EPISODE 238- The Humans in the Loop: WPP's VP of Emerging Technologies Andy Hood on Expertise in the age of AI

"Money with Context, The Magic of Managing Clients and Cash Together" For Oz Alon, Co-founder & CEO, HoneyBook, true business clarity begins when creatives manage clients and cash in one place. 💼💰At HoneyBook, this integration turns numbers into insight, giving service-based professionals a complete view of their business and the confidence to make smarter decisions.He describes every business as being built around the four C’s: Clients, Cash, Calendar, and Craft. While HoneyBook takes care of the first three, helping users manage relationships, finances, and time, the fourth C, Craft, remains yours. That’s your superpower, your creativity, your talent, your art. 🎨⚡Listen to the full podcast now- https://premade.outgrow.us/interview-with-Oz-Alon#HoneyBook #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #SMB #Fintech #Automation #ClientManagement #SmallBusiness #OzAlon #Innovation

Andy Hood is Vice President of Emerging Technologies at WPP, where he leads innovation across 100,000+ creative professionals through the WPP Open AI platform. A night owl who discovered creative technology at 28, Andy has spent 25 years at the intersection of creativity and emerging tech, from his early days at AKQA to serving as jury president at Cannes Lions 2017. On The Menu:Why generative AI is transforming advertising and marketingThe role of human creativity in an AI-driven worldHow AI does the production legwork, not creative thinkingM-shaped professionals: The future of creative techWPP's creative technology apprenticeship program explainedWPP Open platform: Democratizing AI for creative teams

🌐 "Building a Truly Interoperable Smart Home Future", Kai Hackbarth, Head of Product & Solutions, BoschThe smart home industry has evolved from isolated systems to collaborative ecosystems. For Kai Hackbarth, this marks a turning point, a step closer to seamless connectivity across all devices. 🔗He also highlights the growing role of energy management technologies in enabling devices at home to communicate intelligently. With Bosch IoT Edge services, the future of connected living is not just smart, but sustainable and scalable. ⚡🏠Listen to the full podcast now- https://premade.outgrow.us/interview-with-Kai-Hackbarth?utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=matthew_blakemore&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_source=mom-spotify#Bosch #SmartHome #IoT #Innovation #SmartDevices #FutureTech #Sustainability

💬 “A Company Is a Living Body, Not a Machine” In an age of constant change, Sophie Heller, COO of BNP Paribas, believes that true leadership isn’t just about efficiency, it’s about empathy. 🧠💚She trained as a therapist to better understand human behavior, mental health, and how organizations function like living systems. To her, every company is like a body; when one part suffers, the whole reacts.Her insight is a timely reminder:👉 Fixing one problem in isolation can often create another.👉 Sustainable leadership starts with a systemic view and with caring for people’s mental well-being as deeply as we care for performance. Listen to the full podcast now: https://premade.outgrow.us/interview-with-Sophie-Heller?utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=matthew_blakemore&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_source=mom-spotify#Leadership #MentalHealth #BNPParibas #SustainableLeadership #CorporateCulture #FutureOfWork #PeopleFirst

🎯 Turning Search Trends into Product Growth | The VEED WaySamuel Beek, Chief Product Officer at @veedstudio, reveals how the company’s explosive growth is powered by one simple strategy: connecting growth channels directly to product development.By analyzing what people are searching for on Google, like “how to generate a podcast,” VEED builds those exact tools into its platform. The result? Instant relevance, organic distribution, and products that meet real demand before anyone else does.This isn’t just growth hacking, it’s growth listening. 👂🚀 Listen to the full podcast now - https://premade.outgrow.us/interview-with-Samuel-Beek?utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=matthew_blakemore&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_source=mom-spotify#VEED #GrowthMarketing #SaaS #ProductStrategy #AI #DigitalMarketing #StartupGrowth #Innovation

💡 Scaling Trust in the Financial EcosystemPavan Bachwal, VP & Head of Financial Services at Ericsson, shares how the company’s technology powers massive transaction volumes for customers across financial ecosystems.It all comes down to three pillars: Scalability. Stability. Security.By building platforms that combine these strengths, Ericsson is helping financial institutions not only handle complex operations but also unlock faster growth, improved efficiency, and smarter revenue models. Listen to the full podcast now- https://premade.outgrow.us/interview-with-pavan-bachwal?utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=matthew_blakemore&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_source=mom-spotify#Ericsson #FinancialServices #DigitalTransformation #Fintech #Scalability #Innovation #SecureTech #FutureOfFinance #BusinessGrowth

⚖️ The EU AI Act’s Biggest Hurdle: Regulating AI That’s Already in UseMatthew Blakemore, CEO at AI Caramba!, highlights a pressing challenge with the EU AI Act. While the framework does a strong job of classifying AI projects into risk categories, it faces a dilemma with tools that are already in widespread public use. Many existing systems, some of which likely fall into high-risk categories, have already been trained and adopted by millions. The question becomes: should they be withdrawn, despite their popularity, or adapted under new rules? Listen to the full podcast now- https://bit.ly/40GZ9bw #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #AIRegulation #TechPolicy #AICompliance #AIInnovation #AITransformation

Rollo Goldstaub is the Global Head of Sports Partnerships at TikTok. Rollo oversees Sports Content Partnership, Business Development, Strategy, and Operations, harnessing the power of TikTok for the largest Sports partners in the world. The Sports Partnerships team at TikTok excels in strategic management of the largest leagues, teams, federations, and broadcasters, supporting them in discovering their next generation of fans.On The Menu:Data-Driven Sports Partnership Strategies at TikTokTikTok's Unique Value Proposition for Sports PublishersGen Z Sports Discovery Through Creator ContentLong-term Strategic Alignment Beyond Viral CampaignsCreative Content Formats: Split-Screen Highlights InnovationCross-Platform Attribution: Direct Broadcaster Deep Links

Igor Mikhalev, Partner and Head of Emerging Technologies Strategy, EY-Parthenon, emphasizes that while AI has traditionally been used to optimize tasks like refining marketing messages or improving conversion strategies, its real potential lies in augmenting human creativity rather than replacing it. He advocates for a balance where AI supports experimentation and exploration, enabling teams to dream bigger and envision possibilities beyond what the raw data suggests. AI becomes an innovation partner, enhancing human ingenuity instead of constraining it.Listen to the full podcast now- https://bit.ly/41yIYPc#AI #HumanCreativity #Innovation #DataDriven #MarketingTech #IgorMikhalev #Outgrow"

Mareme on Green Innovation & Entrepreneurship CultureMareme Dieng, Partner at 500 Global and a Forbes Afrique 30 Under 30 honoree, explains, “How do we let green ignite excitement in the world, even by itself?”She believes that culture plays a crucial role in shaping entrepreneurship:"In the U.S., young people are taught early to spot opportunities. It’s not just about building companies, it’s about recognizing why and how you build them."🌍✨ Supporting this culture is key to making innovation sustainable and impactful globally.Listen to the full podcast now- http://bit.ly/4nKkTOK#GreenInnovation #Entrepreneurship #MaremeDieng #SustainableBusiness #OpportunityMindset #InnovationCulture #StartupLife