Wharton Tech Toks

Hosted by Wharton Tech Club

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123

Latest episode

May 2026

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About the show

Wharton Tech Toks (WTT) creates a space for bold, forward-looking tech discussions that enlighten and inspire. We feature executives, founders, investors, and professors from across the tech industry. We discuss interesting trends, analysis, strategies, and personal stories that are compelling to everyone from MBA students to senior executives. We want to dare to be bold, even if we’re wrong, to push our collective thinking. For inquiries, contact whartontechtoks@gmail.com

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May 12, 202658 min

Storytelling in Tech: Inside Commerce AI

In this episode of Wharton Tech Toks, host Gorav Menon (Wharton MBA ’27 and co-host of The Linen Suit & Plastic Tie) sits down with Lisa Yamner, Co-Founder & Chief Brands Officer at Daydream, for a deep dive into the future of AI-powered commerce and storytelling in fashion.Lisa shares her journey from helping launch Google’s first political advertising initiatives and building the tech giant’s fashion and luxury vertical, to co-founding THE YES and now Daydream, an AI-native shopping platform reimagining personalized discovery. Together, they explore how conversational AI is transforming retail, why fashion is fundamentally emotional, and how personalization can move beyond algorithms into genuine taste and identity.The conversation also dives into the tension between technology and creativity: Can AI actually enhance individuality instead of homogenizing culture? How do brands maintain storytelling and trust in an era of automation? And what happens when shopping starts to feel more like a conversation than a transaction?From luxury’s early skepticism of digital advertising to the rise of AI personal shoppers, this episode offers a fascinating look at how technology, storytelling, and human taste are colliding to shape the future of commerce.

April 28, 202630 min

AI Tech Toks: Building AI Systems That Work

In this episode of Tech Talks, Mahima Singh interviews Siddharth Singh, a published AI researcher, engineer and MS Computer Science Candidate at Stony Brook University. Siddharth shares insights on bridging research and engineering in real-world AI systems. He highlights the fundamental difference between researchers and engineers—where researchers focus on truth and rigor, engineers focus on building reliable systems under real-world constraints—and emphasizes the importance of combining both mindsets to create impactful AI solutions.Siddharth discusses how to identify meaningful research problems, design robust evaluation frameworks, and navigate the transition from research to production. He explains that real-world AI systems must account for constraints like latency, compute, and unpredictable environments, making system design—not just model performance—critical. He also highlights common failure modes in AI, including distribution shifts, metric misalignment, and human behavior adaptation.In this conversation, Siddharth shares practical guidance for working across research, engineering, and product roles. He explains how strong product managers manage uncertainty, translate business problems into precise technical questions, and avoid premature assumptions. He also advises students to build technical literacy, understand the gap between research and deployment, and develop the ability to frame clear, actionable problems. The discussion concludes with insights on experimentation, iteration, and the critical role of human judgment in building reliable AI systems.

April 14, 202651 min

AI Tech Toks: What Comes Next in Finance

In this episode of Tech Toks, Mahima Singh interviews Akshata Parab, Executive Director at Morgan Stanley, who shares her inspiring career journey, key inflection points, and the impact of AI on the financial services industry. Akshata discusses the importance of self-awareness, adaptability, and the role of AI in shaping competitive dynamics and long-term impacts in finance. She emphasizes the need for firms to integrate AI responsibly while maintaining human oversight. In this conversation, Akshata discusses the integration of AI tools in the workplace, emphasizing their role in enhancing efficiency and decision-making. She highlights the importance of defining clear objectives for AI integration, ensuring data quality, and prioritizing security. Akshata also shares insights on personal branding, the significance of developing both vertical and horizontal skills, and the essential skills for students and young professionals in a tech-driven world. The discussion concludes with rapid-fire insights on current AI trends and predictions for the future.

April 10, 20265 min

Behind the Scenes Special: Salesforce Tower

Join Debbie Cheng (WG'26) and Avanthika Ramesh (Senior Director of Product Management for Agentforce at Salesforce and WG'25) for a special behind the scenes look at the Salesforce Tower and its office perks.

April 7, 202628 min

AI Tech Toks: Strategy, Cloud, and the Future of Work

In this episode of Tech Talks, Mahima Singh interviews Sakshi Jain, Head of Go-To-Market Strategy for North America at AWS, who shares her career journey and perspectives on the impact of AI on the technology industry. Sakshi reflects on her path from Microsoft to McKinsey to Amazon, emphasizing intentional learning, adaptability, and cross-functional experience as key drivers of growth. She highlights how AI is reshaping cloud and enterprise strategy, pushing organizations to rethink how they build and compete. Sakshi discusses major industry shifts, including AI-driven infrastructure, rising productivity expectations, and increasing investment in AI. She explains that competitive advantage now depends on data, model performance, and the ability to embed AI into workflows. She also shares how she uses AI to enhance efficiency and decision-making, while emphasizing the importance of critical thinking. Sakshi advises students to build AI fluency and problem-solving skills. The discussion concludes with insights on agentic AI and a future where AI automates execution while humans focus on strategy.

February 17, 202647 min

The Rise of the Chief of Staff: Inside Tech's Most Versatile Role

In this episode of Wharton Tech Toks, Kirk Hachigian (Wharton MBA ’27) sits down with Clara Ma, CEO and Founder of Ask a Chief of Staff to break down what the Chief of Staff role actually is – and isn’t. Clara shares why it’s become one of the most sought-after roles in tech, the core pillars of the role (culture, operations, and strategy), and how the job changes from Series A to later-stage. From her early days in recruiting to becoming Chief of Staff at AI unicorn Hugging Face, Clara shares how she navigated a non-linear career path to build a thriving community of Chief of Staffs. She offers candid advice on landing your first role, leveraging AI without losing your voice, and how to avoid burning out once you’re in the seat.

January 21, 202642 min

Securing the Digital Front Door: Okta and the Future of Identity

In this episode of Wharton Tech Toks, Kirk Hachigian (Wharton MBA '27) sits down with Julia Oberrotman (Wharton MBA '16), Senior Director of Corporate Strategy at Okta. Julia breaks down why identity security is about to get exponentially harder—and more critical—as AI agents start moving money, accessing sensitive data, and operating autonomously across systems. The conversation unpacks Okta's $6B Auth0 acquisition and explains how they're racing to secure AI from the moment it's built.Julia pulls back the curtain on what corporate strategy actually looks like at a high-growth company, offering candid advice for those navigating an AI-transformed world.

January 13, 202642 min

Design That Delivers: Impact, Innovation, and Leadership

In this episode of Wharton Tech Toks, host Debbie Cheng (WG’26) sits down with Carly Price (WEMBA ‘23), Senior Director of Customer & Partner Experience Design at ServiceNow and founder of Liv Labs, a women’s health startup.Carly shares what it takes to lead design at scale across industries from retail and finance to automotive and enterprise SaaS. She opens up about launching Liv Labs and balancing startup life with the Wharton WEMBA program, all while working full-time and raising a family.From building beta branches at JPMorgan Chase to integrating AI into UX at ServiceNow, Carly’s career is a masterclass in creative leadership, strategic thinking, and staying curious.Whether you're a designer, founder, or MBA navigating your next move, this episode is full of real talk, tactical insights, and inspiration.

December 12, 202550 min

Personalization at Scale: The Business of Marketing Technology

In this episode of Wharton Tech Toks, Kirk Hachigian (Wharton MBA '27) sits down with Justin Hannah, Senior Director of Marketing Technology and Automation at FanDuel Sports Network. Justin shares his career journey from a 40-person ad tech startup to leading MarTech at Hulu and FanDuel, breaking down the complex world of marketing technology.The conversation explores how customer data platforms and CRM systems power modern marketing, the challenges of multi-touch attribution in a privacy-first world, and FanDuel's innovative approaches to measuring campaign ROI. Justin discusses transitioning from streaming entertainment to real-time sports, balancing aggressive personalization with responsible gaming, and where AI is actually delivering value versus hype in MarTech today.

December 2, 202559 min

Storytelling in Tech: Inside The Best One Yet

In this episode of Wharton Tech Toks, host Gorav Menon (Wharton MBA ’27 and co-host of The Linen Suit & Plastic Tie) sits down with Nick Martell of The Best One Yet for a deep dive into how top creators use storytelling, branding, and smart content strategy to shape the future of tech and media. Gorav uncovers Nick’s journey from Robinhood to building an independent media brand, the launch of their new evergreen show The Best Idea Yet, and how podcasts build trust by balancing education, entertainment, and cultural relevance. They also explore where AI enhances creative work—and where it falls short. If you want a behind-the-scenes look at the evolution of podcasting and the future of business media, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.