Remi Caron

Executive Leadership Program - Amsterdam Class 13

Remi Caron
Chief Technology & Innovation Officer
My experience and deep interests:
I am based in: Amsterdam

The exponential pace of technology will have a huge impact on life as we know it. At the time I started my career (in late 1988) the technology industry was not even close to being able to deliver what customers wished for. Currently, the technology industry can deliver exponentially more than customers and societies are capable to comprehend or are willing to deal with. However, the state of our planet will force us to adopt changes at a faster pace than some of us might like or realize.

“Some people don’t like change, but you need to embrace change if the alternative is a disaster.” ~ Elon Musk

I have had an interesting career, starting as a software developer in Cobol on a Dec Mini Computer. I have always focused on applying and utilizing technology to deliver a clear goal. At present we are awash with data, and I am convinced this is the biggest asset for most companies if they are able to apply this with a clear goal in mind. I have been self-employed since 1994 and have seen both the bright and dark side of technology, I have built and sold companies.

 The best learning in my professional life occurred around the dot-com bubble when one of my companies defaulted (no school will prepare you for this). Since that time, I have grown from being a developer to CTO at various corporates, startups and scale-up companies.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ~ Winston Churchill

I dream of contributing to a game-changing innovation/evolution that impacts a significant portion of the world population in this uncertain, but exciting future. Recently, I invested both time and money in a scale-up which I mentored during Laudato Si’ startup challenge (inspired by Pope Francis).

 One my personal irritations in life is dealing with red tape and during the endeavor in THNK class 13, I intend to focus on a better, faster and more fraud-sensitive way of settling insurance claims. This should lead to increased customer satisfaction, lower cost for claim settlements and in the end lower the insurance policy costs. I have experience in both the startup / scale-up world and corporate life: the challenge will be to bring these two different worlds together and create something good. The THNK Executive Leadership program could not have come at a better time for me.

I was nominated to become a THNKer by Madelein Smit