The 10 Most Expert Technology Leaders Transforming the Global Tech Sector, 2025

Unthinkable FeaturesThat SetThem Inside the Mind of a RelentlessTech Leader

The Visionary Leaders Driving Global Tech Transformation

Inanerawhereinnovationcyclesareshrinkingand

disruptionisthenewnormal,theroleoftechnology leadershasneverbeenmorepivotal.Astheglobal techsectorevolvesatbreakneckspeed,itisnotjust innovation,butthedepthofinsight,strategicforesight, andagileleadershipthattrulysetcertainindividuals apart.TheprofessionalsfeaturedinthiseditionofCIO BusinessWorldourlistofthe“MostExpertTechnology LeadersTransformingtheGlobalTechSector”embody thisrarecombinationofvisionandexecution.

Whatdistinguishestheseleadersisnotmerelytheir abilitytokeeppacewithchange,buttheircapacityto anticipateandshapeit.Whilemanyexecutivesrespond tomarkettrends,theseindividualsoftencreatethem. Theirexpertiseisnotconfinedtotechnicalprowess alone;theypossessanuancedunderstandingofbusiness ecosystems,userbehavior,andemergingmarkets.This synthesisofskillsenablesthemtoleadtransformative initiativesthatredefinehowtechnologyservessociety, industry,andglobaleconomies.

Oneofthemosttellingtraitsamongtheseleadersis theirenduringcommitmenttopurposefulinnovation. Theyunderstandthattechnologyisnotanendinitself butavehicleforsolvingreal-worldproblemswhether it’senhancingdigitalinclusivity,accelerating sustainabilityefforts,orreimaginingcustomer experiences.Theirleadershipoftenreflectsastrong ethicalcompass,particularlyinareassuchasdata governance,AIresponsibility,andcybersecurity resilience.

Moreover,theseleadersarenotboundbygeographicor sectorallimits.Theirinfluencecutsacrossdomains spanningfintech,healthtech,greenenergy,enterprise software,andartificialintelligence.Theirimpactis global,yettheirapproachremainsrootedincontextual

intelligenceapplyingglobalthinkingtolocalchallenges withclarityandculturalsensitivity.

Anotherkeydifferentiatoristheirabilitytobuildand empowerteams.Theyfosterculturesofexperimentation andcontinuouslearning,enablingorganizationsto remainadaptiveandresilientinuncertainenvironments. Inmanycases,theyhavebeeninstrumentalinreshaping legacysystemsandmindsets,ensuringthattraditional enterprisescanthriveinthedigital-firstworld.

Itisalsoworthnotinghowtheseleadersapproach changenotasadisruptiontobefeared,butasan opportunitytobeembraced.Theirleadershipisnot static;itevolvesinresponsetoshiftinglandscapes, economicpressures,andtechnologicaladvances.Their careersaremarkedbyawillingnesstoquestionthestatus quo,challengeconventions,andnavigateambiguitywith clarity

Inspotlightingtheseexperts,CIOBusinessWorld celebratesmorethanprofessionalachievement;wehonor thespiritoftransformationthatdefinesthefutureof technology Theseindividualsexemplifywhatitmeans toleadwithinsight,adaptwithagility,andexecutewith precision.Theirjourneysofferbothinspirationand guidancetothenextgenerationoftechnology visionaries.

Asthetechsectorcontinuestoredefinewhat’spossible, itisleaderslikethesewhoensurethatprogressremains purposeful,inclusive,andsustainable.

From theEditor’s desk

24

Aswini Atibudhi

Designing the Next Frontier of Autonomous Commerce 10 C

38 Inside the Mind of a Relentless Tech Leader

Unthinkable Features That Set Them Apart

28 The Rise of the Invisible CTO: How No-Code and AI Tools Are Making Technical Leadership Obsolete 32 How Women Leaders are breaking the GlassCeiling Effect and Enabling Transformaons in the Modern Industry 36 The New Normal: How Industries Are Shielding Themselves From Disrupve Tech Trends In 2025

16 Emerging Technologies and the Future of Influencer Markeng in a Dynamic Business Environment 20 The Rise of the Invisible CTO: How No-Code and AI Tools Are Making Technical Leadership Obsolete 42 Best Shopify Apps & Integraons for Enhancing eCommerce Growth

July, 2025

Aswini Atibudhi

Designing the Next Frontier of Autonomous Commerce

IntheheartofOdisha,ayoungmindignitedwithcuriositywalked

throughthegatesofBijuPatnaikUniversityofTechnology, armedwithnothingbutambitionandadeep-rootedbelief: knowledge is the most transformative weapon we possess.Thatbelief didn’tjustearnAswiniAtibudhiadistinction;itbecamethecompass guidingacareerthatwouldspaninnovation,leadership,andpurpose.

AtWalmartGlobalTech,Aswinistandsattheconfluenceoftwo definingforcesofourtime:digitaltransformationandsustainability. AsaDistinguishedArchitect,heseestechnologynotasanend,buta catalyst—onethatcanscaleESGgoals,democratizeintelligence,and fuelreinventionacrossbillionsoflives.

Yet,itwasn’taflawlesssystemoraseamlessrolloutthatshapedhis mostprofoundleadershipinsight—itwasamomentofunexpected friction.Ameticulouslyengineeredplatform,technicallyperfect, faltered.Notbecauseofcode,butbecauseofpeople.Thatexperience transformedhim.Fromasolution-centricexpert,heevolvedintoa people-centricleader—onewhonowprioritizesover-communication, sharedunderstanding,andalignmentthattranscendsmetrics.

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Today,Aswinidoesn’tjustarchitectsystems;hebuilds ecosystems.Heempowersteams,craftsplatformsthat otherscangrowon,andleadswithasteadyvisioninan ageofconstantflux.Hisjourneyisatestamenttoa powerfultruth:intheeraofperpetualchange,leadership beginsnotwithsolutions,butwithconnection.

RisefromRuralRootstoGlobalImpact

Aswini’sstorybeginsinasmall,often-overlookedvillage wheredreamsrarelyhadroomtogrow.Withnoproper schools,mentors,orfinancialsafetynet,theoddswere stackedagainsthim.Yet,whathelackedinresources,he madeupforwithanunrelentinghungertolearn,tolead, andtoupliftothers.Forhim,educationwasn’tjusta pursuit—itwasanactofdefiance,arebellionagainst limitation.

Sleeplessnightsspentburiedinbooks,mentoringpeers, andchallengingthestatusquopaidoffwhenhe graduatedwithdistinctionhonorsfromBijuPatnaik UniversityofTechnology.Fueledbyasteadfastbelief thatknowledgeisthemosttransformativeweapon, AswinibeganhisprofessionaljourneyatTata ConsultancyServices,quicklymakingamarkonhighimpactprojectsforCisco.Hisexcellenceearnedhima directroleatCisco,affirminghiscapabilityanddrive.

HewentontojoinFinastra,aglobalbankingtechgiant, wherehecontributedtoitsflagshipBankFusion platform,collaboratingwithover5,000engineers worldwide.ButAswini’sambitionsextendedfarbeyond borders.HismovetotheUnitedStateswasn’tatwistof fate—itwastheculminationofdeliberate,determined effort.Everychallenge,everylineofcode,wasastep towardavisionherefusedtocompromise.

ThatvisioncametolifeatWalmart,theworld’slargest retailer,wherehenowservesasaDistinguished Architect.AttheintersectionofAI,scale,andinnovation, Aswinileadsinitiativesthatpowerintelligent, anticipatorysystemsforover230millionglobal customers.

Frombuildingbattery-poweredcarsandwatersanitation prototypesinhischildhoodtoarchitectingAIecosystems ataglobalscale,Aswini'sjourneyisrootedinresilience andimagination.Inspiredearlyonbytheepicsofthe RamayanaandMahabharata,heviewedancienttalesnot justasmythology,butasencryptedblueprintsofscience andfuturetechnology.Whereotherssawmysticism,he sawmechanisms.

Aswinistillrecallsthethrillofwritinghisfirst Javascripttoautomatetasksforthegrassroots NGOAtmasamman—amomentthatmade technologyfeeltrulymagical.Forhim,tech becameasuperpowerforgood.

Today,Aswiniisnotjustatechnologistbuta strategicleaderandinnovationcatalyst.He believestruetechleadershipmeansarchitecting scalableimpact,nurturingtalent,anddesigning platformsthatempowerandendure.Hislife standsasproofthatresiliencecandefy circumstance,andthatwhenvisionispairedwith relentlessaction,therearenolimits.

TheNeuralCoreofRetail

AtWalmart,dataandAIarenotjustpartofthe technologystrategy—they are thestrategy. Aswini-aDistinguishedArchitectatWalmart GlobalTech,helpspowerthisvisionat unprecedentedscale.Withover230million customersand2.1millionassociatesacrossthe globe,Walmartrunsonasymphonyof signals—billionsoftransactions,real-time engagements,andinsightsflowingseamlessly acrossstores,supplychains,anddigitalchannels.

UnderAswini’sarchitecturalleadership,AIhas evolvedfromasupportingtooltotheneuralcore ofWalmart’soperations.Fromautonomous logisticsandreal-timedecisionenginesto intelligentpricingmodels,personalizedsearch, andpredictiveinventorysystems,AIisembedded intoeveryfabricoftheenterprise.Walmart’s $648.1Brevenueengineincreasinglyrunson machineintelligencethatdoesn’tjustreact—it reasons,adapts,andlearns.

Aswiniandhisteamsareadvancingbeyond traditionalmachinelearningintolarge-scale multimodalmodels,agenticAI,andintelligent automationframeworks.Thesetechnologiesfuel scenariosonceconsideredfuturistic: neighborhood-leveldemandforecasting,dynamic fleetreroutingbasedonlivetrafficandweather, andMerchOne—Walmart’sAI-poweredcockpit forreal-timemerchandisingdecisions.Thisisn’t avisionoftomorrow;it’sarealityinmotion today

ForAswini,stayingaheadismorethan strategy—it’samindsetofrelentlesscuriosity

andhands-onexploration.Whetherprototyping newideas,dissectingthelatestarXivpapers,or collaboratingininternalthinktanks,hethrivesat thebleedingedge.Hebelievesinnovationisn’ta spectatorsport—itrequiresimmersion,friction, andboldconviction.

AtWalmart,hechampionsapragmatic,valuedriveninnovationphilosophy.Everynew technologyisinterrogatedthrougharigoroustriad: impact,scalability,andstrategicalignment.Doesit elevatethecustomerexperience?Canitperformat Walmart’sscale?Willitstrengthenthebusiness foundation?Iftheanswerisyes,pilotslaunch rapidlyinWalmart’sAIsandbox—whereemerging ideasfacereal-worldconditions.

AswiniisparticularlyfocusedonagenticAI systems,self-evolvingarchitectures,andadaptive operationsthatrespondinrealtime.Thesearen’t experimentaltheories—they’rethearchitectural bedrockforaneweraofanticipatoryretail.Ina landscapefloodedwithhype,Aswini’sNorthStar remainsconstant:valueistheonlytrendthatnever fades.

VisioningtheNextEraofRetailIntelligence

AccordingtoAswini-DistinguishedArchitectat WalmartGlobalTech,thenext3–5yearswill redefinetheveryblueprintofretail.“We’re enteringanera,”heasserts,“whereintelligence isn’tjustembedded—it’sautonomous,adaptive, andanticipatory.”Atthecoreofthis transformationaresixcriticaltrendspoisedto reshapecommerceatafundamentallevel.

1. AgenticAI&AutonomousRetail Orchestration

Retailismovingbeyondpassiveautomation.The riseofagenticAI—goal-oriented,reasoningcapabledigitalagents—willorchestrateeverything frommerchandisingtocustomersupport.These agentswilloperateacrossamulti-agentecosystem, poweredbyframeworkslikeMCP(ModelContext Protocol),executingdecisionsinrealtimewith minimalhumanoversight.Ineffect,digital employeeswithembeddedintentwillbecomekey operationalplayers.

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2. Multimodal,Context-AwareAIExperiences

Next-genAIisacquiringhuman-likeperception—vision, hearing,contextualawareness.Withadvancementsin vision-languagemodelsandsensorfusion,retail interactionswillbecomedeeplyimmersiveandintuitive. Customerswillengagethroughvoice-guidedjourneys,realtimevirtualtry-ons,andAIadvisorsthatunderstandnotjust whattheyneed—butwhere,when,andhowtheyneedit.

3. ComposableCommerce&API-DrivenAgility

Retailinfrastructureisshiftingfrommonolithstomodular, composablesystems.Brandswillbeabletoassembleand reassemblecommercecapabilitieslikedigitalLego blocks—respondingtomarketshiftsinstantlyand deliveringpersonalizedexperienceswithoutoverhauling coreplatforms.

4. DigitalTwins&Real-TimeSimulation

Retailerswillsoonoperateinparallelworlds.Real-time digitaltwinsofstores,supplychains,andcustomer journeyswillallowpredictivesimulationandoptimization beforechangesaredeployedphysically.FromA/Btesting storelayoutstostress-testingpromotions,thissimulationfirstapproachwilldrivesmarterdecision-making.

5. SmartRobotics&IntelligentFulfillment

Roboticsinretailisbecomingmoreintelligentand collaborative.FromAI-poweredwarehousearmsto autonomousdeliverydrones,thefulfillmentchainis

transformingintoaseamless,adaptiveengine—built aroundprecision,convenience,andcustomersatisfaction.

6. SustainableTech&ResponsibleAI

Aswiniemphasizesthatthefutureofretailmustalsobe responsible.“Ifit’snotsustainable,it’snotscalable,”he states.Walmartisembeddingsustainabilityintoitsdigital backbone—fromcarbon-awareroutingandcircularsupply chainstoresponsibleAIandtransparentmodelgovernance. Ethicaltechisn’tafeature;it’sfoundational.

AtWalmart,thesetrendsarenottheoretical—they’re operational.WalmartGlobalTechplaysapivotalrolein translatingvisionintoimpact,embeddingAIanddatainto everycorneroftheenterprise.Fromoptimizingsupply chainstoreducingfoodwaste,Walmart’splatforms promoteESGthroughsmart,scalablesystems.

Forinstance,AIrecommendslow-carbonshipping methods,flagsexcesspackagingbeforeproductshitthe shelf,andsimulatesenvironmentalimpactviadigitaltwins andreal-timetelemetry.Machinelearningmodelstrackand optimizeESGKPIs,ensuringsustainabilitygoalsare measurable,accountable,andactionable.

Aswiniputsitsuccinctly:“Technologydoesn’tjust accelerateESG—itoperationalizesit.Thefutureofretailis anintelligent,livingsystemwheretechdoesn’tjustsupport thebusiness—itanticipatesit.”

TheClarityImperative

OneofAswini’smostdefining leadershiplessonscameearly inhiscareer,duringamajor platformrollout.Technically flawless,thesolution faltered—notbecauseof engineering,butbecauseof misalignment.Visionwas under-communicated. Assumptionswereunspoken. Teamsmovedinparallel,not inharmony

Thatmomentbecamea turningpoint.

“Irealizedyoucan’tscale impactthroughcomplexity,” hereflects.“Youscaleit throughclarity.”

Sincethen,Aswinihasembracedradicalclarityasa leadershipphilosophy.Fromstrategytoexecution,he ensuressharedunderstanding,over-communication,and purpose-drivenalignment.Heconnectsarchitectureto outcomes,visiontobelief,andeveryindividualtotheirrole inthemission.

AtWalmart,thisclarityismorethanaleadershiptrait—it’s aforcemultiplierthatacceleratestrust,drivesvelocity,and turnscollectiveintentintotangibleresults.

LeadingwithScaleandPurpose

AttheheartofAswini’sleadershipphilosophyaretwo guidingprinciplesthathaveshapedhisjourneyfrom technologisttotransformativearchitectatWalmartGlobal Tech:

“Buildsystemsthatscale.Buildpeoplewholead.”

ForAswini,technologyleadershipisfarmorethan exceptionalcodeorelegantarchitecture.It’sabout engineeringplatformsthatendure,empoweringteamsthat

operateautonomously,andcultivatingaculturewhere leadershipisdistributed—notcentralized.Heprioritizes reusablefoundations,clarityofvision,andthekindofteam designthatthriveswithoutdependency.Scalability,inhis view,appliesequallytosystemsandtopeople.

“Beobsessedwiththeproblem,notthesolution.” Aswinicautionsagainstfallinginlovewithelegant algorithmsornoveldesignswithoutgroundingtheminrealworldrelevance.Hisapproachcentersonempathyand outcomes—ensuringeverysolutionispurpose-drivenand rootedinameaningfulproblem.Forhim,innovationisn’t aboutshowcasingbrilliance—it’saboutdeliveringimpact.

ThesetwoprinciplesguideAswiniineverythinghebuilds. Whetherhe'sshapingAI-drivenecosystems,scaling distributedteams,orreimaginingretailplatformsforover 230millioncustomers,heleadswithbothscaleand purpose.Hisgoal:toengineernotjustsmarter systems—butmoreresilientorganizations,courageous teams,andvaluethatenduresfarbeyondthetechnology itself.

Emerging Technologies and the Future of Inluencer Marketing in a Dynamic

Business

Environment

Intoday’srapidlyevolvingbusinesslandscape,staying aheadrequiresembracingemergingtechnologiesthat reshapehowbrandsconnectwithaudiences.Asthe CEOofLovedBrands,I’vewitnessedfirsthandhow innovativedigitalsolutionsarerevolutionizing influencermarketingandsocialmediaengagement, offeringunprecedentedopportunitiesforbrandstogrow andthrive.

TheRiseofData-DrivenInfluencerStrategies

Oneofthemostsignificanttechnologicaladvancements inrecentyearsistheintegrationofbigdataand analyticsintoinfluencermarketing.ByleveragingAIpoweredtools,brandscannowidentifypreciseaudience segments,measureinfluencerengagementmore accurately,andpredictcampaignoutcomeswithgreater confidence.Thisenablesahighlytargetedapproach, ensuringmarketingeffortsarenotjustwide-reaching butalsodeeplyimpactful.

ArtificialIntelligenceandPersonalization

AI-drivenplatformsarealsoenablinghyperpersonalizedcontentcreation,allowingbrandstotailor messagesthattrulyresonatewiththeirtargetaudiences. ThinkofAIasasmartassistantthathelpsyou understandyourcustomersbetterandcreatecustom contentfordifferentsegments.

SomeplatformsthatfacilitateAIpersonalization include:

• HubSpotandMarketo:Thesemarketing automationtoolsofferAIfeaturesforpersonalized emailcampaigns,contentrecommendations,and customersegmentation.

• Persado:UsesAItocraftemotionallyengaging copytailoredtoaudiencepreferences.

• DynamicYield:Offerspersonalizationenginesfor websitecontent,productrecommendations,and targetedads.

• Chatbots(e.g.,Drift,ManyChat):Enable personalizedcustomerinteractionsinreal-time.

ImplementingAIpersonalizationinvolvesintegrating thesetoolswithyourwebsite,socialmedia,andemail campaigns.Startsmallbyexperimentingwithtargeted emailcampaignsorcontentrecommendations,then expandasyouseeresults.

BlockchainandTransparency

Anotherexcitingdevelopmentistheuseofblockchain technologytoensuretransparencyandauthenticityin influencercollaborations.Withblockchain,every transactionandpartnershipcanbeverified,reducing fraudandbuildingtrustbetweenbrands,influencers, andaudiences.Thistechnologicalshiftiscrucialinan industryoftenscrutinizedforauthenticityissues, ensuringgenuineengagementandlong-termvalue.

VirtualandAugmentedReality

VRandARarebecomingmoreaccessibletoolsfor creatingimmersiveexperiences.

Forexample:

• ARfiltersandeffects:PlatformslikeInstagram andSnapchatofferARfiltersthatinfluencerscan usetopromoteproductsinfunandengagingways.

• Virtualtry-ons:BrandslikeSephoraandL’Oréal useARappstoletcustomersvirtuallytestmakeup products.

• VRexperiences:Youcancreatevirtualtoursof yourproductsorbrandenvironmentsusing platformslikeFacebookHorizonorOculus.

Gettingstartedinvolvespartneringwith AR/VRdevelopersorusingtoolslike SparkARStudio(forcreatingARfilters) orcompaniesthatoffercustomvirtual experiences.Sharingbehind-the-scenes looksorinteractivecontentviathesetools canboostengagementandshowcaseyour innovation.

NavigatingCriseswithTechnological Agility

Inavolatileglobalenvironmentmarked byeconomicuncertaintiesandrapid technologicalshifts,resilienceiskey Embracingtheseemergingtechnologies allowsbrandstoadaptquickly,respondto crisesmoreeffectively,andcapitalizeon newopportunities.Stayingagileand technologicallysavvyisessentialfor maintainingrelevanceandsustaining growthamidunpredictablebusiness climates.

AboutMe

AstheCEOofLovedBrands,Ispecialize increatinginnovativeinfluencer marketingstrategiesthatleveragethe latesttechnologies.Mygoalistohelp brandsbuildauthenticrelationshipswith theiraudiences,utilizingdata-driven insights,cutting-edgetools,andcreative storytellingtoachievesustainablegrowth.

Conclusion

Aswelooktothefuture,it’sclearthat emergingtechnologieswillcontinueto shapethelandscapeofinfluencer marketinganddigitalbranddevelopment. CompanieslikeLovedBrandsareatthe forefrontofthistransformation, harnessinginnovativetoolstodeliver compelling,data-driven,andtransparent campaignsthatcutthroughthenoise.

Byembracingtheseadvancements, businessescanbuildstronger relationships,fosterloyalty,andachieve sustainablegrowthinanincreasingly digitalandinterconnectedworld.

The Rise of the

How No-Code and AI Tools Are Making Technical Leadership Obsolete

In2025,theworld'smostpowerfultechnologystacksare nolongerbuiltingaragesbycodingprodigies.They're assembledbyoperatorswithzeroengineering background—armedwithacreditcard,anOpenAIkey, andaNotiondashboard.

WelcometotheageoftheInvisibleCTO.

Fordecades,thepathtobuildinganythingtechnical requiredatechnicalco-founder.Itwasabadgeofhonorin SiliconValley:getsomeonewhocancode,raisearound, buildanMVP,andscale.Butsomethinghaschanged. Dramatically.

Thedemocratizationoftechnology—throughno-code platforms,plug-and-playAPIs,andgenerativeAI—has quietlyredefinedwhatitmeanstobea“technicalleader.” Today,asolofoundercan:

-LaunchaSaaSproductwithWebflow+Memberstack+ Zapier

-BuildbackendautomationwithAirtable+Make+GPT4

-TrainanddeploycustomAIworkflowsusingtoolslike OpenAI,ElevenLabs,andLangchain—withoutasingle lineofcode

Thesetoolshavecollapsedthebarrierbetweenideaand execution.AndthatcollapseismakingthetraditionalCTO rolelookincreasinglyredundant.

FromBuilderstoIntegrators

Today'sstartupsnolongerneedsomeonetoarchitect infrastructurefromscratch.Theyneedsomeonewhocan connectdots,notlaybricks.That'swhythefastestgrowingcompaniesareledbyfounderswhocan:

-Thinkinsystems

-RapidlyprototypeusingAItools

-By Rami El-Ashi

-Leverageno-codesolutionstovalidatedemandbefore writingcode

Thenewtechnicalstackishorizontal,notvertical.It'san ecosystemofinteroperabletoolsthatrewardspeedover perfection.Inthatworld,theCTO'straditional job—managingdevelopers,choosingframeworks, maintaininginfrastructure—isoftenoutsourced,automated, orobsolete.

WhenNon-TechBecomesaSuperpower

Here'stheirony:Thelesstechnicalafounderis,themore aggressivetheyarewithno-codeandAI.Why?Because theyhavenoegotiedtocode.Theycareaboutoutcomes, notsyntax.

We'reseeing:

-Growthhackersbuildinginternaltoolingfasterthandev teams

-MarketersautomatingentirefunnelsystemsviaAIagents

-Operationsleadsbecomingproductmanagersbyaccident

Thisinversionofpoweristhemostunderratedrevolutionin businesstoday.Non-technicalfoundersarenolonger disadvantaged—they'reliberated.

ButThere'saCatch

Let'snotpretendthisrevolutioniswithoutrisk.

-No-codestackscanbecomebrittleandbreakatscale

-AItoolsareonlyassmartasthepromptsbehindthem

-Speedoftensacrificessecurity,scalability,andlong-term technicaldepth

RamiEl-AshiistheFounder&ChairmanofAshiHolding,andatechnologyinvestorfocusedonAI-driven ventures.HeistheFounder&LeadTraderatAshiCapital,wherehedevelopsautomation-poweredstrategiesfor wealthcreation,andtheExecutiveProducerofthe AcquiredAI podcast.RamialsoservesasHeadofBusiness DevelopmentatGOtech,aleadingtechnologypartnerintheSaudioil&gassector

Beyondhisventures,heisaMentorattheFounderInstitute,aMemberoftheInternationalTradeCouncil,andpartof theAmericanChamberofCommerceinSaudiArabia.Hisworkcentersaroundmultiplyingoutputthroughsystems thinking,automation,andmodernleverage.

WhichiswhytheCTOisn't dead—they'reevolving.

ThesmartCTOstodayareshiftingfrom coderstocurators.Theirvalueisn'tin buildingthesystem,butinknowing whichsystemstotrust,whento intervene,andhowtoscalewithout burningthehousedown.

TheCTO'sNewJobDescription

Here'swhatamodernCTOdoes:

-Validatestoolsfordataintegrity, security,andresilience

-TrainsteamsonhowtouseAI responsiblyandethically

-Buildsgovernancemodelsfor automatedworkflows

-Createsarchitectureblueprintsfor whenno-codebecomeslow-code becomesrealcode

Inshort,themodernCTOislessa technicianandmoreatechnologist.Less IDE,moreIQ.

TheFutureIsProduct-LedandTech-Optional

We'reenteringanerawhere:

-Youdon'tneedaCTOtobuildyourMVP

-Youdon'tneeddeveloperstolaunchawaitlistandstartcollectingrevenue

-Youdon'tevenneedtolooktechnicaltoraisearound(investorsnowaskfor traction,nottech)

Thisisliberating—andterrifying.

Liberatingbecauseitdecentralizesinnovation. TerrifyingbecauseitmeansanyonewithaStripeaccountandChatGPTcanlook likeastartup.

FinalThought

In1995,youneededtoknowHTMLtolaunchawebsite.

In2005,youneededaCMS.

In2015,youneededadevteam.

In2025,youjustneedanidea—andagoodinternetconnection.

Thegatekeepersaregone.

TheriseoftheInvisibleCTOisn'ttheendoftechnicalleadership—it'sthe beginningofanewkind:onethatleadswithcuration,clarity,andcreativity.The bestCTOsoftomorrowwon'tbethebestcoders.They'llbetheoneswhoknow whennottocodeatall.

Inside the Mind of a Relentless Tech Leader

Idon’tjustworkwithtechnology—Iliveand

breatheit.I’vebuiltsystemsthatscale,teams thatwin,andideasthatwereoncecalled “impossible.”I'mnotjustatechnologyleader;I'm anarchitectoftomorrow’sworld.Inaspacethat changesbytheminute,myedgeisn’twhatI do—it’swhoIam.

ISeeWhatOthersMiss

Whileothersarereactingtotrends,I’vealready mappedthenextdecade.I’vemademovesthat seemedcounterintuitive—untiltheychangedthe game.Idon’tneedacrystalball;Iseewheredata, behavior,andinnovationintersect.That’showI stayahead.

Ipredictedshiftslongbeforetheheadlinescaught up.Cloudcomputing?Iwastherebeforeitwas mainstream.GenerativeAI?Iwasbuildingwithit whileotherswerestillquestioningitsvalue.My visionisn’taboutchasinghype—it’sabout identifyingimpact.

ChangeIsMyComfortZone

Whenthegroundshakes,Idon’tflinch—Imove. Adaptabilityisn’tatraitforme;it’ssecondnature.I’veled teamsthroughdigitaltransformation,organizationalchaos, andrapidtechdisruptions,andcameoutsharperevery time.

Mistakes?Ilearnfasterthanmostfail.Ibelieveinfast iterations,clearpivots,andfearlessdecision-making.I don’tjustridethewave—Icreateit.

ILeadwithEmpathy,NotEgo

Technologyshouldelevatepeople,notalienatethem.Icode withconscience,leadwithintegrity,andbuildwith inclusioninmind.Iknowthatrealinnovationonlyhappens whenpeoplefeelseen,heard,andempowered.

I’veimplementedtechsolutionsthatprioritizeprivacy, accessibility,andethicalAI—notbecauseIhadto,but becauseit’stherightthingtodo.Andthatmatters. Innovationwithoutempathyisjustnoise.

CuriosityIsMyEngine

I’mneverdonelearning.Idigdeepintoemergingtech,but Ialsostudypsychology,behavior,geopolitics—anything thathelpsmeunderstandhowpeoplethink,live,and connect.That’swhatfuelsbreakthroughthinking.

Whetherit'sblockchain,edgecomputing,orneurotech,I don’texploreitforclout—Iexploreitbecauseevery challengeisadoorwaitingtobeunlocked.

INavigateComplexitywithClarity

I’veledhigh-stakesprojectsacrosssecurity,infrastructure, compliance,andinnovation.Complexitydoesn’t overwhelmme—itsharpensmyfocus.Iconnectdotsacross silos,departments,andsystemsthatotherscan’tevensee.

Whatotherscallchaos,Icallopportunity.Idon’tchase simplicity—Iextractbrilliancefromcomplexity

IBuildPlatforms,NotJustProducts

Anyonecanlaunchaproduct.Ibuildecosystems.Idevelop toolsthatenablethousands,sometimesmillions,tocreate, collaborate,andgrow.Ithinkinlayers—users,partners, developers,andmarkets—somysolutionsscalenaturally andsustainably

Thismindsettransformsbusinessesintomovementsand usersintocommunities.

DataGuidesMe,ButPeopleInspireMe

Dataspeaksvolumes,andIlistencarefully.ButIdon’tlet numbersovershadowinstincts,ethics,orstorytelling.I blendlogicwithhumanity That’swhatmakestechnology stick—notjustfunctionally,butemotionally

Behindeverydashboard,there’sahumanstory.AndI alwayslistentoboth.

IGrowPeople,NotJustMetrics

Thefutureoftechdependsonwhoweempowertoday.I mentorrisingleaders,hireforpotential,andpushfor diversevoicesineveryroomIenter.I’vebuiltcultures whereinnovationflowsfromeverydesk,notjustthecorner office.

Talentneedsspacetothrive,andIcreatethatspace—with purpose,trust,andthechallengetobeexcellent.

ThisisWhoIAm

Iamnotdefinedbymyresume—I’mdefinedbythelegacy Ibuild.Myleadershipisrootedinexperience,fueledby curiosity,andguidedbyempathy.Iturnfrictioninto momentumandcomplexityintoclarity.Ichallengethe statusquonottobedifferent,butbecauseIknowwecando better

Inthisfast-paceddigitalworld,Idon’tjustlead—Idefine whatleadershipmeans.

THE AI WAKE-UP CALL:

WhyTrueTransformation Starts with People, Not JustTechnology

Byallmetrics,we'restandingattheedgeofa

technologicalrevolution.In2024alone,global investmentsinAIreached$100billion—$45 billionsofwhichfloweddirectlyintogenerativemodels. Andthisismerelytheprelude.Overthenextfiveyears, techtitanslikeMicrosoft,Google,Meta,andAmazonare preparingtopouroveratrilliondollarsintoAI development.

Thebuzzisjustified—butalsomisleading.WhiletheshorttermcapabilitiesofAIareoftenoverstated,itslong-term potentialisvastlyunderestimated.Weareonlybeginningto understandhowdeeplythistechnologywilltransformthe wayweliveandwork.Toignorethisevolutionistorisk becomingirrelevant—nottocompetitors,buttoreality itself.

Thecomparisontothedawnofthecomputerageisn't hyperbole.We'refacingadisruptionofsimilarmagnitude. Butrecognizingtheopportunityisonething.Actingonit, meaningfullyandsustainably,isanother.Most organizationsstrugglenotwithunderstandingthe“why” behindAIanddigitaltransformation—butwiththe“how.”

TheTwoSystemsEveryOrganizationMustAlign Ineveryorganization,therearetwointerdependentsystems atplay:thetechnologicalandthesocial.Thetechnological system—comprisedofservers,software,and silicon—followslogicandelectricity.Switchiton,andit works.

Thesocialsystem,ontheotherhand,runsonemotion, expectation,andfear.Itiscomprisedofpeople—and thereinliesboththecomplexityandthekeytosuccessful transformation.Everymajorshiftthreatensthestatusquo, triggeringresistance.Thisresistanceisnotabug;it'sthe defaultsettingofanysocialsystem.Andit'swheremost digitalinitiativesfail.

TrueTransformationIsSocial,NotJustDigital

Manyorganizationsapproachtransformationwithatoolkit fullofbuzzwordsandframeworks—Agile,DevOps,RPA, AI.Buttheseonlyscratchthesurface.Realchangeisn't aboutnewtools;it'saboutevolvinghowanorganization works (theOperatingModel)and what itdelivers(the BusinessModel).Thisisn'tjustatechupgrade—it'sa redefinitionofpurpose.

Transformationisnotaprojectwithafixedtimeline.It'san ongoingadaptationtoanever-shiftinglandscape.Relying onoutdatedmodelslikeLewin's“Unfreeze-ChangeRefreeze”orKotter'seight-stepprocessislikemanaginga modernITsystemusingpunchcards.Thespeedofchange todaydemandsalighter,moreagileapproach—an“alpine” style,notanexpeditionwithahundredSherpas.

LeadershipintheAgeofDisruption

Goodleadershiphasn'tfundamentallychangedsincethe 1960s,butthestakeshave.Instabletimes,mediocre managementmighthavesufficed.Intoday'svolatile environment,itcanbecatastrophic.

Thechallengeisscale.Oneleadercannolongercontrol everydetail.Instead,theirroleistocreatestructuresthat empowerotherstocontributemeaningfully.Alignment becomesessential.Everyonemustunderstandthepurpose oftheorganization—becauseifoneteambuildsashipand anotheracandyfactory,chaosensues.

Effectivecommunicationisthefoundation.Traditional corporatecommunicationmodelsoftenfailhere.Abetter approachborrowsfromtheplaybookofHollywood—where dramaturgydrivesemotion,alignment,andaction.The “businessdramaturgy”frameworkappliestheseprinciples, helpingtransformpassiveobserversintoactiveparticipants.

WhyResistanceIsUseful

Resistancetochangeisnotjustinevitable—it'sinformative. Ittellsuswheretherealfrictionlies.Beneathevery“I won't”isoftenan“Idon'tunderstand”or“Ifeel threatened.”Understandingtherootofthisresistance allowsleaderstorespondwithempathyandstrategy,not bruteforce.

Changethatstripsawayautonomyorstatuswithoutcontext breedsresentment.Butchangethatinvitesparticipationand providesclarityfostersresilience—andevenenthusiasm.

ThinkLikeaPhysicist,ActLikeaLeader

There'salessontobeborrowedfromphysics:focusonfirst principles.Physicistsdon'tjustsolveproblems;they redefinehowweseethem.Theyseekcoherence, interconnectedness,andnewframesofreference.

Organizations,too,mustmoveawayfromfragmented, siloedthinking.Culture,finance,tech,andstrategyaren't separate—eachinfluencestheothers.

Asystemviewedinisolationcan'tbeunderstoodinfull.It's likeanalyzingtemperaturewhileignoringpressureand volume.Theresult?Thingsexplode.

FromResiliencetoAntifragility

Resiliencemeanssurvivingdisruption.Antifragilitymeans growingstrongerbecauseofit.InspiredbyNassimTaleb, thisconcepturgesleaderstobuildorganizationsthatthrive onvolatility

How?

• Embracecontrolledchaos.Regularrotationofroles, decentralizationofdecision-making,andintentional experimentationstrengthensystemsovertime.

• Overcompensateininnovation.Don'tjustadopt AI—createyourowncloudplatformifthat'swhatit takes.

• Buildoptionality.Rigidprocessesfailunderstress. Flexiblesystemsendure.

• Encourageinternalinnovation.Don'tisolate creativityinasingledepartment.Letideassurface fromeverylevel.

• Acceptredundancies.Efficiencyisgreatuntilit makesyoufragile.Diversityandsparecapacitybuild adaptability.

KPIsAren'tEnough

PeterDruckerfamouslysaid,“Youcan'tmanagewhatyou can'tmeasure.”Butnoteverythingthatmatterscanbe measured.Over-relianceonKPIsleadstogamingthe system,notgenuineprogress.Leadershiprequires judgment.Itrequiresseeingbeyonddashboardsto understandrealsentiment,risk,andopportunity.UseKPIs asacompass—notasblinders.

FinalThought:LessControl,MoreAlignment

Especiallyinuncertaineconomictimes,thequestion becomes:Howcanwedomorewithless?Theanswerisn't tightercontrol.It'sbetteralignment.Wheneveryone understandstheproblemandbuysintothevision,they'll contributenotbecausetheyweretold—butbecausethey care.Truetransformation,poweredbyAIornot,startsand endswithpeople.Andthat,morethananyalgorithm,is whatmakesthedifference.

Unthinkable Features That Set Them Apart

Intoday’shyperconnectedandrapidlyevolvingdigitalworld,ExpertTechnology

LeadersarenolongerjustmanagersordirectorsofITdepartments.Theyarevisionaries, transformers,andarchitectsofthefuture.Theirunthinkablefeatures—qualitiesthat transcendconventionalleadershiptraits—arewhatallowthemtosteerorganizationsthrough disruptionandinnovationalike.Theseindividualsdon’tjustleadteams;theyshape industries.

VisionBeyondtheHorizon

Oneofthemostastonishingfeaturesofexperttechnologyleadersistheirabilitytoenvision thefuturelongbeforeitarrives.Theydon'tmerelyreacttotrends;theyanticipatethem. Whetherit'spredictingtheriseofgenerativeAI,theshifttoquantumcomputing,orthe integrationofIoTineverydaylife,theseleadersareoftenseveralstepsahead.

Forinstance,considerSatyaNadella,CEOofMicrosoft.Underhisleadership,Microsoft shiftedfromalegacysoftwarecompanytoacloud-first,AI-drivenenterprise—longbefore cloudcomputingbecameanon-negotiablebusinessneed.Suchforesightrequiresnotjust technicalacumen,butalsostrategicthinkingthatlinkstechnologytohumanandbusiness potential.

RadicalAdaptability

Changeistheonlyconstantintechnology Whatsetsexpertleadersapartistheirradical adaptability—thecapacitytopivot,learn,andevolveinthefaceofcontinuousdisruption. Thisisn'tjustaboutembracingnewtoolsbutredefiningsystems,processes,andeven companyculturestoalignwithtechnologicaladvances.

ElonMuskexemplifiesthisadaptability.Whetherhe’s buildingelectriccars,launchingreusablerockets,or developingbrain-computerinterfaces,Muskembodiesthe fearlessiterationthatdefinestransformativeleadership. Mistakesarenotfailuresinthisparadigm;theyarefuelfor faster,smarterdecisions.

TechnologicalEmpathy

Alesser-knownbutdeeplyimpactfultraitoftheseleadersis technologicalempathy—theabilitytounderstandnotonly thetechnologybuthowitaffectspeople.Empathetictech leadersdesignwithusersinmind,communicateeffectively acrossnon-technicalteams,andensurethatinnovation remainsethicalandinclusive.

LeaderslikeTimCookhavechampionedprivacyasa fundamentalrightinthedigitalage,demonstratingthat technologyshouldservepeople,notexploitthem.This blendoftechnicalexcellenceandmoralclarityiswhat makestheirleadershipunthinkablyvaluableinacomplex world.

RelentlessCuriosity

Experttechnologyleaderspossessarelentlesscuriositythat drivesthemtoconstantlyexplorenewfrontiers.Thisisnot limitedtoemergingtechnologiesbutincludesfieldsas diverseasbehavioralscience,sustainability,andeven philosophy.Theyrecognizethattechnologydoesnotexist inavacuum;itintersectswitheveryaspectofhumanlife.

TheircuriosityleadsthemtoexperimentwithAI, blockchain,greentech,andmore—notforthesakeof novelty,buttosolvereal-worldproblems.Thisbroadand inquisitivemindsetenablesthemtomakeconnections othersmightmiss,oftenleadingtogroundbreaking innovation.

MasteryofComplexity

Inanagewheresystemsareinterconnectedandglobal, expertleadersmustnavigateimmensecomplexity They handlecybersecuritythreats,dataprivacyconcerns, regulatorycompliance,andmulti-cloudenvironments—all whilealigningtechnologywithbusinessgoals.

Thislevelofmasteryrequiresnotonlytechnicalskillbut emotionalintelligence,collaboration,andsystemsthinking. LeaderslikeSundarPichai,whooverseesthevast ecosystemofGoogleandAlphabet,exemplifythisabilityto operateatscalewithoutlosingclarityorpurpose.

BuildingEcosystems,NotJustProducts

Anotherunthinkablefeatureofgreattechnologyleadersis theirfocusonecosystembuilding.Theydon’tjustdevelop productsorservices;theybuildplatformsthatsupport entirecommunitiesofdevelopers,businesses,andusers.

ThinkofJeffBezosandtheAmazonWebServices(AWS) revolution.Whatstartedasaninternalinfrastructure solutionturnedintoamulti-billiondollarplatformthatnow underpinsstartupsandenterprisesworldwide.Creating suchecosystemsrequiresavisionaryapproachthat considerslong-termvalueovershort-termgains.

Data-Informed,ButHuman-Centric

Today’sexperttechnologyleadersaredata-informedbutnot data-blinded.Theyunderstandthatmetricsareessentialbut notsufficient.Theycombineanalyticalrigorwith storytelling,intuition,andanunderstandingofhuman behaviortomakeimpactfuldecisions.

Thisbalanceensuresthattechnologyenhancesratherthan replaceshumanjudgment.Leaderswhomasterthis dynamiccanscaleinnovationwhilepreservingcreativity, context,andculture.

ChampioningTalentandDiversity

Finally,unthinkableleadershipintechmeansbeinga championoftalentanddiversity.Experttechnologyleaders recognizethatinnovationthrivesondiverseperspectives. Theyinvestintalentpipelines,createinclusivecultures, andmentorthenextgenerationoftechnologists.

Organizationsledbysuchfigurestendtooutperformin innovationandemployeesatisfaction.Byfostering environmentswherepeoplefromallbackgroundscan contribute,theyensurethattechnologyserveseveryone,not justaprivilegedfew

Conclusion

Theworlddoesn’tneedmoremanagers—itneedsexpert technologyleaders.Theseindividualsembodyunthinkable featuresthatextendfarbeyondcodingorengineering.They blendforesight,adaptability,empathy,curiosity,and leadershipintoapowerfulforceforchange.Astechnology continuestoevolve,sotoomustourappreciationforthe rareindividualswholeaditwithbothbrillianceand humanity

Best

Shopify Apps & Integrations for

Enhancing eCommerceGrowth

HighlightingthewordsintheeCommercelandscape—the newconstantisforabusonthe mostattractivestorefront; thebeautifulbuildingisgoingtoselltheproductsbusinesses requireshouldbetheonesthataddfunctionalityanddeliver abetter customerexperience.Achievingthesegoalsis notpossiblewithout usingShopifyappsandintegrations.

Usingthesesolutions,e-commercestorescanstreamlineprocesses, increase sales,andcraftunforgettableshoppingexperiences.

BestShopifyAppsandIntegrationstoEnhanceGrowth

StreamliningOperations

Atthecoreofanysuccessful siteisoperationalefficiency. Shopifyappsarespeciallycraftedappsforhandling stock, orderprocessing,andautomationthatallowfirmsto reducechores.Theyassistinminimizinghumanerrorsand savingtime.Thissaveseveryoneasignificantamountof time byeliminatingbusyworksoteamscanfocusonhigher-end strategicgrowthinsteadofmeaninglessoperations.Amajor portionofthisefficiencyisachievedthroughapps that integratesmoothlywiththesoftwarealreadyinuse, helpingdevelopersmaintainaconnectedecosystemthat promotesgrowth.

EnhancingCustomerEngagement

Customerengagementismorethanjustdoingbusiness with them;itisforgingrelationships.Bestshopifywebsitedesign agencyincludesintegrationsthatfocuson customerservice— chatbots,personalizedemailmarketing,etc.—fosterinteraction, andnurturerelations.Notonlydothesetoolsrespondto customerqueries,buttheyalsoprovidetailoredsuggestions basedon yourbrowsinghistory.Customizedcommunication makesiteasierforcustomersto feelappreciated,whichinturn allowsthecompanytogetmoreloyalcustomersmakingrepeat purchases.

DrivingSales withPredictiveAnalytics

Thetechnologyplaysavitalroleinyourgrowthwhenitcomes todecision-makingbasedondata.Shopifyoffersanalytics applicationsthatgiveinsightsintoconsumerbehavior,sales, and marketingeffectiveness.Thedataprovidesinsightsinto whatworkswiththeaudience,allowingbusinessestoadapt and fine-tunestrategies.Withbetterinsightsintocustomer preferences,companiescancustomizeofferings,optimizetheir pricing,andimprove theirpromotionalstrategies.Such knowledgeallowsbusinessestosteertowardthesedecisions, whichwillfostergrowthandprofitonthepath tochanging needs.

ImprovingUserExperience

Providinganeffortlessexperienceisstillkeyto keeping customersonboard.TheseShopifyapps,whichdeal inwebsitedesign,pagespeedoptimization,andmobile friendliness,ensurethatvisitorshaveahassle-free shopping experience.Thewebsiteshould beeasytonavigatewith

somethingthatloadsquicklyandavisuallyappealing layout.Improvementintheseaspectsmakesabusiness minimize bouncerateandboostconversion.Asuccessful websitenotonlygetsvisitorsbutbrings thembackaswell.

ExpandingMarketingReach

Propermarketinghelpsto attractalargeraudience.Social Ads,SEO,andInfluencerIntegrations:Shopifyhasad integrationsforessentially allsocialmediainput.This featureallowsbrands togetseenandheardaroundallsorts ofplatformsthatcanhelpthemattractleadswiththese tools.StorescanmakeuseofSEO-centric appstorank highinsearchresultsforattractingorganictraffic.Social mediaintegrationsmakeiteasiertodirectlytargetpotential customerswith advertisingefforts.Thiswiderreachmeans morepotentialcustomers,whichmeans moresales. AssistwithPaymentand Shipping

Customersatisfactionishighlydependenton paymentand shippingprocessesbeingsmooth.Shopifyappsfurthercater totheseaspectsbysimplifyingtransactionsandenhancing thepurchaseexperience.Manyoptionstointegratewith paymentgatewaysallowbusinessestoprocesspayments moreflexibly,andshippingintegrationsenabletrackingin realtimeata lowcost.Withseamlesspaymentand delivery, businessescangaintrustandrepeatrebuys.By

havingasimplifiedcheckoutprocess,itreducescart abandonment,leading tohigherconversionrates.

FosterCustomerLoyalty

Loyaltyshouldbebuilt onalong-termbasis.Thisiswhere Shopifyappsforloyaltyprograms,rewards,andCustomer Feedbackcome in!Throughpoints,discounts,andallsorts ofotherincentives,businessesengagecustomers in returning.Theseincentiveshelpbusinessesfocusonareas thatimproveofferingsandovercomehurdles.Havinga legionofloyalcustomerswillnotonlyincreaseyoursales, butitwillalsocreatefreemarketingthrough word-ofmouth.

Conclusion

TheperfectShopifyappsandintegrationscanupliftanecommercestoretoanotherlevel.Thesetoolsenablegrowth bystreamliningoperations,improving customer engagement,andhelpingtoreachmorecustomers. Prioritizingtheuserexperienceiscrucial,asithasbecome amajorfactorinserviceselection.Byleveragingthedatadriveninsightsprovidedbythesesolutions,businessescan staycompetitive.WiththeeCommercelandscape constantlydeveloping,adopting thesetechsolutionswill beessentialformaintainingsuccessandmeetinglong-term goals.