In today’s rapidly evolving technology landscape, IT leaders must stay informed about industry trends and developments while also understanding the priorities and challenges their executive peers face. As technology plays an increasingly strategic role in business, aligning with the C-suite is more important than ever. One of the most effective ways for CIOs and IT leaders to gain insights is by listening to tech and leadership podcasts. Here, 12 CIOs and heads of IT in a variety of industries speak about the programs they listen to and why.
Acquired
One of my favorite podcasts is Acquired. The two hosts do a terrific job researching the subject matter and explaining how founders take unique paths to getting started and growing their businesses. I get inspired when I hear some background of tech company founders. For instance, Mark Zuckerberg of Meta learned to code as a young boy by getting a copy of the book C++ for Dummies. Microsoft’s founder Bill Gates understood the power of partnerships and leveraged the synergies to quickly grow Microsoft into the major software player in the marketplace. Hearing the intricacies of these stories helps me to understand just how grueling starting a tech company is, and how the founders have succeeded by doing things differently. – Aleksandr Remniov, lead technical engineer, Hubstaff
BG2 Pod
Bill Gurley and Brad Gerstner, hosts of BG2 Pod, share private and public markets insights and implications on the most important high-tech topics. They leverage their decades-long history in investing in tech startups to understand the likely outcomes of AI, autonomous vehicles, cybersecurity, and other technologies. While viewing things through an investment lens, they also provide key factors to consider as enterprise technology decisions are made. – Ken Englund, Americas technology sector growth leader, EY
Darknet Diaries
Lately, I’ve been enjoying Darknet Diaries, which is all about hackers, the dark web, real events, ransomware, and malware, and I’ve found it to be a good way to stay informed about advancements in potential attacks. – Joe Weider, CIO, global risk solutions, Liberty Mutual Insurance
No Such Thing as a Fish
In a world of advanced persistent threats, zero days, and what can feel like an overwhelming number of threats and risks, sometimes you just want an escape. No Such Thing as a Fish provides a weekly dose of entertaining facts and lively discussion of the weird and wonderful things they’ve uncovered from science, history, and literature. However, be warned — you may find yourself boring colleagues with the quite interesting trivia you learn. – James Maude, field CTO, BeyondTrust
Technovation
At MetLife, we foster an environment where innovation is everyone’s job. As a result, our enterprise leaders and associates are always looking for tech and leadership insights on how to remain innovative and agile. For that reason, the go-to podcast I recommend is one that motivates with real-world examples of how innovation, technology, and business intersect across industries. As a past guest and avid listener, my recommended podcast is Technovation hosted by Peter High. Not only are listeners informed of the latest trends in technology and business, but they can also hear from leaders driving and scaling digital transformations. – Bill Pappas, head of global technology and operations, MetLife
a16z
Hosted by Andreessen Horowitz, the a16z podcast dives deep into emerging technologies, startup culture, and the future of industries from AI and Web3, to biotech and enterprise SaaS. CTOs gain access to candid conversations with founders, researchers, and executives, offering a venture capital lens on where technology is headed. – Erin DeCesare, CTO, ezCater
Your Undivided Attention
AI, social media, and the slow rewiring of human behavior — fascinating, unsettling, and a great reminder to turn off notifications. Created by the Center for Humane Technology, Your Undivided Attention features deep conversations with tech leaders, former insiders, and behavioral scientists who break down how digital systems are designed to capture — and often exploit — our attention. – Dan Glass, CISO, NTT DATA
The Security Ledger
One of my favorite podcasts is cybersecurity-related The Security Ledger, which provides a deep dive into cybersecurity from multiple technological and regulatory angles. It also features expert discussions with CISOs, CIOs, and CTOs. – Pierre Mouallem, CISO, Delinea
CSO Perspectives
A great CIO knows security isn’t just about firewalls and patching — it’s about risk management, governance, and long-term strategy. CSO Perspectives dives into the big-picture security issues that impact business resilience, helping CIOs align security with enterprise goals. If you want to build a security-first culture that doesn’t just react to threats but actively mitigates risk, this podcast delivers the insights to make that happen. – Noam Vander, CISO, Atera
ReThinking
I love ReThinking host Adam Grant’s approach and philosophy to thinking differently. This podcast is a great collection of individual perspectives and stories that broaden your perspectives, helping you cultivate outside-the-box thinking. – Keyur Ajmera, CIO, iCiMS
The Working Genius
There are so many great voices contributing to technology, but I keep going back The Working Genius. Great teams are the foundation of great technology. Through The Working Genius framework, I’ve learned a lot about myself and how to build great teams based on the potential of my colleagues. As someone who deeply believes in the potential of everyone to have an impact, I find their framework helps me understand that potential, build great teams, and be a better leader. – Jeff McDonald, CEO, Kythera Labs
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