Leaders in Tech

LiT#5 – Leading Tech Organizations Through Transformation

Wednesday, November 20 LiT#5 – Leading Tech Organizations Through Transformation Leaders in Tech Event closed! Join us for the @Leaders in Tech final event of 2024: LiT#5 – Leading Tech Organizations Through Transformation! We’re closing out the year with an inspiring panel featuring insights from some of the industry’s top leaders on driving impactful change in tech. Our own @Bogdan Popescu, co-founder of @Leaders in Tech, will moderate the panel and is counting on you, our audience, to share your questions and add depth to the discussion! 🎙️ Panelists: @Andreea Ionita – Chief Digital & Technology Officer, Board Member @ E.ON @Cristina Duta – Director of Intelligent Automation @ AECOM @Tiberiu Anghel – Director Global Security & Fraud Centre of Excellence @ Booking Holdings 🌟 What to Expect: Explore real-world strategies for leading digital transformations, navigating technological and cultural shifts, and ensuring lasting impact. From balancing innovation with operational resilience to guiding teams through complex changes, this discussion will offer invaluable takeaways for tech leaders at every level. 💡 Who Should Attend: Current and aspiring tech leaders, change drivers, and all those looking to deepen their understanding of what it takes to lead through transformative times. Don’t miss this final opportunity of the year to connect, learn, and be inspired by leaders who are shaping the future of tech. Let’s wrap up 2024 with insights that will set the stage for an impactful 2025! Key Takeaways from LiT#5: Leading Tech Organizations Through Transformation Our recent LiT#5 event shed light on the complexities and opportunities of digital transformation, offering actionable insights for leaders navigating change. Here are the main takeaways: 1️⃣ What is Digital Transformation? Industry shifts drive change: The energy sector transitioned from legacy systems to modern solutions due to market liberalization and competition. Technologies like predictive maintenance, VR training, and drones now play a key role. It’s about people and strategy: Upskilling teams, aligning with business goals, and bringing clarity to objectives are foundational. Digital transformation thrives when people have the capabilities to execute. 2️⃣ Triggers for Transformation Transformation is normal—just another process of change. The key is normalizing it within the organization. It’s not just about when to change, but how you envision the transformation journey, including its emotional components. 3️⃣ Common Challenges Purpose and alignment: Understand the “why” before diving into transformation. Aligning initiatives with measurable outcomes is critical. Cultural inertia and fear: Resistance to change—whether from leaders fearing uncertainty or employees fearing irrelevance—can stall progress. Transparent communication and digital fluency training for leaders and employees help overcome this. 4️⃣ Overcoming Pitfalls Avoid “shiny object syndrome”: Don’t pursue technology for its hype. Establish strong business cases for adoption. Tailor transformation: Not every approach works for all industries. Agile, for example, requires preparation and mindset shifts, as seen in E.ON’s learnings. Know when to pivot: Recognize when to abandon projects that don’t deliver value. 5️⃣ Leadership in Transformation Middle management is pivotal: They need to translate vision into actionable steps and lead teams with both technological expertise and a growth mindset. Leadership style: Inclusive and hands-on leadership builds trust. Leaders should model behaviors, test tools, and actively participate in transformation efforts. HR’s role is essential: Design upskilling programs, create career paths post-transformation, and ensure employees see the long-term benefits. 6️⃣ Engaging Stakeholders Build relationships through inclusion, transparency, and shared accountability. Stakeholder analysis helps ensure communication resonates with those impacted. Critical decisions require collaboration between tech and business leaders for alignment on resources, risks, and outcomes. 7️⃣ The Future of Transformation Emerging technologies like AI, blockchain, and VR hold potential but require careful evaluation. Organizations need to foster an openness to innovation, including rapid prototyping and risk-mapped pilots, to identify viable solutions. 🚀 Final Takeaway Transformation is more than technology—it’s about empowering people, staying purpose-driven, and fostering adaptability. By focusing on these elements, organizations can navigate the complexities of change and emerge stronger. Event Details Start: 07:00 PM End: 09:30 PM Event Organizer Organizer: LiT – Leaders in Tech Email: contact@leaders-in-tech.com Location Adress: Booking Holdings HQ, U Center Website: www.leaders-in-tech.com

LiT Mentoring Program – Fall 2024 Edition

Fall 2024 Edition LiT Mentoring Leaders in Tech Event closed! The Leaders in Tech (LiT) Mentoring Program is designed to foster growth and development for both mentees and mentors within the IT&C sector in Bucharest, with a focus on leadership in the technology space. This program is an opportunity for leaders willing to learn from practical experience to access insights from seasoned professionals, overcome challenges, and expand their network, while mentors contribute to shaping the future of the industry. After a successful Proof of Concept in the summer called LiT Out of Hours, we’re ready to start the first edition of the LiT Mentoring Program. What mentees from LiT Out of Hours are saying: “I’ve been feeling the need for a mentor for a while now, and yesterday I had my first meeting with Bogdan Popescu from Leaders in Tech.  He gave me awesome insights into my main struggles as a team lead, how to communicate better with the clients, and ways to keep the team motivated. Bogdan shared some of his own experiences and gave me practical tips for dealing with some common challenges. Can’t wait for our next meeting!” – Cristina Nicolae ”Never had a mentor before, so I didn’t know exactly what to expect. Of course, I had a full list of questions in my mind, but tried to have no expectations. Just let the conversation unfold naturally and try to learn as much as you can from someone that once was exactly in your shoes. What I’ve got: fresh perspectives, sometimes you get to a point where your mind is too fixated on the problem and you cannot see what lies right in front of your eyes great inspiration to level-up my career in engineering insights into how somebody else made it when he was in the same place that you are now. Principles always stay the same. No words to describe how valuable a mentor is at the right time. Thank you Leaders in Tech for selecting me for this mentorship program and huge thank you Ioan-Maxim Posa!”  – Tiberiu Neagu “First Mentoring Session as a Mentee! I’m thrilled to share that I’ve just completed my first mentoring session as a mentee, and I only have Leaders in Tech to thank for the opportunity. 🔑 Key Insights: The Value of Guidance: Having someone to provide direction and share their experiences is invaluable. My mentor offered insights that I hadn’t considered before, and it was soothing to see that there are others out there in the big business world with whom you have a lot in common. Personal Growth: This session was a reminder that growth happens when you step outside of your comfort zone and when attention is focused on the input, not only the output. Homework: Working Backwards- can’t wait to read the book and design my professional journey based on these ideas. ✨ I’m incredibly grateful to Stefan Ionescu for his time and openness. This session has energized me, and I look forward to our next discussions.” – Ramona Dimache What’s in it for you as a mentee: Shortcut to Experience: Get direct access to the knowledge and experience of seasoned professionals. Structured Problem-Solving: Explaining challenges to a mentor helps clarify and structure your own thoughts, leading to better understanding and more effective solutions. New Perspectives: Gain fresh insights from diverse organizational cultures and approaches. Support System: Share challenges with others and realize you’re not alone, fostering confidence and problem-solving skills. Expanded Network: Build connections with other professionals and access potential introductions from your mentor’s network.   Get ready to learn from: Adrian-Nicolae Radoi – Senior Manager, Cloud & Engineering @ Deloitte Alexandra Popa – Sr. Delivery Manager @ Deloitte Technology Bianca Palade – Account Director CEE @ Fintech OS Bianca Vinturache – Director of Shared Services Platform Operations @ Orange Bogdan Popescu – VP of Customer Engineering @ FintechOS Bülent Duagi 🇷🇴 – Strategy Adviser for CEOs in Tech Cristina Niculescu, PMP – Business Unit Manager @ R Systems Ioan-Maxim Posa – CEO & Co-founder @ GambIT Group Laurentiu Matei – CTO @ Bit Soft Mihail Serafim – Sr. Software Engineering Manager @ Microsoft Radu Apostoae – Technology Executive | Ex-VP Platforms & Technology @ eMAG Stefan Ionescu – VP Network & Services Shared Operations @ Orange Veronica Ruxanda – Head of Development Romania Portal Products @ 1&1 Internet Development ✨ Together, our mentors bring a wealth of experience that cover most facets of leading Tech organizations or specific Tech teams. 💡 Discover more details about the mentors here: https://padlet.com/leaders_in_tech/mentoring  Program Timeline and Stages: Applications open (Oct 25th – Oct 31st): After the kick-off, we invite you to apply to become a mentee in the program and select your preferred mentors. Matchmaking (November 1st): Mentors will choose mentees based on motivation, challenges, and objectives. Mentoring Sessions (November-February): Mentors and mentees will organize their sessions at their own pace, with regular check-ins to assess progress. Wrap-Up Session (Early March): Both mentors and mentees will share their experiences and outcomes, with feedback contributing to the program’s continuous improvement.   The next step? We’re incredibly grateful to all 60+ talented and passionate individuals who have enrolled in the Leaders in Tech Mentoring Program. Your enthusiasm for growth, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing truly embodies the spirit of our community. Due to limited seats, our team is in the process of selecting participants for this year’s cohort. If you applied, please stay tuned—we’ll be reaching out soon to those selected for the program. Thank you once again for your interest and commitment to advancing tech leadership. We’re excited to begin this journey together and look forward to sharing updates in the coming weeks!   Event Details Start: November 2024 End: February 2024 Event Organizer Organizer: LiT – Leaders in Tech Email: contact@leaders-in-tech.com Location Adress: Hybrid – Bucharest, Romania / Online Website: www.leaders-in-tech.com