consumer pull vs corporate push, AI hype vs delivery, hyperscalers and lock-in, why Scandinavia nails citizen trust, and what digital sovereignty should actually mean. We also veer into sustainability, small modular reactors, RNLI night shifts on the Thames, rugby scars, and a Caerphilly-flavoured chat about Wales.

Subscribe and drop your take in the comments. Who owns delivery when the stakes are public: vendors or government?

Or listen while your driving

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/a1994e6c-5146-4fa8-90b1-8adec548dee2/

#TheThirdHalf #ScottHamilton #RichardDavies #DigitalTransformation #PublicSector #AI #DigitalSovereignty #Sustainability #RNLI #Rugby #TechLedger

Scott Hamilton sits down with Martin Metcalfe in The Third Half to talk life as a singer, guitarist, producer, artist and full-time gear humper. They get into The Skids, The Rezillos, Goodbye Mr Mackenzie, Filthy Tongues, and the Angelfish reunion for children in Gaza that sold out in minutes. Expect deadline truth bombs, Bowie and Eno studio lore, AI angst, DPD parcel chaos, the legendary Dick Vet, and a Maltese with more meds than a tour bus. Will he play The End? You’ll have to come find out.

If you enjoyed this, hit subscribe, drop your favorite Martin track in the comments, and share with a friend who still hangs guitars on the wall.

#TheThirdHalf #MartinMetcalfe #ScottHamilton #GoodbyeMrMackenzie #AngelFish #TheRezillos #TheSkids #FilthyTongues

Listen on Spotify

Paste this Captivate link on any audio streaming platform: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/0099ee4a-9ca7-4c8a-a842-b1d7b814963d/

In this episode of The Third Half, Scott Hamilton sits down with Rashik Palmer to unpack responsible computing, real-world resilience, and community-led media. We cover why outages (Vodafone, AWS) expose hidden fragility, how to engineer reliability from day one, and Rashik’s A→E “future-ready” mindset: Ambition → Bold → Capable → Determined → Entrepreneurial. Plus: the story behind a volunteer-run community radio that now reaches listeners in 182 countries, and how to balance AI progress with sustainability and ethics.

👉 Watch for career advice, big laughs, and a refreshingly honest look at the future of tech and leadership.

or listen to the audio version while pretending to answer emails, folding laundry, or questioning your life choices in traffic.

Paste this Captivate link on any audio streaming platform: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/a45698f8-d531-44f0-8cac-fc04408efeb2/

Alan Young—aka Serious Child—joins Scott Hamilton to trace a wild path from Cambridge maths & 20 years at PA Consulting to storytelling songwriter. He previews “Dusk on the 33,” shares the moving story of his brother Dave’s frontline evacuations in Ukraine (with Times footage), and talks touring, community, and making art that actually reaches people. More: seriouschild.com #SeriousChild #AlanYoung #TechLedger #SingerSongwriter #PAConsulting #Ukraine #Storytelling #DuskOnThe33

00:00 – Intro & beard banter

01:26 – “Big week”: releasing a record

02:35 – From maths & PA Consulting to “Serious Child”

25:19 – Story behind “Dusk on the 33” (clip starts 26:32)

34:07 – Brother Dave in Kyiv & “Stunt Double” clip

43:49 – Where to find Serious Child, tour notes & wrap

In Part 2, Steve O’Donnell takes The Tech Ledger from Rolls Royce nuclear reactors to AI monopolies, geopolitics, and a dose of Scottish humour. From building data centres in deserts to warning about Broadcom’s lock-in tactics, Steve explains why small modular reactors (SMRs) could power the AI boom, how monopolistic behaviour is toxic for innovation, and why sometimes the only way to deal with a bully—whether in tech or geopolitics—is to “punch them on the nose.”

00:00 → Introduction

01:47 → Rolls Royce nuclear/SMRs

02:11 → Energy mix: GPUs, electrification, SMRs, renewables, grid balancing

09:59 → Hyperscalers, desert data centres, desalination, radiation fears

18:10 → Monopolisation: Broadcom stiffing VMware customers, toxic lock-in

24:54 → Schoolyard bully analogy → “punch Putin on the nose.”

27:43 → TTL Exposed: London bus route (Big Brother vs diverse future)

29:29→ Career soundtrack: Bowie “Major Tom.”

30:26→ Sporting humour: Culloden, Airdrie, Hamilton Academicals

32:02→ Warm close, appreciation, outro

CIO, board advisor, and global IT leader Steve O’Donnell joins The Tech Ledger to talk about life after billion-pound estates. From being let down by Google’s weather AI to building data centres in the desert, Steve shares how fractional leadership cuts through politics, why continuous learning matters, and what it really takes to break into NED roles. Plus: renaissance thinking, blunt honesty, and a few very Scottish jokes.

OR listen to the audio version while pretending to answer emails, folding laundry, or questioning your life choices in traffic.

00:00 → intro

00:35 → Friday banter

01:20 → Google/AI/weather story

02:59 → Steve’s self-intro & career highlights

07:02 → Life as a fractional leader: workload & flexibility

09:60 → Cutting through politics (“you’re pissing me off” line)

11:13 → Breaking into NED/fractional roles & the “first barrier” challenge

16:39 → Continuous learning & going back to school

20:39 → “Renaissance man” — joining up disciplines

CIO and Global CIO 100 inductee Louise McCarthy Leavey joins The Tech Ledger to talk about why technology is not a cost center. From reprofiling a multi billion outsourcing contract in the Substack blurb to cutting through wasted IT spend, Louise shares how to drive real change, measure ESG (not just market it), and turn “transformation” into continuous evolution. Plus: leadership lessons, dealing with mood hoovers, and—yes—her cheese of choice.

👉 Watch for career advice, big laughs, and a refreshingly honest look at the future of tech and leadership.

or listen to the audio version while pretending to answer emails, folding laundry, or questioning your life choices in traffic.

Hit play, get the goods, stay comfy. 🎧

00:00 - Introduction

00:09 Teaser: why tech isn’t a cost center

02:40 Louise’s journey + breaking a £1.6B HMRC contract

09:11 The real CIO challenge: tech as enabler, not a cost line

11:45 Stop burning millions on forced upgrades; fund innovation instead

13:30 ESG that’s measured, not marketed + real DEI (and the KPI horror story)

25:02 Ditch “transformation” for continuous evolution 31:46 Career advice: beat imposter syndrome, persist, find mentors

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