The Digital Executive

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas sits down with Ola Sars, Stockholm-based serial music tech entrepreneur, 2024 Billboard International Power Player, and founder and CEO of Soundtrack Technologies. Ola shares the core thesis that has guided his career for over two decades: the complete digital transformation of music production, distribution, and consumption. From co-founding Beats Music—later acquired by Apple and transformed into Apple Music—to building Soundtrack into the world’s leading B2B music streaming platform, Ola explains why businesses require a fundamentally different music solution than consumers.The conversation explores the economics of music streaming, how value is distributed across artists, labels, and platforms, and why streaming is healthier than ever for the industry overall. Ola also discusses the future of music in physical spaces like retail, hospitality, and fitness, highlighting how AI-driven curation and personalization—not AI-generated music—will shape how brands use music to enhance customer experiences and drive commercial value.If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas speaks with Hossein Berenji, owner of Berenji Divorce and Family Law Group, about how digital assets and cryptocurrency are reshaping high-net-worth divorce cases. Hossein explains why crypto is increasingly used—and hidden—by wealthy spouses, how cold wallets, privacy coins, and decentralized exchanges complicate asset discovery, and the forensic tools lawyers use to trace concealed wealth. The conversation also explores evolving digital asset laws, emerging legal tech trends, and what the future holds for divorce and family law as technology, wealth distribution, and social norms continue to change.If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas sits down with Ankit Chopra, Director of Financial Planning and Analysis for Cloud and AI Products at Neo4j. Ankit shares how financial planning for cloud, AI, and agentic systems fundamentally differs from traditional FP&A—shifting from static forecasts to dynamic, usage-driven models designed for volatility. The conversation explores adaptive forecasting, modern pricing frameworks, and how autonomous financial agents are transforming cloud cost optimization by accelerating insight-to-action cycles. Ankit also highlights the most common financial mistakes early-stage AI and cloud startups make, from mispricing to confusing scale with pure revenue growth. Looking ahead, he outlines the future of FP&A as an intelligence-led function focused on insights, orchestration, and critical business judgment—where finance leaders blend technical fluency with analytical skepticism to shape what’s next.If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas welcomes Olivia Walker, a nationally recognized communications and PR strategist whose career spans the U.S. Marine Corps, senior federal roles in Washington, DC, and advising today’s top executives and technology-driven organizations. Olivia shares how her early experience in high-stakes government communications shaped her people-first, trust-driven approach to messaging and leadership. The conversation explores what it takes to craft compelling narratives that influence policy, elevate CEO thought leadership, and resonate with fragmented audiences—especially as AI-generated content reshapes media and public perception. From earned media and credibility to consistency, storytelling, and the evolving role of PR, this episode offers practical insight into building influence and trust in a rapidly changing communications landscape.If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Digital Executive, host Brian Thomas sits down with Nick Spina, CEO of Denovia, to explore a breakthrough approach to plastic recycling. Nick explains how Denovia’s rapid depolymerization technology breaks plastic waste down to its molecular building blocks in minutes—creating new, virgin-quality materials from discarded plastics and textiles. The conversation unpacks why traditional recycling has fallen short, how advanced chemical recycling can be both sustainable and profitable, and what Denovia’s real-world ARC pilot is revealing about scaling globally. From tackling fast fashion waste to turning trash into a renewable resource, this episode offers a hopeful, science-backed look at the future of recycling.If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review - Apple or Spotify. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.