By Adamantios Koumpis January 25, 2023
3 questions – 3 answers: Starting up for 2023 with a discussion on ‘AI, the Universe and Everything’ with two Datrix C-level executives
We are happy to announce the third podcast with Pierluigi Vacca and Matteo Bregonzio of Datrix, Italy.
Pierluigi Vacca, after a 3-year experience with Google USA as Search Quality Evaluator (analysis of search queries and site positioning to improve the Google algorithm) in 2004 he took part in the start-up of Google Italy as manager of Italian and international key accounts, connecting activities as marketing & communication strategies, data intelligence and customers acquisition/retention. In 2010 Pierluigi joined ex-googlers to launch a new start-up - 3rdPlace - , focused on digital intelligence, where he worked as head of operations. That start up is now part of a bigger group of international tech companies - Datrix - where Pierluigi is Chief Product Officer, leading activities from business idea generation to design-thinking-based product development and go-to-market strategies.
Matteo Bregonzio received in 2011 from Queen Mary University of London a Ph.D. in computer science with a specialization in machine learning and data mining. In the same year, Matteo started working as a financial derivatives analyst at IHS Markit (London). In 2015, after a short experience within Barclays Capital as a senior analyst, moved to BNP Paribas (London) where he worked in OTC trading researching machine learning and Big Data solutions. Since 2017 Matteo is Chief Technology Officer at Datrix where he leads all innovation activities in the fields of artificial intelligence, machine learning, medical imaging, and cybersecurity.
Here the questions:
- I am not as old to keep memories from the first AI winter, but I keep memories from what is called ’the second AI’ winter. It is now several years that we experience an unprecedented AI spring or summer. I know that your company is well-placed in this ’exciting’ technology areas - how much do you worry for the coming of a third winter? And - as we experience with the climate change and its implications - sometimes an extremely hot AI summer can be same unbearable as a cold AI winter.
- Cybersecurity has not been your ‘historical’ business domain - it is now several years that you are involved in Research and Innovation projects in this area. How difficult - or easy - do you see that business development is in this field? which are the emerging trends? Please feel free to share with us any first-hand experiences you may have acquired in these years.
- Young people nowadays face lots of challenges - should they commit to a career in a structured setting like a corporate environment that you offer jobs, or should they ‘go solo’ and build their own start-up? In case they choose the corporate setting, there is a trend now called ‘quiet quitting’ - this is actually not at all - in the past the term used was ‘gravy train’ so the idea to build a comfort zone within a secure working environment is not new at all… What are your experiences in this field? How attractive can be companies not only to attract talent but also keep and maintain it?
For the answers you shall enjoy listening to the podcast here.
Adamantios Koumpis, Pierluigi Vacca and Matteo Bregonzio