Kevin Howren is the Chief Product and Technology Officer at NPACT, where he has led major organizational changes, doubling the customer base and scaling SaaS assets under management from $50 billion to over $100 billion.
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In this episode, you’ll learn why managing change is more about people than processes; how to overcome resistance and build trust in an organisation; how to sustain momentum during long-term transformations; how to make tough personnel decisions while maintaining morale; and why knowing when to stop making changes is as important as knowing when to start.
With over 25 years in technology, Kevin Howren has driven transformative change through deep technical expertise and strategic vision. He is committed to innovation, operational excellence, and building high-performing teams, turning complex challenges into growth opportunities.
He led the post-acquisition transformation of NPACT, guiding engineering, product, AI, and infrastructure teams to achieve significant results, including doubling the customer base and increasing SaaS assets under management from $50 billion to $100 billion. He consistently aligns technology and business strategy to support long-term growth and sustainability. Whether modernising the technology stack, improving cross-departmental collaboration, or mentoring senior leaders, his focus is on continuous improvement and delivering value to the organisation and its customers.
Before NPACT, he was Head of Client Technologies at BBC Systems, overseeing product and infrastructure development and leading UI/UX engineering and product teams. A key achievement was reducing production rollbacks by 78% through innovative processes and modern technologies.
Timestamps:
[00:00] Introduction
[02:10] Doubling the customer base and scaling SaaS assets
[03:15] The biggest challenge in change management
[04:02] Why small wins matter more than big changes
[05:20] Keeping momentum during long-term projects
[06:18] Handling unexpected challenges in transformation
[07:30] The role of people in organizational change
[08:45] Managing resistance and trust in leadership
[09:50] How to navigate layoffs and team restructuring
[11:05] The importance of redeploying talent
[12:30] Avoiding morale issues during transitions
[13:45] Why rushing changes can backfire
[14:55] Balancing process, technology, and people changes
[16:02] The impact of company culture on change
[17:15] Why some changes fail despite careful planning
[18:30] How to prioritize changes effectively
[19:45] Building trust through early wins
[20:55] Involving teams without slowing decisions
[22:10] The importance of leadership accountability
[23:20] Predicting how change will unfold
[24:35] Why honesty about difficulties builds trust
[25:45] Learning from failures and moving forward
[26:58] Recognizing signs of change fatigue
[28:05] How to slow down change to prevent burnout
[29:15] Making change stick before introducing new changes
[30:25] Celebrating wins to reinforce progress
[31:40] Avoiding unnecessary changes
[32:50] Recognizing when it’s time to stop making changes
[34:05] How company culture shapes change success
[35:20] The role of communication in keeping teams engaged
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