From Aspiring Vet to Global CIO Success with Renée Lahti
Episode 003
April 6, 2023
In this episode of Advisory Board {INSIDER}, I had a fascinating conversation with Renée Lahti, a seasoned veteran of Silicon Valley. We discussed her journey from aspiring veterinarian to a successful career in technology leadership.
We explore Renée’s experiences working for major companies like PeopleSoft, Oracle, Symantec, and SC Johnson and into her current role leading and serving on advisory boards.
We dive deep into the importance of gaining technical knowledge for career success. Renée describes the transformation she led at Hitachi Vanatara as their CIO and the challenges faced in implementing change on a global scale.
We discuss the transition for Renée from industry into advisory and mentoring roles, driven by a desire to create a positive impact not only within her client companies but also for the rest of the world. Renée also shares valuable insights on the concept of emotional independence in the members of advisory boards. She gives insight into the process of engaging with potential board members, and navigating the “known unknowns” in today’s rapidly changing world.
Additionally, we discuss the differences between advisory boards and governance boards, as well as the increasing relevance of advisory board work in various sectors.
Don’t miss out on this compelling story and valuable advice from an industry expert!
Renée B. Lahti
Helping Humans be more Human with Technology and Data
https://www.linkedin.com/in/reneeblahti/
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Contents of this video:
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01:04 Get to Know Renee
05:13 Veterinary School at St Stephens
09:10 Economics at UCLA
12:26 Early Career Stops
17:22 Symantec Roles including CIO
21:01 The Move to SC Johnson as CIO
25:46 Return to Silicon Valley to Hitachi Vantara
30:00 From Industry to Private Practice
32:51 STEM and STEAM
36:29 The Current Reality Requires Advisory Boards
40:35 Emotional Independence on A Board
45:29 Best Practice in Advisory Boards
48:56 Advice to Young CEO
52:26 Trends in Marketplace
54:47 Rapid Fire Questions
Show Links
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- Hawaiian Kona Coffee
- SPSS
- SC Johnson
- Hitachi Vantara
- Women of Hitachi
- STEM and STEAM
- Advisory Board Centre
- Audio Book: Moloka’i by Alan Brennert
- Time Buddy App
- ChatGPT
- Food Network App