[Podcast] AI Integration in Established Product Ecosystems with Geert Timmermans

In the latest episode of the PM Hub Podcast, host Cyrus sat down with Geert Timmermans, the Chief Product and Technology Officer (CPTO) at marketing automation company StoryTech, to discuss Geert's unique background bridging the worlds of business and technology.

Growing up in the 80s and 90s, Geert was building computers and websites before they became mainstream. He pursued an academic background in business economics, realizing that understanding both business processes and IT systems allows you to connect two worlds that are often difficult to align.

Over his career, Geert has worked at major enterprise software providers in lead consultancy implementation and product teams. His experience spans procurement, e-commerce, B2B SaaS development and more. In his current role as CPTO at StoryTech, Geert oversees the heavy use of AI in marketing automation.

The CPTO role is a relatively new one that combines the traditional Chief Product Officer (CPO) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) positions. Geert explained that as software has become more product-led in recent years, there is a growing need for leaders who deeply understand the market, the customer, and the "why" behind software development.

Merging the product and tech leadership roles helps provide a unified vision, especially at the boardroom level. It empowers one person with the authority to organize effectively and drive progress, avoiding opposing views between engineering and product that can sometimes stall things.

While the CPTO role makes sense for product-led companies whose core technology is their product, Geert noted it may be less critical for more mature organizations. The healthy tension between product and tech leaders can be productive in some scenarios.

To hear Geert's full insights on integrating AI in established product ecosystems and more, check out the complete PM Hub Podcast episode with below link.