ServiceNow Series E216: 'Building a Winning ServiceNow Strategy' with Crossfuze's David Shake

Today's guest is David Shake, Director, ServiceNow PMO - North America at Crossfuze. Founded in 2000, Crossfuze is a global consulting and services firm specializing in the ServiceNow platform. As a 2025 ServiceNow Partner of the Year, Crossfuze helps organizations accelerate digital transformation through advisory, implementation and managed services. The company focuses on optimizing workflows, improving service delivery and enabling customers to maximize the value of their ServiceNow investments.David is a focused and innovative professional with strong leadership, management, and communication skills. He excels in balancing competing priorities while building collaborative teams and strong client relationships. As a Client Lead at Crossfuze, David directs complex projects involving process and system design, resource management, and global service delivery. Passionate about customer success, David leverages his ServiceNow expertise to deliver operational excellence and help clients achieve their business goals.In the episode, David talks about:0:00 His journey from Xerox sales intern to service delivery leader5:47 Crossfuze as an elite ServiceNow partner offering implementations and support6:59 Delivering ServiceNow reveals gaps between vision and reality10:13 The need to be honest, realistic and solution-focused in implementations13:45 Seeing growing demand in SecOps and risk management16:00 How Crossfuze’s small size cultivates a collaborative, expert-driven culture18:14 Why Crossfuze’s reputation and expert breadth drive industry differentiationTo find out more about all the great work happening at Crossfuze, check out the website www.crossfuze.com

Today's guest is Emmanuel Ranchin, VP Global Cyber Security Fusion at State Street. Founded in 1792, State Street are a global leader across investment servicing, markets and financing and investment management. With 11.5% of the world’s financial assets flowing through their doors every day, they are a trusted partner to institutional investors and a vital part of the global economy. Together with their clients, State Street help create better outcomes for the world’s investors and the people they serve.Emanuel is an accomplished Programme Manager with strong analytical, problem-solving and IT skills, built on a foundation in Chemical Engineering and extensive experience in the Financial Services industry. A results-driven team leader with excellent interpersonal and communication abilities, Emanuel is highly committed, approachable and adaptable leader who consistently delivers successful outcomes.In the episode, Emmanuel discusses:0:00 His journey from engineering to leading cybersecurity governance in banking5:30 Why Cybersecurity needs accountability, culture and business partnership9:28 How Cyber hygiene culture extends beyond work into daily life11:56 His advice to stay curious, be open-minded and keep learning to stay relevant15:32 Why clear communication, emotional intelligence and simplifying complexity drive success18:47 Effective communication requires time, cultural awareness, feedback and adaptation22:39 The need to build trust, model behavior, embrace feedback, balance risk and enable AI24:32 Innovation requires curiosity, culture change, clear goals and empowered thinkingTo find out more about all the great work happening at State Street, check out the website www.statestreet.com

Today's guest is Rahul Naidoo, Co-Founder and CEO at Superscript. Founded in 2021, Superscript is a New York–based healthcare technology company modernizing how people access and pay for medical services. By introducing transparent, upfront pricing and streamlined digital purchasing tools, Superscript makes healthcare more like e-commerce - clear, simple and consumer-friendly. Its platform empowers patients with greater choice, clarity and control, eliminating surprise bills and redefining the healthcare experience.Rahul is a technology entrepreneur passionate about transforming complex systems into simple, user-centered experiences. Originally from South Africa, he earned a degree in Computer Science from Harvard University and gained experience in digital product development and strategy at several tech ventures before founding Superscript. Under his leadership, Superscript has pioneered a novel healthcare pricing protocol, partnered with hundreds of providers, and is redefining how patients navigate and pay for care.In the episode, Rahul talks about:0:00 His journey from tech-savvy roots to co-founding a health tech startup2:15 Building Superscript with a philosophy to fix healthcare inefficiency6:04 How college friends turned idea into Superscript with Mark Cuban’s backing10:27 Why AI should remove admin burdens, not replace humans in healthcare16:55 Superscript’s culture of perseverance, optimism and problem-solving resilience20:13 Reimagining pricing from creating real, upfront healthcare prices from scratch23:35 The journey building seamless healthcare tech27:42 How Superscript cultivates growth, excellence and purpose-driven workTo find out more about all the great work happening at Superscript, check out the website www.superscript.nyc

Today's guest is Amber Robertson, Senior Manager, Application Services (ServiceNow) at Activision Blizzard. Founded in 2008, Activision Blizzard is a global leader in interactive entertainment, creating epic experiences across console, PC and mobile. Home to iconic franchises like Call of Duty®, World of Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo® and Candy Crush™, the company builds vibrant communities, pushes innovation in gaming and esports, and connects players worldwide through immersive, memorable experiences.Amber is a senior technology leader with 20 years’ experience building and operating enterprise service platforms in complex global environments. She currently leads the ServiceNow platform across Activision Blizzard, Blizzard Entertainment and King, focusing on scalable strategy, service delivery excellence, and user-centered design. She partners with cross-functional teams to modernize service experiences, establish governance, responsibly leverage AI and create intuitive, human-centered platforms.In the episode, Amber talks about:0:00 Career journey from fine art to IT, building service desks and ServiceNow5:20 Leading ServiceNow consolidation across Activision Blizzard and King9:25 Expanding ServiceNow with HR, legal, events and finance tools company-wide10:47 How ServiceNow became the self-sufficient, gamified hub for company workflows13:24 Currently scaling ServiceNow with Employee Center, AI and lifecycle management15:45 Leading ServiceNow with two engineers plus long-term vendor support16:56 Staying at Activision Blizzard for supportive, positive work environment18:43 ServiceNow work remains project-based, relying on consultants for support20:31 How the company supports side projects, letting her create art and ServiceNow apps

Today's guest is Laurie Wheeler, Chief Operating Officer – IS&T at MultiCare Health System. Founded in 1882, MultiCare is a locally governed, nonprofit health system serving communities across the Pacific Northwest. Today, it operates 13 hospitals and more than 300 primary, urgent, paediatric and specialty care locations in Washington, Idaho and Oregon. With over 20,000 team members, MultiCare remains dedicated to improving health, expanding access to care and supporting the wellbeing of the communities it serves.Laurie is an accomplished executive leader with more than 20 years of experience driving strategy and delivering results. She is known for turning vision into action through collaboration and strong partnerships, and for successfully advancing complex initiatives within matrixed organizations. Recognized as a decisive executor, Laurie effectively aligns executive teams and C-suite stakeholders across functions - including Finance, Legal, HR, IT and Clinical - to achieve critical organizational objectives.In the episode, Laurie talks about:0:00 An insight into her 25+ year career working in Healthcare and IT2:35 MultiCare’s offerings with 13 hospitals, 300+ clinics and full healthcare services3:23 Her role in IT culture, processes and optimizing the ServiceNow platform4:57 Building a robust knowledge base to optimize ServiceNow6:48 Focus on automation, ROI, and scalable IT support systems9:06 How they successfully integrated Overlake Hospital’s service desk into ServiceNow11:14 Excitement to expand ServiceNow, automate processes and scale efficiently13:24 How strong governance and structured roadmap ensure successful ServiceNow outcomesTo find out more about all the great work happening at MultiCare Health System, check out the website www.multicare.org

Today's guest is Alan Paris, Global Head Financial Services Risk & Compliance Enterprise Architecture, Field CTO, Customer Success Executive at ServiceNow. Alan is a global leader in risk management, compliance and financial services transformation, with extensive experience driving business strategy, product innovation and multi-million-dollar growth. He has led 1,000+ person teams across operations, technology and consulting, delivering transformative change through digitization, AI and regulatory technology solutions.At ServiceNow, Alan has held several leadership roles, driving $400 million in portfolio growth and $100 million in annual contract value across global accounts. He develops enterprise platform strategies, AI-driven solutions and transformative implementations while mentoring teams and guiding organizations in regulatory compliance and risk management. An award-winning thought leader, Alan has published over 60 articles, spoken at major conferences and advised top financial institutions worldwide.In the episode, Alan talks about:0:00 From Financial services technologist to helping clients realize ServiceNow value2:12 Seeing ServiceNow evolve into a global AI-driven enterprise platform4:58 How ServiceNow automates risk, AI enhances efficiency and productivity7:31 Why clean, well-managed data enables successful AI implementation results11:18 How ServiceNow leverages AI to transform workflows and operations15:34 How top innovators align AI with business strategy, enabling transformation17: 55 Advice to always keep learning, embrace change and apply AI wisely20:47 Why ServiceNow is the leading 21st-century AI-enabled enterprise platform

Today's guest is Jack Loss, Vice President, Strategy & Innovation at Improvix Technologies. Founded in 2012, Improvix Technologies’ vision is to improve the federal landscape by closely aligning technology with mission. From its headquarters in Reston, VA, Improvix has grown into a trusted partner to federal agencies and commercial entities, delivering innovative solutions that bring true mission value across four core areas: Data and AI, Application Services, Cloud and Infrastructure, and Cybersecurity.Jack leads Improvix’s corporate innovation lab, IPX CREATE, collaborating with clients, partners and employees to deliver high-value solutions. He also drives the company’s marketing strategy and brand engagement, while supporting capture efforts and technical proposal development. With a background in cloud, data and cybersecurity, Jack focuses on scaling innovation, strengthening technical capabilities and driving organic program growth.In the episode, Jack discusses:0:00 Bridging technical engineering and business strategy through evolving roles2:00 Improvix Technologies’ focus on mission-driven culture and capabilities3:10 Advancing secure AI and comprehensive data management capabilities5:19 How AI-powered intake streamlines requirements and accelerates solution delivery8:25 How the Lab drives innovation via sandbox, solutions and workshops12:22 Building predictive civil-unrest models using integrated open-source data14:44 An insight into their culture driven by growth, teamwork and core values17:50 Growing needs in business analysis, low-code development and cloud engineering20:19 Why he’s excited to deepen mission alignment and deliver real-world impactTo find out more about all the great work happening at Improvix Technologies, check out the website www.improvixtech.com 

Today's guest is Jimi Li, Chief Technology Officer at ALM. Founded in 1998, ALM is the world’s most trusted provider of information, data, intelligence and content supporting both the practice and business of law. What began more than 40 years ago as a single publication serving attorneys has since grown into a global company supporting more than seven million business leaders and practicing professionals. Along the way, ALM has helped transform the industries it serves, as well as the communities within them.Jimi is a results-driven technology executive leading enterprise-wide AI transformation. With a proven track record of translating business strategy into high-impact operational solutions, he brings deep expertise across product management, cloud infrastructure, enterprise systems, data and analytics, and AI implementation. Jimi oversees all technology functions at ALM and is spearheading the adoption of generative AI, large language models and agentic automation to transform operations and accelerate product innovation.In this episode, Jimi talks about:0:00 His journey from self-taught engineer to leading digital and AI transformation2:50 ALM as a legal media and data company driving digital and AI transformation3:58 AI succeeds when integrated into strategy and cross-functional teams6:12 How AI transformed their product teams, improving efficiency and delivery8:323AI projects fail due to mindset, context gaps and workflow friction14:38 How AI creates value in employee efficiency, ROI and strategic opportunities17:51 Success in AI needs data experts, tech-savvy product managers and business-minded developers

Today's guest is Matej Zachar, CIO and CISO at Kontent.ai. Founded in 2015, Kontent.ai help content-driven organizations in regulated industries like healthcare and insurance overcome complex content challenges. They do this by bringing complete control and efficiency to every aspect of content management. At the core of Kontent.ai's work is a commitment to helping clients streamline content operations, reduce risk and enable teams to deliver high-quality content at scale.Matej Zachar is a security, privacy and IT executive with a track record of leading award-winning teams. He has built numerous security, privacy and IT programs and managed the security of over 400 products and cloud services. At Kontent.ai, he owns the IT and security strategies and programs, leads both IT and Security Team, and manages risks. He is also the chair of the Security Steering Committee, a member of the Responsible AI Committee, Privacy Team and Corporate Compliance Committee.In this episode, Matej talks about:0:00 His career working at the intersection of AI and Cybersecurity2:20 Secure AI governance builds trust amid evolving regulations4:33 How AI governance reveals reliance on vendors and data risks6:14 Vendor negotiations depend on company size and bargaining power7:27 Why AI adoption and customer sentiment are key success measures8:57 Advice to stay curious, adapt to change and commit to continuous learning9:58 Risk rises with understaffing and AI-driven phishing attacks12:30 How automation effectively speeds up tedious security tasks and triageTo find out more about all the great work happening at Kontent.ai, check out the website www.kontent.ai

Today's guest is István Görgei, Managing Director of ServiceNow Business Unit Leadership at Capture Group. Founded in 2009, Capture helps organizations become agile digital enterprises by streamlining their application factories. Serving over 400 clients across the DACH and CEE regions, Capture offers AI-powered ServiceNow solutions, low-code application development, test outsourcing and resource augmentation, supported by nearshore services to deliver scalable, end-to-end enterprise impact.Istvan is a customer-focused professional with expertise in relationship building, project management, strategic planning and team development. He is the Managing Director of Capture's ServiceNow Business Unit where he leads strategy, operations and growth across the DACH and CEE regions, leveraging AI to deliver transformative customer value. Passionate about creating sustainable, long-term solutions, Istvan helps customers achieve their goals faster while nurturing innovation, balanced growth and lasting business impact.In the episode, István discusses:His background as expert in agile and hybrid work at ServiceNowCapture’s journey from project management to comprehensive ServiceNow solutionsHow ServiceNow connects silos, enabling insights and future forecastingFrom starting in IT, SPM aligns business and plans strategic roadmapsHow Boutique partners add specialized value beyond standard ServiceNow offeringsCombining boutique expertise with a large external network for ServiceNow solutionsHis vision of AI-driven, conversational ServiceNow simplifying user workflowsUsing AI to prefill SPM project data, reducing gaps and administrative workEncouraging team creativity with AI, but maintaining clear governance boundariesAdvice to understand the past, anticipate the future and plan strategically