Modern Leader (MDRN)

I consider myself a practical person. I’m a believer that technology will change the way we live. I wouldn’t call myself a futurist, but I believe in practical technology and am definitely an early adopter. Technology will make our lives exponentially better. It’s not an if, it’s a when. So when I had the chance to speak with Mansoor Hanif, Executive Director of Digital and Cognitive Solutions for NEOM, and also listen in on a GITEX panel with him and others in Dubai, I knew I couldn’t miss it.

Ted Colbert, chief information officer and senior vice president at Boeing, has a morning routine that isn’t for everyone First, he wakes up at 4, every morning. He works out, every morning. And he reads, every morning. If you’re like me, you’re lucky if you can do just one of those three. It’s clear that he’s a man on a mission, and in many respects he is an entrepreneur leading change within a large organization.

‍An exclusive interview with Abdulaziz Aldhobaie, Regional Vice President at Palo Alto Networks, Saudi Arabia. I had the great pleasure of speaking with Abdulaziz Aldhobaie, Regional Vice President at Palo Alto Networks, Saudi Arabia, at Black Hat MEA. If you’re a technologist, you know the name Palo Alto Networks. So it’s no surprise that they had a big presence at Black Hat MEA. I wanted to gain a little more insight into Palo Alto’s approach to the Saudi Arabian market.

I had the honor of meeting Dina Khanat, the Founder of Saraya Consultancy. We talked about what's happening in Saudi Arabia, and how the concept of leadership is also evolving in this region. We both agree that new styles of leadership are emerging and they're ready to do it the right way. While many view Saudi Arabia as a place to chase scale and visibility, she’s focused on building leaders and cultures that are sustainable, grounded and ready for a new future.

Transformation is a powerful word, and I don't take it lightly. But, when it comes to the change that we’ve all seen from the impact of digital, transformation is a term that entrepreneurs have embraced and bigger companies are just starting to plan for. For many entrepreneurs, leadership is still a skill that we learn on the go.

If you’ve been in tech and in Chicago, chances are you’ve run into Robert Blackwell, Jr. Those who know him know he’s not just a hard-working serial entrepreneur but also a huge lover of math and algorithms. I had the great opportunity to talk to Robert about his new firm Quant16, formerly known as EKI-Digital, and their message to the world: The Quants Are Coming.

I'’ll be honest with you. I hate writing. It’s funny because I write for a living. I’ll make any excuse imaginable to avoid writing. I once told myself I needed to learn the exact recipe to Gordon Ramsay’s crambled eggs before I could write my next article. Guess what? I still can’t make scrambled eggs. I need help and I need it fast. I want to be a productive writer consistently, but it’s easier said than done.

Walking into LEAP24 in Riyadh was like stepping into the future. ‍ Everywhere I looked, there were conversations about groundbreaking ideas and innovation. It's a place where you can meet some of the best and the brightest minds in technology.

You can force people to change but you can't force them to accept it. With 70% of the population in Saudi Arabia under 35 and a majority of them on TikTok and X, they are proponents of this change happening here. When others talk about Saudi Arabia becoming a global hub, Sultan is quietly putting together the pieces – connecting education to innovation and fostering positive change through various ventures, and creating platforms where these ambitions can find their wings.

I had the honor to sit down with Wesley Crook and explore his unique vision for the future of blockchain technology - one where the technology itself becomes invisible, yet transformative in our daily lives. Wesley is more than just a blockchain innovator. He's a technology philosopher who's challenging the fundamental ways we think about technological advancement. In a field often dominated by technical complexity, Wesley stands out for his unwavering focus on human needs and experiences.