Leader’s Corner: Giles Lindsay, Satago

Gain valuable leadership insights and a sneak peek into his upcoming book, a guide on organisational agility, as Giles reflects on staying relevant in the technology landscape.

Giles Lindsay, the Chief Information Officer of Satago, is considered a seasoned technology leader with a career that he succinctly describes as "crazy." Equipped with a background in software engineering and a deliberate deviation from the family's legal tradition, Giles embarked on a journey that led him to the forefront of executive technology leadership.

Discover more about Giles’ career trajectory and how his book has progressed from his previous interview in this exclusive Leader’s Corner interview at The Studio.

Leader’s Corner insights with Giles Lindsay

Giles traced his love for technology back to his primary school days, where exposure to computers, including the inauguration of a new computer lab by Princess Anne, sparked his curiosity. 

The integration of technology into the curriculum, coupled with the encouragement to explore its potential uses, laid the foundation for his eventual path into the world of IT. 

Delving into the trends and innovations that have caught his eye recently, Lindsay commented on the hype around AI, citing one of the roundtable discussions stating that AI will be more of a co-pilot than a replacement for people, arguing that this resonated with him.

On the other hand, he warned: “We still need a bit of governance and a bit of understanding and control there, but otherwise I think using technology like AI is absolutely fantastic.”

Although he regards himself as a servant leader, Lindsay did not originally practise this style of leadership when he first started out in the industry. 

“I will admit to the fact that I had some very bad bosses when I was actually starting my career, those that were very micromanagement, bureaucratic, command and control. And of course, what did I do? I actually emulated them as soon as I was given my first management role”

After realising his mistake, he caught himself out and decided to adopt a servant leadership role, making himself responsible for his teams.

In a previous Leader’s Corner interview, Lindsay mentioned that one of his priorities included writing a book; he gave HotTopics an update on this.

He is on the brink of publishing a leadership guide based on his extensive experience as a CTO and CIO. “Thankfully it's been picked up by a publisher which is great.”

The book focuses on creating organisational agility and is expected to launch in Q1 of the upcoming year, providing insights for leaders keen on navigating the challenges of the technology industry.