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Tagged with: #leadership

Posts tagged with #leadership explore how executives can effectively guide their organisations through the complexities of digital evolution.

How Agentic AI Turns Your Biggest Tech Problem into Competitive Advantage

Seattle | Published in AI and Board | 11 minute read |    
A dramatic split-screen view of a giant clock mechanism being transformed by autonomous drones. The left side shows rusted, tangled gears and chains representing legacy technical debt, while the right side displays the same clock transformed into a gleaming holographic interface with digital displays and flowing data streams. Tiny maintenance drones work systematically between both sides, symbolising how agentic AI transforms outdated infrastructure into modern, future-ready architectures. (Image generated by ChatGPT 4o).

In the race to deploy agentic AI, organisations face a fundamental paradox: they’re building tomorrow’s autonomous systems on yesterday’s infrastructure. Drawing from the cloud transformation journey, this article explores how the same legacy architectures that constrain agentic AI also present an unprecedented opportunity. By retiring technical debt, organisations can clear the path for technological change that will define the next era of business competition. For Boards, the choice is clear: deploy agents within existing constraints, or use them to architect the foundation for future competitive advantage.


AI Centre of Excellence: Future-proofing Through Continuous Evolution

London | Published in AI and Board | 12 minute read |    
A futuristic AI control centre at sunset where interconnected data networks visualise the evolution from pilot projects to enterprise-scale transformation. Expanding luminous nodes and holographic displays illustrate emerging technologies such as multi-agent systems, quantum-AI hybrids, and federated networks, symbolising adaptive governance and continuous evolution within the AI Centre of Excellence. (Image generated by ChatGPT 4o).

You’ve built your AI Centre of Excellence. It’s governing multi-speed adoption, delivering value, and - as we explored in the previous article - scaling beyond pilots to enterprise transformation. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: the AI landscape will look radically different in eighteen months. Multi-agent systems, decentralised agent ecosystems, embodied AI, neurosymbolic reasoning, quantum-AI hybrids, cross-modal intelligence, federated AI networks, and artificial superintelligence will challenge every governance framework you’ve carefully constructed. Having achieved scale, this final article tackles the strategic imperative of continuous evolution: how to future-proof your AI CoE to govern these disruptive technologies whilst building the adaptive capacity to thrive on change rather than being disrupted by it.


AI Centre of Excellence: Scaling Beyond Pilots to Enterprise Transformation

Llantwit Major | Published in AI and Board | 12 minute read |    
An expansive control centre where AI initiatives scale from single monitors to vast digital landscapes. Teams work on interconnected platforms whilst governance frameworks adapt dynamically. The transition from pilot projects to enterprise transformation is visualised through expanding networks of light. (Image generated by ChatGPT 4o).

The successful completion of your AI Centre of Excellence’s first 90 days marks an important milestone, but it also brings into sharp focus the next critical challenge. Whilst the AI Initiative Rubric has proven effective for pilot selection and early wins have demonstrated value, the transition from isolated successes to enterprise-wide transformation requires fundamentally different approaches. This progression from pilot to scale represents one of the most significant hurdles in AI adoption, demanding new structures, governance models, and ways of thinking that go well beyond what initial success required.


Beyond Regulatory Uncertainty: Thoughts on the UK's AI Sovereignty Challenge

Washington DC | Published in AI and Board | 11 minute read |    
Nighttime satellite view of Earth from space showing the global distribution of electrical power and AI infrastructure: bright clusters of light illuminate major cities across the United States and China, representing massive data centres and energy abundance, while the United Kingdom appears notably dim with sparse illumination, symbolising the country's energy constraints and potential exclusion from the AI-driven economy as other nations surge ahead with trillion-dollar computing clusters powered by vast electrical grids (Image generated by ChatGPT 4o).

Last week in Washington DC, I hosted a dinner where Professor Ajay Agrawal presented data showing that individual AI training clusters will soon require more electricity than entire nations currently generate. Whilst the UK government announces plans to become an AI-first economy, the mathematics are stark: UK businesses face energy costs four times higher than US competitors, creating dangerous dependencies on foreign AI infrastructure.


AI Centre of Excellence: Your First 90 Days With Well-Advised Value Focus

Washington DC | Published in AI and Board | 15 minute read |    
A dynamic command centre where AI CoE teams coordinate their first 90 days. Multiple screens display pilot portfolios, value metrics across Well-Advised dimensions, and capability progress indicators. Teams work at different stations whilst a central dashboard shows the journey from quick wins to strategic initiatives. (Image generated by ChatGPT 4o).

This sixth article in my AI Centre of Excellence (AI CoE) series transforms theory into practice with a comprehensive 90-day implementation roadmap. Moving from capability building to value delivery, it introduces the AI Initiative Rubric - a systematic pilot selection tool that ensures your first initiatives deliver Well-Advised value whilst strengthening Five Pillars capabilities. Complete with sprint portfolios, stakeholder engagement strategies, and common pitfall avoidance, this article provides the practical guidance needed to demonstrate tangible AI CoE value from day one.


AI Centre of Excellence: Building Capabilities That Scale With AI Adoption

Washington DC | Published in AI and Board | 14 minute read |    
A modern corporate training centre where diverse teams work at stations representing the Five Pillars. Digital displays show capability maturity levels progressing from basic to advanced, with interconnected pathways between stations symbolising integrated capability development. The AI CoE team facilitates from a central hub. (Image generated by ChatGPT 4o).

The fifth article in my AI Centre of Excellence series provides a comprehensive guide to building essential capabilities across the Five Pillars. Moving from governance frameworks to practical implementation, it details how to develop capabilities that match your multi-speed AI reality - from transforming shadow AI into governed innovation, to creating comprehensive literacy programmes. Complete with a 90-day implementation sprint, maturity assessment tools, and practical templates, this article transforms theoretical understanding into actionable capability development.


Rethinking Business Cases in the Age of AI: and Securing Buy-In from the Board

Limassol | Published in AI and Board | 16 minute read |    
A diverse executive team presents an AI business case to a Board in a modern Boardroom. Digital displays show strategic alignment diagrams and multi-horizon value projections, while executives engage with Board members who are reviewing materials. The scene captures the critical moment of stakeholder engagement and decision-making for AI investments. (Image generated by ChatGPT 4o).

Even the most meticulously crafted AI business case can fail at the final hurdle - securing Board buy-in. With research showing 88% of AI pilots never reach production, effective presentation isn’t just about gaining initial approval but establishing the path to full implementation. This final article in my series explores how to present AI investment proposals to Boards, addressing their six key areas of concern while building the stakeholder confidence necessary for successful transformation. By understanding Board dynamics, anticipating objections, and structuring presentations that balance strategic vision with implementation rigour, you can navigate the critical journey from business case to production-scale AI.


Upskilling for the AI Era: Building a Future-Ready Workforce

London | Published in AI and Board | 15 minute read |    
A conceptual digital illustration showing a workforce transitioning from traditional learning to AI-driven training — with one side depicting analog tools and classroom settings, and the other featuring holographic interfaces and futuristic technology. (Image generated by AI)

As I discussed in my article on building and managing AI-capable teams, organisations face a critical challenge in acquiring the right talent for AI transformation. This reminds me of the early days of cloud adoption, when I advised enterprises on their migration strategies. Back then, I witnessed the same scramble for scarce talent, which led me to advocate strongly for upskilling existing teams rather than relying solely on external hiring.


Implementing Decision Analytics: A Practical Guide for Boards

London | Published in AI and Board | 11 minute read |    
A diverse business team collaboratively building an AI decision analytics engine in a modern boardroom, with digital data displays and construction tools on a sleek conference table. (Image generated by ChatGPT-4o).

In my previous article, Transforming the Board: Using Decision Analytics for Strategic Advantage, I introduced the concept of AI-powered decision analytics as a transformative approach to board decision-making. I explored how these capabilities can help directors move beyond traditional backward-looking metrics to embrace predictive indicators that model potential futures and enhance strategic decision-making.


Navigating the AI Regulatory Maze: A Boardroom Survival Guide

Llantwit Major | Published in AI and Board | 14 minute read |    
Illustration of a maze split into two halves: one side representing traditional regulatory complexity with stone walls and paperwork, and the other depicting modern AI innovation with futuristic digital pathways. Board members strategically stand in the centre, navigating between regulation and AI. (Image generated by ChatGPT 4o)

The EU AI Act, which came into force on August 1, 2024, establishes significant penalties for non-compliance, including fines of up to €35 million or 7% of global annual turnover for serious violations. As regulatory frameworks for artificial intelligence rapidly evolve worldwide, Boards face a new imperative: navigating complex compliance requirements while maintaining the innovation speed necessary to compete.