Chris McGowan sits down with technology and business leader Alistair Burton. From the realities of justifying IT costs to the uncomfortable truth about our industry’s talent pipeline, this episode is a charged-up unpacking of what tech leaders are really wrestling with in 2025. 

Discussion Points: 

1. The Power of Showing Up 

• What happens when you ask better questions and truly listen 

• The underrated career value of curiosity and connection 

• Alistair’s own reflections on what his podcast taught him about leadership and growth 

2. The Top 5 Things on Tech Leaders’ Minds for 2025 

• AI: Innovation enabler or shiny distraction? 

• Cybersecurity: Why even mature organisations can’t let their guard down 

• Data & Analytics: Why we’re still fighting the same battles from 20 years ago 

• Talent: The hidden cost of always hiring “ready-made” professionals 

• Cost Justification: Why proving value is still harder than it should be 

3. Enterprise Architecture: Proving the Value Before the Roof Leaks 

• Why architecture is hard to measure… until it’s too late 

• Tactics for justifying the existence of functions that prevent disasters 

• Breaking down cost in a language execs actually understand 

4. Innovation, Risk, and Playing with AI 

• The difference between exploring AI and implementing it 

• What smart experimentation really looks like 

• How to fund innovation without being told to “just trust me” 

5. The Talent Pipeline Problem (and a Possible Fix) 

• Why most organisations aren’t growing their own talent 

• The lost art of hiring for potential over polish 

• A throwback to a nearshore innovation model that might be due for a comeback 

 
If you’re a tech leader navigating AI, budgets, or hiring headaches, this one’s for you. Subscribe to ThunderCast on your favourite platform and follow us on LinkedIn to stay charged-up with more no-fluff insights.