Tech Executive Interviews: Mobile Apps, Marketplaces, Games & Software
At Neon River, we speak with top leaders from across the digital and technology landscape. Our tech executive interviews feature founders, CEOs, Chief Product Officers (CPOs), COOs, CCOs, CMOs, CTOs, CFOs, Chief People Officers and innovators who are building the next generation of digital businesses.
From mobile apps and online marketplaces to mobile games and enterprise software, these conversations reveal hard-earned insights on growth, leadership, product strategy, and company-building at every stage. Through these tech executive interviews, we explore leadership challenges in the digital era.
Dive into our interviews across four key sectors:
Mobile Apps
(Consumer Apps, Fintech, Healthtech, and Mobile-First Platforms)
We sat down with industry leaders behind some of the most successful mobile apps, exploring strategies for success in a highly competitive market, including insights on user acquisition, monetization, and scaling in the app economy.
Featured Interviews:
Meri Williams, CTO of Pleo – Former CTO of Healx, Moo, and Monzo, shares insights on diversity and inclusion in tech, the challenges and opportunities of being a female CTO, and why visible leadership and role models are essential for building inclusive workplaces.
Shane Leonard, Group CFO at Plurimi – Shares insights on the responsibilities of a CFO in a high-growth fintech company, tips for managing investors, and expert advice on fundraising strategies and financial leadership.
Online Marketplaces
(Classifieds, PropTech, E-Commerce, and Service Platforms)
We connected with the pioneers behind some of the most successful online marketplaces in sectors like e-commerce, classifieds, and service platforms. Learn how they navigate challenges such as scaling operations, enhancing user experience, and managing seller relationships in a highly competitive environment.
Featured Interviews:
Vic Darvey, Former CEO of Purplebricks and MD of MoneySuperMarket.com – Current CEO at Lumon, shares insights on leading rapid growth at MoneySuperMarket, the challenges of being a CEO of a public company, and key leadership lessons for executives at the helm of fast-growing businesses.
Neil Roberts, former Chief Product Officer at notonthehighstreet – Shares insights on product strategy, balancing technical and commercial product management, and the unique challenges of working in founder-led businesses.
Olivier Van Calster, CEO of SellerX and former CCO of Voi – Former executive at eBay, Ancestry.com, and StockX shares insights on scaling eBay during rapid growth, leading Ancestry.com through its IPO, and the business model behind the sneaker resale platform StockX.
Lai-Ping Lai, former CPTO of Tails.com – Shares insights on the role of a CPTO, the intersection of product management and engineering, and leading product management in founder-led businesses.
Vladimir Pravdivy, former CEO of Avito and current CEO of AVIV Group – Shares insights on managing marketplace businesses, the essence of CEO roles, and strategies for managing board members and investors.
Laura Shipperlee, former Chief People Officer of Carwow – Shares insights on building strong relationships between leadership and HR teams, maintaining a sense of purpose during company growth, and driving cultural change.
Siddhartha Ghosh, Data Science and AI Leader at Amazon – Former Chief Data & Analytics Officer at Simply Business discusses building a data-driven culture, the business impact of AI, and navigating data privacy and regulatory challenges in B2C businesses.
Sven Ripper, Former CMO of LoveCrafts – Former Managing Director of Albumprinter at Vistaprint shares insights from his leadership as a CMO, discusses the challenges of customer acquisition costs in e-commerce, and explains the crucial role of a CMO in driving growth and strategy for startups.
Russell Gould, former Thomas Cook and MyTravel executive, now Commercial Director at Planarific – Discusses the evolution of the online travel sector, the rise of investment marketplaces, and strategies for growing early-stage B2C businesses.
Ben Legg, CEO & Co-Founder of The Portfolio Collective – Former Google Europe COO shares the vision behind his startup, how he’s helping senior professionals build portfolio careers, and the growing community of advisors and board members supporting startups.
Mobile Games
Explore insightful interviews with industry leaders in mobile games, covering topics such as M&A (Mergers and Acquisitions), monetization strategies, user acquisition, and emerging trends in the market.
Featured Interviews:
Rob Small, Founder of Miniclip – Talks about the original vision behind Miniclip, rising user acquisition costs in mobile games, and the company’s acquisition by Tencent in 2015.
Saad Choudri, CEO of Miniclip – Shares insights on the state of the mobile gaming industry, Miniclip’s acquisition of SYBO (creators of Subway Surfers), and strategies for small and mid-sized game studios to compete and grow in a saturated market.
Jens Begemann, Angel Investor and former Co-Founder & CEO of Wooga – Shares the story behind the founding of Wooga, its acquisition by Playtika, and his earlier experience selling Jamba to Verisign. A deep dive into entrepreneurship, gaming, and building successful exits.
Jonathan Winters, CMO of Snowprint Studios – Shares insights on his promotion to CMO, the launch of their new mobile game Tacticus, and the key user acquisition channels for mobile games in today’s competitive landscape.
Jason Bay, founder of GameIndustryCareerGuide.com – Shares insights on navigating career paths in the games industry, the impact of massive layoffs, and the potential of AI in gaming.
Software & Enterprise Tech
(SaaS, Developer Tools, Cloud, and AI)
Gain insights from top leaders in the Software and Enterprise Technology sectors, exploring the latest trends in SaaS, cloud computing, AI, and developer tools. Discover strategies for scaling enterprise solutions, improving operational efficiency, and driving innovation in the ever-evolving tech landscape.
Featured Interviews:
Matt Davey, Chief Experience Officer at 1Password – Shares his journey as the first designer at 1Password, the evolving relationship between product and design, and the critical role of a Chief Experience Officer in shaping user experiences and driving product innovation.
Alan Cairns, Chief People Officer of GoCardless – Former HR leader turned general manager shares insights on career transitions, the intersection of venture capital and portfolio companies, and how to scale people and talent strategies in fast-growing tech firms.
Amy Chalfen, former COO of Zaptic and Harbr – Discusses the shift from large corporates to early-stage startups, the evolving responsibilities of the COO role, and how tech companies can better support and increase female and diverse leadership.
James Gardner, Former Head of Talent at Distributed – Shares insights on the challenges of talent acquisition in high-growth companies and compares the experience of working in-house versus at an agency.
Private Equity
Explore interviews with leading investors in private equity and venture capital, sharing insights on funding innovative tech startups, scaling portfolio companies, and navigating exits in competitive markets.
Featured Interviews:
Joe Burridge, Head of Talent at Play Ventures – Shares his passion for games, insights into the landscape of game-focused investors in Europe, and strategies for recruiting top talent for entrepreneurial game companies.
Ed Thompson, CEO and Founder of Uptimize – Author of the #1 Amazon bestseller “A Hidden Force”, discusses the challenges neurodivergent individuals face in the workplace, the importance of role models, and how hiring neurodivergent employees can benefit organizations by fostering innovation and diversity.
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