Zand’s AI-Powered Digital-First Approach to Banking — The Somerford Podcast: Season 6 Episode 5
In this episode of The Somerford Podcast, John Dee and James Astley sit down with Hussain Al Khalsan, Chief Information Security Officer at Zand, to explore how the UAE’s first digital bank is embracing an AI-powered, digital-first strategy to modernise banking from the ground up.Find out more about Somerford Middle East: https://www.somerfordassociates.com/somerford-middle-east/━━━━Keep notified of news and announcements on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/somerford-associates-limited/View our complimentary events: https://www.somerfordassociates.com/events/Contact Somerford for more information regarding this video: https://www.somerfordassociates.com/contact-us/#ZandBank #AI #Digital
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Network International's SASE Journey with Netskope — The Somerford Podcast: Season 6 Episode 4
In this new episode of the Somerford podcast, John Dee and James Astley are joined by Phil Westgarth (Network International) and Steve Foster (Netskope) to explore the evolving landscape of cybersecurity, AI integration, and the value of context-driven visibility. With real-world examples and practical insights, the conversation highlights how organisations can maintain control, improve threat detection, and support secure access to generative AI tools without compromising data integrity. The panel explores how context, justification, and user intent are influencing modern security strategies, particularly in cloud-first environments.The panel also shared their views on the importance of interoperability between tools, the importance of rollouts, and the increasing need for intelligent partnerships. They reflect on the critical role of trust, independent advice, and strategic foresight in enabling secure digital transformation.Read the announcement: https://www.somerfordassociates.com/somerford-network-international-partnership/━━━━Keep notified of news and announcements on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/somerford-associates-limited/View our complimentary events: https://www.somerfordassociates.com/events/Contact Somerford for more information regarding this video: https://www.somerfordassociates.com/contact-us/#NetworkInternational #Netskope #CustomerSuccess
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TGW’s Splunk Journey of Data-Driven Operational Resilience — The Somerford Podcast: Season 6 Episode 3
TGW (Transportgeräte Wels), a leading systems integrator of automated warehouse solutions, embarked on a journey to data-driven operational resilience powered by Splunk and Somerford. In this special case study episode of The Somerford Podcast, we dive into how TGW adopted Splunk Cloud to transform its operations. Hear from TGW and Somerford experts as they unpack the challenges, successes, and key insights from this partnership—from enhanced visibility to AI adoption and the future of operational resilience.Read the full case study on our website: https://www.somerfordassociates.com/tgw-case-study/━━━━Chapters0:00 - Introducing Jamie and Tom2:06 - TGW and Somerford: How It All Began2:57 - Why TGW Chose Splunk Cloud6:51 - TGW’s Splunk Cloud Journey10:06 - Somerford’s Role and Added Value13:59 - Unlocking Operational Insights15:08 - The Benefits of Splunk Cloud for TGW16:18 - Splunk Edge Hub: What It Is and Why It Matters17:49 - TGW’s Roadmap to AI Adoption22:14 - Key Takeaways from the Journey24:42 - Why TGW Partnered with Somerford26:40 - Lessons Learned from TGW’s Experience27:25 - The Future of TGW Using Splunk━━━━Keep notified of news and announcements on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/somerford-associates-limited/View our complimentary events: https://www.somerfordassociates.com/events/Contact Somerford for more information regarding this video: https://www.somerfordassociates.com/contact-us/#TGW #Splunk #CustomerSuccess
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The Urgency for AI Governance — The Somerford Podcast: Season 6, Episode 2
AI governance is evolving fast, and so are the risks of getting it wrong.As organisations embrace AI and machine learning, they face emerging regulations, heightened scrutiny, and the challenge of building trust in rapidly changing systems.In this episode, Tahir Latif, Global Chief Privacy and AI Governance Officer at Securiti.ai — one of Somerford’s key partners — joins us to explore AI governance in practice.Hosted by John Dee, Somerford’s Director of Strategy, we cover data visibility, model risk management, and the impact of regulations like the EU AI Act, along with the UK’s evolving approach to responsible innovation.We discuss why governance must go beyond compliance, the importance of diverse thinking in AI design, and the crucial need to understand your data, assets, and risks in today’s complex landscape.Have questions about AI Governance? https://www.somerfordassociates.com/contact-us/━━━━Chapters0:00 - Podcast Introduction0:50 - The Current Landscape of AI Governance6:55 - Navigating the Ethical Implications of AI14:58 - The Ongoing Challenge of Monitoring AI Deployments21:28 - Engaging with Leadership on AI Governance24:20 - Balancing AI Governance and Innovation29:40 - Defining and Implementing AI Governance Best Practices33:00 - Managing Compliance Across Different Regions38:23 - Key Risks Facing CISOs in AI Governance43:55 - What’s Next in AI Governance?━━━━Keep notified of news and announcements on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/somerford-associates-limited/View our complimentary events: https://www.somerfordassociates.com/events/Contact Somerford for more information regarding this video: https://www.somerfordassociates.com/contact-us/#AI #AIGovernance
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Navigating Through the DORA Effect – The Somerford Podcast: Season 6, Episode 1
DORA is here. The Digital Operational Resilience Act impacts every financial entity, and understanding its implications is crucial.Driven by escalating cyberattacks, geopolitical instability, and even the increasing impact of climate change, this legislation demands attention. Join us as we unpack DORA's complexities with Charles Adriaenssens, Financial Services Strategist at Splunk, and Adam Avards, Cyber Risk Specialist at UK Finance.We'll delve into the core of DORA, from its five key pillars and the challenges of third-party risk management to the regulatory journey toward compliance and what true operational resilience really means. We'll also explore the regulator's perspective, the high costs of non-compliance, and the crucial role of board-level accountability.In this season premiere, our host, John Dee, Somerford Director of Strategy, guides the conversation, exploring how DORA will fundamentally reshape data-safeguarding practices and what financial institutions must do to adapt.━━━━Get in touch: https://www.somerfordassociates.com/contact-us/Keep notified of news and announcements on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/somerford-associates-limited/Register for our complimentary events: https://www.somerfordassociates.com/events/Contact Somerford for more information regarding this video: https://www.somerfordassociates.com/contact-us/#splunk #dora #financeregulations
The Somerford Podcast spans various points of interest for IT specialists; offering certified expertise, background knowledge and a professional view on a mixture of trending industry topics. Subscribe to be notified when a new episode goes live.