In this episode of Tech Legacies Podcast, Ashish Barve, Tech Executive at a variety of Fortune 500 companies including, McKesson, Ecolab, Honeywell and P&G, shares hard-won insights on the intersection of technology, business value, and leadership. From demand forecasting to AI expectations, Ashish pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to drive digital transformation across global organizations.

You’ll hear about:

-The real-world impact of improving forecasting by just 5%

-Why supply chain success is about people, not just products

-How AI can both empower and frustrate if expectations aren't aligned

-The importance of being “bilingual” in both business and technology

-What it means to build your personal brand as a tech leader

-Mentorship, peer support, and building trust across every level

If you're a tech leader navigating complexity, or building a team that does, this conversation is packed with lessons you don’t want to miss.

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Connect with Fanny Dunagan on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/fannydunagan/

Connect with Ashish Barve on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishbarve/

Want to build your authority and brand as a tech leader? Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, a free branding guide and 1-hour training for tech professionals: https://techlegacies.ck.page/newsletter

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Timestamps:

00:00 – From the Shop Floor to CIO: Ashish Barve’s Global Tech Journey

01:03 – Starting on the Manufacturing Shop Floor and Entering IT

02:26 – Building Analytics Organizations at Honeywell and Ecolab

03:29 – Leading Digital Supply Chain at a Fortune 10 Company (McKesson)

04:42 – Why CIOs Must Be “Bilingual” in Business and Technology

05:55 – IT as a Value Driver: Revenue, Cost, and Capital Efficiency

06:10 – Why IT Has Become a Strategic Business Partner

07:12 – Common Business Challenges Across Sales, Finance, and Supply Chain

08:11 – The #1 Supply Chain Problem: Demand Forecasting and Demand Variability

09:30 – Why Productivity Gains Matter Most on the Shop Floor

10:05 – From Dashboards to Insights: The Evolution of Analytics Teams

11:16 – How...

What makes a university education relevant in a world where you can Google anything?

In this segment of Tech Legacies podcast, Gaurav Shekhar, Associate Dean at UT Dallas, explains the irreplaceable role of universities: not just to teach skills, but to develop independent thinkers who can solve tomorrow’s problems, even ones we haven’t even defined yet.

He also shares:

• Why corporate training and bootcamps can’t replace the big-picture thinking cultivated in universities
• How academic-industry partnerships with companies like Tableau and Alteryx build real-world readiness
• The power of gamified competitions to build confidence, teamwork, and industry-level problem-solving skills

Whether you're a student, educator, or lifelong learner, this conversation will change how you think about higher education and how it prepares future tech leaders.

What does it mean to teach and learn in an AI-first world?

In this thoughtful exchange, Gaurav Shekhar, Associate Dean at UT Dallas, explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping higher education, the future of work, and our understanding of what only humans can do. From AI’s historical roots to its sudden leap into mass adoption, he shares why we’re now in the “golden age of AI” and why embracing it responsibly is essential.

Topics include:

Why AI isn’t new… but it is newly accessible

How educators are rethinking AI use across different types of courses

The meaning of “responsible AI” in legal, social, and ethical terms

How AI is helping us rediscover the value of human connection

Watch this clip to hear how Gaurav is preparing students for a future shaped by AI but still powered by humanity.