Leading IT - APAC Insights

This podcast is hosted by 2 leaders in the Australian Technology sector - CIO Tom Leyden and Josh Rubens Managing Director at IT Consultancy Empyrean. They take an informative and conversational look at topical IT matters on a monthly basis. They discuss key topics such as; IT strategy and digitisation, Cloud computing, AI, IT security, IT infrastructure, Vendors, and people leadership. Each episode reviews industry news and takes a deeper look at IT vendor strategies and innovation with special guests and experts on various topics.

Leading IT - APAC Insights is a business podcast hosted by Josh Rubens & Tom Leyden, with 83 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Josh Rubens & Tom Leyden hosts Leading IT - APAC Insights, a business show with 83 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #84

  Beyond the Firewall: How Do You Keep AI Secure at Work?

  Sep 29, 202656 min

  Firewalls, MFA and patching still matter. But if your team is using AI, is an enterprise plan enough to keep company data safe? Josh talks with David Stevenson, Empyrean’s Cyber Lead, about shadow AI, what staff put into prompts, and what AI agents can access. They discuss practical guardrails beyond a subscription, including data loss prevention (DLP) to block or redact sensitive information, and the concept of an AI “harness”—a governance layer that applies consistent rules across the models your team uses.

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  Episode #83

  Cybersecurity at Machine Speed

  Aug 25, 202640 min

  AI is changing the speed and scale of cyber threats, giving attackers new ways to automate, personalise and accelerate attacks. In this episode, Josh Rubens and Tom Leyden speak with leading CISO Dr Kawin Boonyapredee about what this shift means for organisations and the people responsible for protecting them. They explore how agentic AI is changing attack and defence, the growing challenge of deepfakes and shadow AI, and emerging security priorities for IT leaders.

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  Episode #81

  The End of the 3 Year Implementation: Lessons from the AI Front Line

  Jun 16, 202655 min

  He's back! Recorded on Australia’s King’s Birthday while Andrew Welch, global AI technologist and thought leader, dialled in fresh from DynamicsMinds in Slovenia, this episode looks at AI in the enterprise through the lens of real conferences, real customers and real partner pain. Andrew shares what he’s seeing on the ground: how AI strategy and architecture sessions land, why the old implementation‑plus‑services model is under pressure, and what partners and customers need to change in how they structure, fund and deliver AI projects. Expect a mix of war stories, sharp takes and practical guidance for anyone in the Microsoft orbit. Andrew is the founder, managing partner and chief strategy officer of Cloud Lighthouse, drawing on battle-tested experience helping enterprises worldwide convert AI hype into tangible results.

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  Episode #80

  From Marble Cake to Long-Distance Calls: Rethinking AI in the Enterprise

  May 17, 202658 minS0

  <p>Andrew Welch, global AI technologist and thought leader, joins us to ask a confronting question: are you using AI to amplify your judgment, or quietly outsourcing your brain? He dishes up real-world stories from the enterprise front lines, unpacking how leaders can cut through the hype, avoid “prompt theatre” and build organisations where AI actually serves human flourishing, exploration and culture. </p> <p>Andrew is the founder, managing partner and chief strategy officer of Cloud Lighthouse, bringing hard-won lessons from helping enterprises around the world turn AI buzz into real-world outcomes. </p>

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  Episode #79

  Agentic AI Adoption and Governance: Enterprise IT Predictions for 2026

  Apr 24, 202649 minS0

  <p>Josh and Tom break down how to actually use agentic AI in the enterprise – from Copilot-style platform agents to specialist off‑the‑shelf tools </p>

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