EP 473 - CPO Rising Series: Target CPO on Driving Product Impact Through Curiosity, Transparency, and Coaching

How can product leaders drive transformative impact at scale? In this episode of the CPO Rising Series hosted by Products That Count Resident CPO Renee Niemi, Target CPO Prat Vamana shares his insights on leveraging curiosity, transparency, and coaching to shape strategy, accelerate execution, and prepare for the future of AI. As a seasoned CPO with experience across large enterprises, Prat has witnessed the evolving role of product management in defining organizational direction and delivering tangible business results. He discusses how product teams are now empowered to actively shape strategy, not just execute on top-down initiatives. He also shares personal anecdotes on the key mentors and practices that have shaped his own leadership approach, emphasizing the importance of building trust, fostering discussion-based rituals, and developing the next generation of product talent.

How can product leaders leverage generative AI to enhance product efficiency and customer value? In this episode of the CPO Rising Series hosted by Products That Count Resident CPO Renee Niemi, Thomson Reuters CPO David Wong discusses how his team is harnessing the power of generative AI to transform their products and better serve their customers. David shares insights on Thomson Reuters' unique position to capitalize on the AI revolution, the significant efficiency gains they've achieved in areas like legal research and document analysis, and his strategic approach to balancing build, partner, and acquisition strategies for growth. Listeners will gain valuable perspectives on the evolving role of product management in the age of AI and how leading CPOs are adapting to this technological shift.

How are leading AI companies scaling their enterprise businesses? In this episode hosted by Sid Shaik, we dive deep into the strategies and insights from Vectara CEO Amr Awadallah and Vectara Head of Marketing Sean Anderson, as they share their experiences in scaling enterprise software businesses. As the AI market continues to evolve rapidly, Amr and Sean discuss the importance of adaptability, identifying worthy problems to solve, and building high-performing teams to navigate the challenges. They explore the nuances of product-led growth, the role of instrumentation and data-driven decision making, and their predictions for the future of the AI platform ecosystem. This conversation offers a unique perspective from seasoned entrepreneurs and executives at the forefront of the AI revolution, providing valuable insights for anyone looking to scale their enterprise software business.

How are today's Chief Product Officers adapting to the rapid changes in their role, from the pandemic's digital transformation to the AI revolution? In this episode of the CPO Rising Series hosted by Products That Count Resident CPO Renee Niemi, Euromonitor International CPO Michael Jozwik uncovers the strategies and challenges of leading product innovation in a data-driven, AI-powered world. He shares his unique journey to the CPO role, the growing strategic importance of the position, and Euromonitor's transformation from a consulting services model to a more product-led approach. Through personal stories of success and failure, Michael reveals the critical skills of product leadership, offering invaluable insights for aspiring and seasoned CPOs navigating the AI-powered future of their industry.

How can product leaders build mission-driven products and scale niche apps? In this episode of Product Talk hosted by Jonathan Ozeran, Hallow Co-Founder Erich Kerekes shares his insights on transitioning from a corporate career to founding a successful Catholic prayer and meditation app, navigating the challenges of product development and user engagement, and leveraging data to create a personalized experience for a growing community. Tune in for actionable advice on turning passion projects into thriving businesses.

How can granular data be transformed into impactful decarbonization actions? The scale and urgency of the transformation required to fight climate change has never been more clear. Building hardware and software products, acquiring the funding and creating a diverse community to enhance talent capacity and to drive innovation, is essential to tackling this global environmental crisis. In this podcast, host and Silicon Valley Bank (a division of First Citizens Bank) Climate Tech & Sustainability SVP Maggie Wong will be interviewing Terralytiq CTO Alysha Hudson to discuss measuring Scope 3 (embodied CO2) emissions at the material level and facilitating deployment of impactful actions, maximizing value creation with granular product delivery based on target users' incremental needs, as well as the importance of diverse perspectives, data standardization and optimal financing for growing a start-up and tackling climate change.

How is the role of product leaders evolving? In this episode of the CPO Rising Series hosted by Products That Count Resident CPO Renee Niemi, Disney Fmr. CPO Sidd Mantri shares his experiences building a highly customized and localized Disney Plus product for markets like India, Indonesia, and the Middle East. He discusses the evolving role of the Chief Product Officer, highlighting key aspects such as customer focus, aligning business and customer outcomes, amplifying team productivity, and cultivating a high-performance culture. Additionally, Sidd provides his perspective on the impact of AI and generative AI tools on the product management function. He explains how AI is enhancing the efficiency and productivity of product managers, while emphasizing that creativity remains a core and irreplaceable aspect of the role.

How can product leaders build trust and align stakeholders? In this episode of Product Talk hosted by Nacho Andrade, Product Culture Founder Bruce McCarthy and Executive PM Coach Melissa Appel speak on the critical importance of stakeholder management in product development. They discuss their new book "Aligned," which they describe as the "missing manual" for getting product done, focusing on the often-overlooked skills of aligning teams and building trust with key stakeholders. They share personal experiences, practical techniques, and the underlying principles of effective stakeholder management, emphasizing the need for authenticity, curiosity, and a human-centric approach. The discussion provides valuable insights for product managers at all stages of their careers, as well as anyone working in cross-functional teams, on the art of navigating organizational dynamics and ensuring successful product outcomes.

How can product leaders balance short-term and long-term focus? In this episode of the CPO Rising Series hosted by Products That Count CPO Renee Niemi, Galileo Financial Technologies CPO David Feuer discusses his approach to balancing short-term and long-term focus in product management. David shares his philosophy of servant leadership, emphasizing the importance of empowering his team, and highlights Galileo's significant impact on improving financial inclusion and responsible lending. The conversation also explores his use of storytelling to deepen customer understanding and his perspective on adapting to the evolving role of AI in product management.

What does it mean to transform healthcare quality measurement through digital innovation? In this episode of the Care Catalyst series hosted by Cognizant Product Director Chenny Solaiyappan, NCQA CPO Krishna Kandula speaks on the organization's transformative initiatives in the healthcare industry. Krishna shares his journey from a technologist to a healthcare quality and risk management expert, and how his experience has informed his work at NCQA. The discussion delves into the importance of HEDIS (Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set) and NCQA's shift towards digital quality measurement and data aggregation and validation. Krishna explains how these initiatives are aligned with CMS's strategy to transition all quality measures to a digital format, enhancing data accuracy, interoperability, and ultimately, patient outcomes.