What has been your business/work highlight of 2024 so far?

Who is your business hero and why?

I’m inspired by Brian Chesky, CEO and founder of Airbnb, for the creative and design-forward approach he’s taken to transforming a traditional area, vacation stays, in a completely new way. The end-user experience that Airbnb powers for so many guests worldwide is a great example of how impactful CX-first thinking can be.

What’s the biggest business mistake you’ve made and what did you learn from it?

I’ve now been involved in the product and technology side of 10+ mergers and acquisitions, usually on the acquiring side. In some of the early ones, I discounted the value of faster integration and should have moved earlier to re-platform and truly integrate those solutions.

What’s the most inspirational book you’ve ever read and why?

I’m a lifelong fan of Marty Cagan of the Silicon Valley Product Group. He’s one of the best innovation thinkers that I’ve had the chance to learn from. His book Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love is a classic and must-read for product managers and technologists.

What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role in 2024?

Clearly, my big challenge this year – shared by the broader team – is simply keeping pace with the rapid rate of change in the CX industry brought about by AI. The change we’re undergoing is fundamental and one of the biggest I’ve witnessed in my career. But there’s good news—first, for those of us who love to learn at work — and I definitely do — there is something new coming out every day to learn about and to leverage. Second, Genesys is at the forefront of AI innovation in the industry, so we’re well-positioned to continue advancing a new era of experience delivery and transforming how organisations create loyalty.

What technology will have the greatest impact on your business this year and why?

Clearly Generative AI is having a huge impact, both in terms of awareness of the importance of AI in creating great experiences, but also in delivering real business results. The Genesys portfolio of GenAI-powered products is delivering those results today, and the sky’s the limit in terms of growth. I’m very excited for the year ahead.