Ryan Bateman
CTO
Sands Capital
Ryan Bateman is Chief Technology Officer at Sands Capital. Sands Capital is a leading global investment management firm exclusively focused on growth investing. Since joining Sands Capital in 2011 as Head of Technology, Mr. Bateman oversees all matters relating to technology, cybersecurity and data management. Prior to joining Sands Capital, Mr. Bateman was the director of research, sales, and trading applications at Ipreo.
Mr. Bateman also served as Director of Equity Capital Markets Technology at FBR Capital Markets, as IT manager of the European region for FBR International, and as a network engineer at Friedman Billings Ramsey and the Mills Corporation. Mr. Bateman earned a BA in English studies from Northwestern University and an MBA in international business from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University.
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Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.
My path into technology leadership started early in my career when I realized that the unique value I bring to the table is a rare ability to bridge the sizable gap between business strategy and technology execution. My career progressed very rapidly due in large part to building authentic credibility with everyone I work with and by bringing pragmatic solutions to the table on a consistent basis. This demonstrated a deep understanding of the business and our customers while simultaneously building and sustaining a broad technical proficiency that earned the respect of engineers, developers and data scientists who reported to me.
Becoming and sustaining a senior leadership role in technology required me to master the 'art of the possible', develop exceptional communication skills, and embrace a growth mindset of continuous learning and reinvention of myself and my organization in the face of a relentlessly evolving business and technology landscape.
What is one of your guiding leadership principles?
I advocate for human-centric leadership with a client-oriented approach. This empowers and supports team members in delivering outstanding value to clients by cultivating a collaborative, respectful, and accountable culture that emphasizes empathetic, open, and honest feedback while championing continuous improvement.
To inspire success, foster a collaborative environment where team members are motivated to join you on the journey and strive for excellence, regardless of their reporting structure. Nurture a sense of shared purpose, trust, and personal investment in the organization's goals.
With disruption being a key theme of the past few years, where do you see your role as a technology leader going in the next 1-2 years?
My role at CTO and CISO will undergo significant transformation in the coming 1-2 years. I see an increased focus within my office on strategic leadership, innovation, cyber-risk management, data-informed decision-making, talent cultivation, ecosystem expansion, and sustainability.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out as a technology leader?
Focus on understanding your business and its customers at an incredibly deep level. Build relationships up and down the org chart to build an expert network within the business you can depend on to co-sponsor initiatives and support inevitable technology-based disruption through to the C-Suite. Lead high ROI digital transformation efforts that measurably improve customer experience. Keep the end customer in mind while making technology decisions and constantly evaluate how new technology can improve customer satisfaction and retention.
Tell us 3 fun facts about yourself.
I love Golf, Science Fiction and Banksy.
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