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.

EP 35: Alistair Burton on What We’re Still Getting Wrong in Tech (And How to Fix It)