What if the future of leadership isn’t full-time—and the most valuable executives are those who work fractionally across multiple businesses?
With a host of special guests, presenters Valerie Merrill and Gareth Wax explore the world of portfolio executives, fractional leadership, and creating careers out of that.
You will discover what makes the portfolio executive community so unique, from its diverse, global network of talent to the powerful blend of skills and perspectives its members bring.
Explore the portfolio executive community, learn how to step into fractional leadership, and stay tuned for more insights in upcoming episodes.
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Portfolio Executive Podcast Series 2 Episode 10: AI Strategies
How can AI understand the connections between millions of pieces of information?
In this episode of the ‘Portfolio Executive’ podcast, Edwin Trebels, founder of LangOptima, explores with hosts Gareth Wax and Valerie Merrill, how AI is evolving beyond large language models and why trustworthy, responsible AI will be essential as these technologies become more powerful and accessible.
Edwin shares his journey from language translation into AI, explaining how AI is transforming translation, automation and the way businesses access information. He also explores neurosymbolic AI, knowledge graphs and structured data, and how these approaches could help make AI more reliable.
From hallucinations and deepfakes to voice AI and digital twins, this conversation looks at both the opportunities and risks of rapidly advancing AI—and what businesses need to consider when adopting it.
You'll discover:
Why AI systems can produce hallucinations, or “confabulations”
How neurosymbolic AI combines different approaches to AI
What knowledge graphs bring to AI and structured information
Why guardrails and responsible deployment matter
How AI is transforming language translation and automation
Why mimicking human voices can be both powerful and dangerous
How deepfakes and voice AI are changing the technology landscape
The role of legal frameworks and compliance in AI
How AI can become more accessible to SMEs
What trustworthy AI could look like over the next 3–5 years
Why building an AI community can help people navigate this rapidly changing field
TimeStamps
00:00 Introduction to Edwin Trebels and LangOptima
01:04 Edwin's background in language translation and AI
02:04 AI's impact on language translation and automation
04:26 Hallucinations in AI and confabulation
05:32 Understanding AI confabulation and its implications
07:04 Responsible AI and ethical considerations
08:07 Legal frameworks and compliance in AI
09:24 Neurosymbolic AI and structured knowledge
10:31 Industry research and academic collaboration
12:53 Voice AI evolution and digital twins
14:41 Community building for knowledge graphs and responsible AI
16:55 Trustworthy AI in the next 3–5 years
18:57 Common misconceptions about AI and paid vs free tools
19:45 Closing thoughts and future outlook
Guest & Host Links:
Edwin Trebels: https://portfolioexecutive.biz/executive/edwin-trebels/ (https://portfolioexecutive.biz/executive/edwin-trebels/)
Valerie Merrill: https://portfolioexecutive.biz/executive/valerie-merrill/ (https://portfolioexecutive.biz/executive/valerie-merrill/)
Gareth Wax: https://portfolioexecutive.biz/executive/gareth-wax/ (https://portfolioexecutive.biz/executive/gareth-wax/)
Explore the Portfolio Executive community, learn how to step into fractional leadership, and stay tuned for more insights in upcoming episodes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
12 Oct 2026
Portfolio Executive Podcast Series 2 Episode 9: The Myth of Quick AI Automation
Are you adopting AI because it’s right for your business — or simply because everyone else is doing it?
AI is evolving at an extraordinary pace, but rushing to adopt the latest tools can create more problems than it solves. In this episode of the ‘Portfolio Executive’, Katherine Mora, AI strategist and fractional CTO, explains to hosts Gareth Wax and Valerie Merrill why businesses need to get their foundations right before diving into AI.
Katherine explores how businesses can approach AI strategically — from understanding their business model, workflows and people, to choosing the right tools, managing security risks and avoiding costly technology lock-in.
She also explains how a fractional CTO can help businesses navigate the rapidly changing AI landscape, bringing strategic technology expertise without the need for a full-time CTO.
You’ll discover:
• Why AI strategy starts with understanding your business, not choosing a tool
• The risks of rushing into AI automation without the right foundations
• How to choose AI tools without becoming unnecessarily locked into one platform
• What businesses need to understand about LLMs, AI agents and emerging technologies
• Why AI security and governance need to be considered from the beginning
• How a fractional CTO can provide strategic guidance in a rapidly changing technology landscape
• The balance between strategic thinking and hands-on AI implementation
• Why cross-department collaboration is essential for successful AI projects
• How businesses can empower their existing teams to make better use of AI
• Why building AI solutions without the right expertise can create significant risks
TimeStamps:
00:00 Introduction to Katherine Mora and AI Strategy
02:43 The Myth of Quick AI Automation
05:00 Choosing the Right AI Tools and Avoiding Lock-in
07:18 Understanding Core AI Concepts
09:24 Security and Vulnerabilities in AI Projects
12:09 The Value of Fractional CTOs in AI Strategy
13:49 Balancing Strategic and Hands-On AI Work
16:22 The Importance of Cross-Department Collaboration in AI
17:00 Empowering Business Experts with AI
18:04 Closing Remarks and Future Outlook
Guest & Host Links:
Katherine Mora: https://portfolioexecutive.biz/executive/katherine-mora/ (https://portfolioexecutive.biz/executive/katherine-mora/)
Valerie Merrill: https://portfolioexecutive.biz/executive/valerie-merrill/ (https://portfolioexecutive.biz/executive/valerie-merrill/)
Gareth Wax: https://portfolioexecutive.biz/executive/gareth-wax/ (https://portfolioexecutive.biz/executive/gareth-wax/)
Explore the Portfolio Executive community, learn how to step into fractional leadership, and stay tuned for more insights in upcoming episodes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
6 Oct 2026
Portfolio Executive Podcast Series 2 Episode 8: Leadership Through the AI Gloom
How can leaders use AI to transform their organisations without losing the human judgement, values and oversight that make good leadership possible?
In this episode of the ‘Portfolio Executive Podcast’, hosts Gareth Wax and Valerie Merrill sit down with José Solera, fractional CIO and CTO, to explore what AI really means for leadership, data management and organisational transformation.
Drawing on more than 25 years of experience in technology, José shares practical lessons on using AI effectively — from improving data quality and building better teams to navigating AI bias, regulation and the risks of moving too quickly.
You’ll discover:
Why data quality and consistency are fundamental to successful AI implementation
How AI is changing expectations of technology leaders and organisations
Why starting small with AI projects can help manage expectations and deliver meaningful results
How proactive teams can reduce reactivity and create a stronger foundation for innovation
Why human oversight remains essential when implementing AI
How organisations can use AI to augment human skills rather than simply replace them
What leaders can learn from major technology projects such as Y2K and Intel Inside
How to think about AI ethics, bias and AI drift
Where AI can already be used to tackle legal and regulatory challenges
How technology leaders can identify practical, achievable AI opportunities
Why a human-centric approach to AI matters for organisational culture and values
The value of connecting with a community of portfolio and fractional executives
TimeStamps:
00:00 Introduction to AI and Leadership
02:03 Leadership Lessons from 25 Years in Tech
04:07 Scope and Focus in Data Management
07:07 Y2K and the Importance of Preparedness
08:37 Cloud Data and Data Mess
09:16 Where Things Usually Go Wrong in Data
10:15 Communication and Expectations Between Teams
11:01 Reactive vs Proactive Teams
12:34 AI's Impact on Leadership Expectations
13:03 Training AI and Managing Bias
14:26 AI Drift and Human Oversight
15:22 Using AI to Build Systems Quickly
17:23 Adopting AI Responsibly and Ethically
18:49 AI Augmentation and Automation
20:13 Legal and Regulatory Use Cases for AI
21:22 First Steps for Tech Leaders in AI
22:28 Focusing on Easy Wins in AI Projects
23:31 The Importance of Human-Centric AI
24:14 The Value of the Portfolio Executive Community
25:32 Final Thoughts and Advice for Leaders
Guest & Host Links:
José Solera: https://portfolioexecutive.biz/executive/jose-solera/ (https://portfolioexecutive.biz/executive/jose-solera/)
Valerie Merrill: https://portfolioexecutive.biz/executive/valerie-merrill/ (https://portfolioexecutive.biz/executive/valerie-merrill/)
Gareth Wax: https://portfolioexecutive.biz/executive/gareth-wax/ (https://portfolioexecutive.biz/executive/gareth-wax/)
Explore the Portfolio Executive community, learn how to step into fractional leadership, and stay tuned for more insights in upcoming episodes.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
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