Women in ServiceNow E18: Global HR Transformation through ServiceNow HRSD with Thales' Nikki Davies

Today's guest is Nikki Davies, HR Functional Project Lead - ServiceNow HRSD Global Implementation at Thales. Founded in 1968, Thales is a global technology company specializing in defense, aerospace, cybersecurity and digital solutions. It helps businesses and governments protect critical information, support essential operations and address complex challenges. Through investment in AI connectivity, quantum technology and data innovation, Thales develops products and services that strengthen security, improve decision-making and support a safer, more connected world.As an experienced HR professional, Nikki contributes to Thales' global HR transformation through ServiceNow. Her work includes supporting a unified HR service delivery platform across 70 countries, helping simplify processes and improve the employee experience. A University of Bristol graduate, Nikki is interested in sharing knowledge and best practice with fellow ServiceNow HRSD customers to support effective adoption and collaboration.Topics include:0:00 Her journey to HR leader driving global ServiceNow HRSD transformation3:28 Transferring her HR skills into ServiceNow HRSD transformation5:29 Building a global ServiceNow HRSD rollout across the Thales ecosystem7:57 How Knowledge 2025 insights shaped Thales’ ServiceNow AI roadmap11:00 Driving global HR standardization, adoption and stakeholder alignment14:04 Growing their global HRSD adoption through standardization and change management15:55 Advice to embrace opportunities, stay curious and build transferable skills

Today's guest is Keenan Venuti, CTO & Co-Founder at Vector Legal. Founded in 2026, Vector Legal is an AI-native law firm based in San Francisco serving startups, growth-stage companies, venture capital firms and private equity investors. Combining experienced attorneys with proprietary AI technology, the organization supports clients from company formation through fundraising, commercial contracts, employment matters and acquisitions.Keenan is an experienced full-stack AI engineer specializing in legal AI, document intelligence and agent-driven workflows. He has built enterprise AI systems for contract lifecycle management and now develops the AI infrastructure powering Vector Legal. His work spans product, engineering, sales and go-to-market, with a focus on turning complex legal challenges into practical products and services that make legal work simpler, faster and more accessible.In the episode, Keenan talks about:0:00 His background from machine learning and legal tech to Vector Legal CTO2:27 Building an AI-native law firm from the ground up5:30 How AI delivers faster, more affordable legal services without compromising quality7:47 Why paid work trials help identify genuinely aligned engineering talent10:00 Plans for building practical AI tools while expanding into enterprise legal services12:14 Combining AI-powered legal services with an all-in-one software platformTo find out more about all the great work happening at Vector Legal, check out the website https://www.vectorlegal.com/

Today's guest is Meesh Miller, Co-Founder & Director | ServiceNow HRSD Consultant at PSS Pink Support Services Ltd. Founded in 2025, PSS Pink Support Services Ltd helps businesses simplify operations through ServiceNow consulting and digital transformation. Specializing in HRSD,  they design custom workflows and App Engine applications that make processes easier to manage. It also provides training and support to help teams adopt new solutions. Its practical, user-focused approach improves efficiency and creates better experiences for employees and clients.Meesh is a ServiceNow HRSD Consultant, App Engine Builder and digital transformation specialist. As Founder and Director of PSS Pink Support Services Ltd, she helps organizations simplify HR and enterprise processes through user-focused design, custom applications and workflow automation. Working from discovery through to implementation and user adoption, Meesh takes a practical, hands-on approach to turning complex requirements into intuitive ServiceNow solutions that improve efficiency and the employee experience.In the episode, Meesh talks about:Her journey from career setbacks to thriving in the ServiceNow ecosystemHow transferable skills can unlock unexpected careers in ServiceNowHow family mentorship and community provided strength through adversityRediscovering her confidence and sparkle with ColourintechBuilding Pink Support Services into a ServiceNow partnerHR experience fuels her passion for ServiceNow HRSDAdvice to embrace transferable skills, stay curious and find your sparkleHer work representing ServiceNow University while helping others shine

Today's guest is Hanz Shawel, VP ServiceNow Delivery at Bank of America. Founded in 1904, Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, it provides banking, investment, wealth management and risk management services to individuals, businesses, corporations and institutions. The company combines an extensive global presence with digital capabilities to help clients manage their finances, achieve their goals and navigate an evolving financial landscape.Hanz is a technology and operations executive with over 25 years of experience leading enterprise transformation across finance, retail, healthcare and telecoms. He combines deep technical expertise with operational leadership, overseeing global teams, budgets and complex regulated programs. His achievements include delivering $49 million in savings, improving throughput by 400% and leading a $110 million pharmacy transformation. In his role, Hanz scales enterprise platforms, strengthens governance and turns strategic investment into measurable business resultsIn the episode, Hanz talks about:0:00 His journey from developer to ServiceNow leader, driving enterprise transformation and standardization2:32 Implementing ServiceNow DPR (Digital Product Release) to transform release management for regulated organizations4:12 Introducing DPR to improve release rigor, control and infrastructure coordination5:58 How ServiceNow DPR orchestrates release processes, ensuring consistency and traceability7:38 Simplifying complex technology concepts to secure executive buy-in10:00 Why a successful DPR implementation requires expertise, partnerships, funding and organizational change13:26 Prioritizing passionate, strategic thinkers with strong architectural mindsets16:15 How release management is evolving toward automated, decentralized, product-led operating models19:53 Why ServiceNow enables faster transformation through automation, standardization and flexibility

Today's guest is Ian Naccarella, CEO and Co-Founder at 83 Sciences. Founded in 2026 and backed by Y Combinator, 83 Sciences is an AI materials discovery company that transforms unpublished experimental data into searchable scientific knowledge. Its platform captures information from laboratory notebooks, voice notes and scientific instruments, helping researchers optimize experiments, accelerate materials discovery and turn overlooked data into publications, patents, commercial products and industry-academic partnerships.Prior to co-founding 83 Sciences, Ian was an entrepreneurial fellow at MIT focused on commercializing new climate technologies with professors. He was also a strategy manager at battery materials company Sila Nanotechnologies and a consultant with Boston Consulting Group, focusing on areas such as Climate and Sustainability, Cleantech, Consumer Tech, Public Sector and Financial Institutions. Ian also holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.In the episode, Ian talks about:0:00 His journey from engineering and consulting to an AI materials startup3:48 Turning frontier AI discoveries into synthesizable real-world materials5:21 How AI discovers enabling materials that accelerate core battery innovation7:17 How Frontier AI links material synthesis, structure and properties10:42 Scaling experimental data pipelines to automate materials discovery12:53 The opportunity to build an AI science company and team from scratchTo find out more about all the great work happening at 83 Sciences, check out the website www.83sciences.ai

Today's guest is Josh Builder, Chief Technology Officer at Datavant. Founded in 2017, Datavant is a healthcare data collaboration platform that makes health data secure, accessible and actionable. Its technology connects fragmented health data, enabling compliant information exchange across providers, payers, life sciences companies and government agencies. This unified network supports faster insights, better decision-making and new AI-driven healthcare applicationsJosh is a senior technology and product leader who solves complex business challenges through advanced technology and data. He has worked alongside founders and CEOs to turn ambitious ideas into scalable solutions, drive growth and navigate significant change. Combining strategic vision with deep technical and operational expertise, Josh translates complex concepts into practical outcomes and builds diverse, high-performing teams that promote innovation and operational excellence.In the episode, Josh talks about:0:00 Driving technology-driven transformations across music, fashion, fitness and healthcare3:55 Why technology should enhance human experiences, not replace them9:29 Helping Rent the Runway evolve from event rentals to everyday workwear subscriptions11:32 Using technology to securely connect fragmented healthcare data for better patient care15:27 His focus on AI governance, developer autonomy and evaluation-driven engineering at Datavant18:09 How AI reshapes engineering teams around evolving business needs19:59 How AI will transform engineering, but experience, mentorship and fundamentals remain critical24:03 Plans to scale the AI-native engineering teams in Galway, Ireland25:18 How Datavant connects, secures and unlocks healthcare data insightsTo find out more about all the great work happening at Datavant, check out the website www.datavant.com

Today's guest is Dianne Kokotoff, Executive Director, Enterprise Solutions and Automation at Wellstar Health System. Founded in 1993, Wellstar is one of the largest nonprofit healthcare systems in the Southeast, serving communities across Georgia through more than 400 care locations, including 11 hospitals. With more than 35,000 team members, Wellstar provides comprehensive, patient-centered care across a wide range of specialties, while also investing in innovation, research, technology and community health.Dianne is an experienced technology executive with a strong track record across financial services and healthcare. She leads ServiceNow and Automation teams, driving IT operational excellence, platform strategy, governance and continuous improvement across ITSM, ITOM, ITBM and SecOps. Her expertise also spans Robotic Process Automation, Agile transformation, enterprise architecture, process improvement and requirements analysis, with a focus on delivering technology strategies aligned with business goals.In the episode, Dianne talks about:0:00 Her journey from military communications to pioneering ServiceNow leadership5:04 Transforming ServiceNow adoption across Wellstar Health System6:32 How strong processes and quality data drove ServiceNow success10:58 Expanding ServiceNow into an enterprise-wide transformation platform12:53 Getting stakeholder buy-in to drive successful technology implementations15:47 How her lean ServiceNow team delivers enterprise-scale success17:45 Expanding ServiceNow with AI agents and innovation

Today's guest is Paul Collins, Regional Information Security Officer, Europe at U.S. Bank. Founded in 1863, U.S. Bank is one of the largest commercial banks in the United States, providing a broad range of financial services to individuals, businesses and organizations. With a strong focus on innovation, digital banking, payments and customer experience, U.S. Bank serves millions of customers across the U.S. and internationally, including through its global payments business, Elavon.Paul is an experienced Information Security leader with over 35 years in IT and cybersecurity, including more than 20 years in CISO and senior security roles within international financial services. He has worked closely with financial regulators and industry bodies across Europe and the U.S. Currently part of the U.S. Bank Information Security Services leadership team, Paul is responsible for information security across all U.S. Bank business lines in Europe. He is passionate about cybersecurity, collaboration and knowledge sharing.In the episode, Paul talks about:0:00 His 35 year journey of tech evolution and cybersecurity insights2:56 How curiosity drove his cybersecurity career as internet security evolved4:09 His role at U.S. Bank Europe within payments security and operations 5:11 Seeing financial cyber threats focus on money, ransomware, suppliers and regulation7:30 Underestimating supplier risk in banking cybersecurity8:46 How AI is accelerating cyber attacks and lowering the barrier for threat actors11:24 The need for training, vigilance and realistic phishing awareness14:03 How organized cybercrime forces security to balance friction and experience16:38 Global security leadership relies on daily collaboration and communication19:38 Cyber careers need experience, internships and practical skills over certifications

Today's guest is Clare Hickie, Chief Technology Officer, EMEA at Workday. Founded in 2005, Workday is a leading enterprise software company that provides cloud-based solutions for human capital management (HCM), finance, planning and AI-powered business operations. Workday serves more than 11,500 organizations worldwide, including over 65% of the Fortune 500. Workday helps businesses streamline operations, improve workforce management and make faster, data-driven decisions through its secure, intelligent cloud platform.In her role with Workday, Clare partners with senior business and technology leaders to help organizations transform how they manage people, finance and AI. With more than 30 years of experience in enterprise technology, Clare began her career on the customer side, spending 15 years at GSK before joining Workday in 2018. She is a recognized leader in responsible AI, cloud transformation and enterprise innovation, with a strong focus on building trusted, human-centered AI solutions that deliver measurable business impact.In the episode, Clare discusses:0:00 How AI conversations evolved from skepticism to agentic productivity5:51 Co-creating with customers to deliver proven AI outcomes7:19 How Workday’s AI agents deliver significant productivity gains9:06 Creating consistent AI experiences built on a unified platform12:46 Responsible AI requires governance, transparency and risk management17: 33 How trust and responsible AI drive lasting customer adoptionTo find out more about all the great work happening at Workday, check out the website www.workday.com

Today's guest is Wessel van Enk, two-time ServiceNow MVP and Tech Lead ServiceNow HR at KLM. Founded in 1919, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is the national airline of the Netherlands and the world’s oldest airline. As part of the Air France–KLM Group and the SkyTeam alliance, KLM connects passengers to hundreds of destinations worldwide through its hub at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, offering passenger, cargo and engineering services with a strong focus on customer experience and more sustainable aviation.Wessel is a two-time ServiceNow MVP (2025 & 2026) and ServiceNow Rising Star (2024) with more than a decade of experience helping organisations transform manual processes into efficient, automated workflows. Combining strategic business insight with deep technical expertise, he delivers practical solutions that improve operations and employee experiences. Wessel excels in global environments, bringing cross-cultural collaboration, calm leadership and a pragmatic approach to complex ServiceNow implementations.In the episode, Wessel talks about:0:00 His journey from service desk agent to Employee Workflows specialist2:38 Joining KLM to help lead its Employee Workflows transformation4:12 Earning two MVP awards through community leadership and content creation7: 04 Giving back to the ServiceNow community through knowledge sharing8:27 How Hands-on learning and scripting skills accelerated career growth9:45 Navigating complex global HR transformations across countries and cultures11:44 How AI accelerates ServiceNow adoption and empowers teams13:56 Excited about AI making ServiceNow more human-centered and efficient