Innovating Content, Customer Trust & the Future of Enterprise Tech | DisrupTV Ep. 51

In DisrupTV Episode 51, hosts R “Ray” Wang and Vala Afshar are joined by three leaders each bringing a distinct lens on technology, media, and customer experience:

  • Paul Daugherty — Chief Technology & Innovation Officer at Accenture
  • John Gallant — SVP & Chief Content Officer at IDG US Media
  • Esteban Kolsky — Principal & Founder at ThinkJar

They explore how enterprises are pushing innovation, how content & media shape trust in business, and how customer expectations are influencing what technology must deliver.

Key Takeaways

Innovation Must Serve Both Technology & People
Paul Daugherty underscores that innovation isn’t just about creating new tech — it’s about how that tech is applied, how it helps users/customers, and how businesses can maintain trust while scaling.

Media & Content Are Critical to Customer Perception & Trust
John Gallant reflects on how IDG’s content, editorial integrity, and how stories are told impact customer trust. In industries saturated with marketing, content that is credible, transparent, and useful is a differentiator.

Customer Expectations Are Shifting Fast
Esteban Kolsky points out that customers today expect not only functional, performant tech but also responsiveness, ethics, transparency, and reliability. Technology providers need to deliver both capability and experience.

Balancing Innovation Speed With Reliability
Entrepreneurs and enterprise leaders need to innovate rapidly, but not so fast that quality, reliability, or user trust suffer. The tension between speed & reliability is a recurring challenge.

Strategic Content & Messaging Matters Amid Disruption
The way companies communicate around innovation and technology matters — sometimes more than the tech itself. Messaging, content strategy, narrative all affect how innovation is perceived and adopted.

Final Thoughts & Implications

  • For Chief Technology & Innovation Leaders: Consider innovation efforts not only in terms of features or speed, but in terms of trust, user experience, and content narrative.
  • For Media & Content Strategists: Your output is more important than ever—not only in volume but in clarity, authenticity, and how you foster trust in your audience.
  • For Businesses Facing Disruption: Align your technological advancement with what customers increasingly demand: transparency, quality, and ethical behavior. Fail in those, no amount of tech will compensate.
  • For Marketing & Communication Teams: Be intentional about messaging around innovation — help customers understand not just what you're doing, but why it's valuable and how it improves their experience/trust.

Related Episodes

If this episode resonated with you, you may also want to explore these:

 

Business Research Themes

Future of Work, Marketing Transformation, Next-Generation Customer Experience, Tech Optimization

Roles

Chief Customer Officer, Chief Digital Officer, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Technology Officer