I’ll be at the FT Future of AI Summit in London on the 5th & 6th November. My goal is simple: to talk talent.
While much of the agenda focuses on innovation, governance and investment, one theme underpins everything — the war for talent.
Whether you’re a founder building your first technical team or a global scale-up under pressure to expand fast, hiring has become the biggest strategic challenge in AI. The companies that win over the next few years won’t necessarily have the best models or the most funding — they’ll have the right people.
I’ve never forgotten what Marc Benioff once said:
“After all, the better the developers you have, the better the product you build.”
That truth has never been more relevant. AI success isn’t just about invention — it’s about adoption and execution. You can have the smartest model in the world, but without the right team to deploy, iterate and scale it, it stays on the shelf.
What I Expect to Hear and Discuss
1. The Talent Bottleneck
AI progress is no longer constrained by compute or capital — it’s constrained by capability. I’m expecting to hear from leaders who are feeling that bottleneck firsthand: those competing for the same scarce pool of ML engineers, applied researchers and AI product specialists — and discovering that finding the right talent and retaining them is now the hardest part of scaling.
2. Smarter, Strategic Hiring
Reactive recruitment is giving way to strategic workforce design. I’m looking forward to conversations around building long-term AI capability, not just filling roles — and how to balance in-house teams with flexible, distributed talent models that support scale and agility.
3. Competing in a Global Talent Market
The fight for AI expertise is borderless. Companies across the UK, US, Europe, and Asia are all chasing the same exceptional people. I’ll be listening for how firms are adapting — through innovative compensation models, hybrid structures, and cultural alignment — to attract and retain world-class talent wherever it’s found.
4. Scaling Without Losing Focus
Many fast-growing AI companies are learning the hard way that scaling teams too quickly can fragment delivery and slow execution. I’m curious to hear how the best are maintaining high velocity while preserving alignment, culture and technical excellence.
The Voices I’m Especially Keen to Learn From
The Summit brings together an impressive global line-up across policy, enterprise, and deep tech. Among them, I’m especially keen to hear from and meet:
- Rohit Dhawan, Chief AI Executive, Lloyds Bank – on building responsible AI capability within a major enterprise.
- Barney Hussey-Yeo, Founder & CEO, Cleo – on attracting and retaining AI talent in a mission-led startup.
- Guillaume Princen, Head of EMEA, Anthropic – on scaling globally in an ultra-competitive talent market.
- Sue Daley OBE, Director of Technology & Innovation, techUK – on how policy and industry are aligning to strengthen AI workforce development.
- Nigel Toon, CEO, Graphcore – on deep-tech hiring and the hardware layer of the AI ecosystem.
Their perspectives sit right at the intersection of innovation, leadership and execution — exactly where the talent conversation needs to happen.
Why Meet Me There
If you’re leading an AI startup or scaling a technical organisation, let’s connect during the Summit. Here’s what you’ll get from a chat:
- Real-world insight into AI hiring.
At Teknektar, we work with ambitious AI and DeepTech companies around the world. I’ll share what’s actually working in today’s hiring market — from sourcing and structuring teams to retaining top talent in a crowded field. - Access to hard-to-find candidates.
Our network includes senior ML engineers, AI researchers and leaders who aren’t on the open market but are open to the right opportunity. If you’re growing, I can help you tap into that pipeline quickly and effectively. - Hiring strategy that scales.
I’ll share how leading AI companies are planning hiring around funding rounds, product milestones, and market shifts — helping you scale intelligently, not reactively. - A grounded, founder-to-founder conversation.
No hard sell — just a practical discussion about what’s holding you back and how to move faster.
Let’s Talk in London
If you’ll also be at the FT Future of AI Summit, let’s grab 20 minutes between sessions.
Please email me at jbandy@teknektar.ai or connect on LinkedIn and we’ll find a time that works.
Let’s talk about your hiring challenges, your growth plans, and how to make sure you secure the right people before your competitors do.