Ctrl Alt Lead

In this bonus episode Tom Allen sits down with Katia Gil Guzman, a founding member of OpenAI’s Developer Experience team, to explore how AI coding is evolving beyond the hype. Katia explains why OpenAI actively discourages “vibe coding” for anything beyond small experiments, arguing that enterprise-ready AI tools should behave more like software engineers - producing pull requests, following project rules and aligning to established guardrails.She also discusses how companies can improve the trustworthiness of AI-generated code; why you probably don't need multi-agent orchestration; and what the next 12-24 months hold for the AI space. Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Katia Gil GuzmanX: @Computing_News Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Cyber attacks and crisis response are daily realities for security professionals, but the demands of  defending critical systems and services from cyber attack can exert a heavy toll on cybersecurity practitioners at all levels. A combination of the "always on" nature of cybersecurity, the urgency of the task and some of the personality traits often found in cyber teams mean that difficulties are often masked. Practitioners are often reluctant to seek help and can get stuck in their own personal doom loop.  In this episode of Ctrl Alt Lead, Kinly CISO Don Gibson and PPRO CISO Bronwyn Boyle talk to Computing Associate Editor Penny Horwood about instant-response pressure, the mismatch between responsibility and control and what these do to the brain. The pair open up about their personal experiences with burnout and recovery, explain why it pays for IT leaders to look after their cybersecurity teams and share practical, compassionate ways leaders can protect their teams from the mental burdens of constant vigilance. The pair also share some ways that cybersecurity professionals can look after themselves. Don shares his experience leading through a global ransomware crisis and how it led to a life-changing health event and Bronwyn reflects on her own work-induced crisis, and how empathy, openness, and community support can transform how teams cope with the relentless demands of cybersecurity. Bronwyn is an ambassador for https://cybermindz.org/ -  a community service, not-for-profit providing services and support to those who earn their living trying to protect their organisations and employees from cybercriminals.  Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Katia Gil GuzmanX: @Computing_News Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When John Seabourn asked his team how AI made them feel, the answers ranged from "excited" to "concerned," but the word that stood out most was "efficient". In this episode of Ctrl Alt Lead, John - CDIO of global environmental consultancy APEM Group - joins Tom to unpack what that word really means in a world where technology can accelerate renewable energy projects, yet consumes vast amounts of power to do so. John explains how APEM is using tech to speed up impact assessments and bring sustainable infrastructure online sooner, without losing sight of the ethical and ecological cost.But efficiency isn’t just about systems; it’s about people. Seabourn warns that automating too much, too soon could hollow out the talent pipeline, drawing lessons from the oil and gas industry’s “Great Retirement." He argues for hybrid careers that blend scientific expertise with digital fluency, and a leadership approach that prizes curiosity and critical thinking over short-term savings.Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / John SeabournX: @Computing_News Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Katia Gil GuzmanX: @Computing_News Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Queen Mary University of London CIO Rachel Bence joins Computing’s Penny Horwood to discuss how the university is embedding sustainability into its IT strategy — from using waste heat from high-performance computing to warm student halls, to running datacentres powered by recycled energy. Rachel shares how a focus on sustainability aligns with Queen Mary’s mission of inclusivity and social mobility, and how these values drive innovation across academic and operational IT environments.The conversation also explores the realities of leading digital transformation in higher education — managing technical debt, supporting a diverse student body, and balancing research freedom with cyber security. Rachel reflects on the opportunities and risks of AI, why universities can’t afford to ignore it, and how leadership built on communication, transparency, and gratitude helps her team thrive through rapid change.Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Penny Horwood / Rachel BenceX: @Computing_News Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Katia Gil GuzmanX: @Computing_News Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Banking is known for its monolithic, legacy IT systems, but new challenger banks have a different approach. Cynergy Bank's CDIO Rana Bhattacharya joins Tom to explain how the bank is blending the latest tech with a modern mindset.By adopting Flutter and a microservices architecture, Cynergy has been able to build once and deploy across iOS, Android and the web, improving productivity while streamlining its mobile and online banking channels.Rana also dives into the bank’s decision to go beyond infrastructure hosting and leverage Google Cloud’s platform services to ensure resilience and scalability. And with AI beginning to play a role, Cynergy is focusing on “supercharging humans” rather than replacing them, using AI to handle paperwork, speed up research and give SMEs access to insights once reserved for large enterprises.Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Rana BhattacharyaX: @Computing_News Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Katia Gil GuzmanX: @Computing_News Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tom speaks with Steve Capper, Chief Digital & Information Officer at Carnival UK, whose brands include Cunard and P&O Cruises. Formerly a multi-award-winning leader in the engineering and construction world, Capper explains how the leap into the cruise industry revealed unexpected parallels, from large-scale refits to complex logistics, but with one major difference: everything moves.Steve lifts the lid on the tech that powers modern cruise ships, including on-board datacentres, satellite-enabled upgrades, AI-enhanced customer experience and sustainability efforts like water generation at sea. He also talks leadership, resilience and why running IT in a 24/7 global business means “two of everything," just like Noah’s Ark.Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Steve CapperX: @Computing_News Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Katia Gil GuzmanX: @Computing_News Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Paul Smith, CIO of Amnesty International, offers a rare glimpse into what it means to lead technology in one of the world’s largest and most complex nonprofit organisations. With operations in over 150 countries, Paul’s role goes far beyond the usual CIO remit: from safeguarding whistleblowers in war zones to supporting campaigners in politically sensitive regions, all while working under tight budgetary constraints. He explains how Amnesty prioritises ethical, value-driven investments that support frontline human rights work, and why standard ROI metrics often fall short in a mission-led environment.Paul also reflects on the unique challenges of managing technology across a global, federated structure where each entity has different needs, tools and levels of digital maturity. He shares how his team is tackling this with shared platforms, a strong architectural backbone and a focus on inclusive design.Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Paul SmithX: @Computing_News Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Katia Gil GuzmanX: @Computing_News Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Technology still plays second fiddle to steel and scaffolding in many people’s view of construction, but that image belies the truth behind the industry's impressive digital progress.In this episode of Ctrl Alt Lead Matt Sharp, CDO at RLB, talks about how he launched his IT team as a separate digital consultancy to serve clients beyond construction, how it became revenue generating in the first year, and why construction’s digital transformation is now accelerating - and what still holds it back.Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Matt SharpX: @Computing_News Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Katia Gil GuzmanX: @Computing_News Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Ctrl Alt Lead, Tom speaks with Joanna Drake, CIO and now also CTO at THG (The Hut Group), about the company’s radical IT modernisation journey.Facing rapid growth, fragmented storage, and escalating demands for AI and machine learning, Jo led a transformation of THG’s global infrastructure with zero downtime. She discusses the strategic decision to partner with Pure Storage, the unexpected stress test that cemented that relationship, and the results that followed - including 80% power savings and a 90% fraud reduction thanks to THG's self-built Detect platform.Jo also shares her unconventional approach to vendor selection, the value of cultural alignment, and advice for IT leaders building strategic partnerships.Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Joanna DrakeX: @Computing_News Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Katia Gil GuzmanX: @Computing_News Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Every tech vendor is trying to crack AI, but does that match up to how it's being adopted on the ground? In this episode Tom and Alex Rutter of Google Cloud talk about the difference in approach from IT leaders - focusing on governance, compliance and integration - and business leaders - eager to move quickly and pushing for quick, transformative wins. Alex outlines how Google's prioritisation of 'consumable' AI, practical tools that solve problems today, is trying to satisfy both groups.We also explore the role of open models like Gemma, the importance of transparency in AI systems, and how agentic AI could shape the next wave of enterprise innovation.Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Alex RutterX: @Computing_News Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Katia Gil GuzmanX: @Computing_News Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Leon Butler, IBM’s UK and Ireland CEO, explains why most generative AI models aren't fit for enterprise use and stresses the need for transparent, trusted systems. He also discusses how recent acquisitions - including HashiCorp and DataStax - support IBM’s push to automate enterprise IT. Leon talks about other key IT areas, like data sovereignty and regulation; agentic AI; and quantum security. He argues that this is the time to work on preparing for quantum threats, even if adoption feels distant.Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom AllenX: @Computing_News Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Katia Gil GuzmanX: @Computing_News Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Ctrl Alt Lead, Tom speaks with AWS CISO Chris Betz about the evolving AI landscape and its implications for cybersecurity. They discuss the challenges and blind spots security leaders face with AI agents; the importance of proactive security measures, and the differences in AI security between public and private sectors.Betz, who leads security across Amazon Web Services globally, talks about the clash between regulation and innovation, the UK government's moves to embrace AI for efficiency, and how AWS is securing its own AI-driven operations.Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom AllenTwitter: @Computing_News Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Katia Gil GuzmanX: @Computing_News Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With AI agents taking over the world, Oracle's launch of AI Agent Studio last week is exceedingly timely. UK country leader Siobhan Wilson joins Tom at Oracle Cloudworld 2025 to explain how it works, who can use it, and what it means for IT teams.Siobhan also discusses Oracle’s $5 billion investment in UK cloud infrastructure, why demand for AI agents is growing, and whether it comes at the expense of interest in generative AI. We cover practical challenges and finish with advice for IT leaders looking to adopt AI in 2025.Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom AllenTwitter: @Computing_News Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Katia Gil GuzmanX: @Computing_News Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode Tom talks to GitHub's VP of Developer Relations, Martin Woodward, about open source's evolving landscape and funding models, as well as the role of AI in software development.We dive deep into GitHub's Secure Open Source fund, the importance of financial sustainability for open source projects, and how AI tools like GitHub Copilot are reshaping the developer experience.Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom AllenTwitter: @Computing_News / @Tom_CTGFollow Martin on Twitter and GitHub Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Katia Gil GuzmanX: @Computing_News Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A tobacco company that wants more regulation? Javed Iqbal, Director of Digital & Transformation at British American Tobacco, describes how clear rules, plus technology, can accelerate safer alternatives to smoking.He reveals how AI is driving breakthroughs in marketing insights, patent research and even tackling ESG issues like child labour; and describes how BAT’s investment in ethical AI, cloud and open data initiatives are setting new standards for the industry."Transformation has to be business-led but technology-enabled."Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom AllenTwitter: @Computing_News / @Tom_CTG Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Katia Gil GuzmanX: @Computing_News Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Healthcare has massive potential for tech-driven disruption, but adoption is - for good reason - cautious.In this episode Perran Pengelly, CTO of NHS partner DrDoctor, shares insights on the challenges and opportunities of modernising healthcare delivery.Perran explains the emerging model of hybrid healthcare, which could alleviate the mismatch between demand and capacity in the NHS. He also dives into the role of AI, and offers a perspective on private sector involvement in the UK's much-loved public health service.Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom AllenTwitter: @Computing_News / @Tom_CTG Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Katia Gil GuzmanX: @Computing_News Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode Tom talks to Karen Byer, lead project manager and chair of UK RISE at PA Consulting, about business resource groups' role in fostering inclusive workplaces.Karen shares practical advice for IT leaders on how to support informal groups, develop impactful initiatives, and create environments where everyone thrives - all while balancing their day-to-day responsibilities.Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom AllenTwitter: @Computing_News / @Tom_CTG Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Katia Gil GuzmanX: @Computing_News Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The end of the year is peak sales time, extending from Black Friday in November to the sales in January. Mattie Toia, VP of infrastructure at ecommerce platform Shopify, explains how the platform handles this “peak of peaks."Tom and Mattie discuss the role of resilience, game-day simulations and the use of real-time data visualisation tools, as well as diving into how AI is transforming e-commerce.And finally, there's an answer to the big question: is Black Friday a bigger peak than Christmas?Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom AllenTwitter: @Computing_News / @Tom_CTG Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Katia Gil GuzmanX: @Computing_News Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, legal expert Jonathan Armstrong of Punter Southall Law breaks down the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) and its implications for financial services firms and their suppliers.Jonathan talks about DORA's key requirements, the challenges of cross-border compliance, and how CIOs can prepare for these sweeping changes across the EU and UK.Click here to learn more about DORABecome a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom AllenTwitter: @Computing_News / @Tom_CTG Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Katia Gil GuzmanX: @Computing_News Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

General purpose AI models are great if you want to discuss everything from geopolitics to baking with the same chatbot; but when you have hard limits on data and compute, you need a more focused system. Enter, small language models.This week Tom talks to Arm's Paul Williamson about what the rise of SLMs means for edge computing and the people who use it; different ways to shrink language models; and how a change in software dev behaviour is forcing hardware makers to evolve.Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom AllenTwitter: @Computing_News / @Tom_CTG Become a member of Computing today at www.computing.co.ukLinkedIn: @computing-- / Tom Allen / Katia Gil GuzmanX: @Computing_News Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.