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Description

AI is not going to destroy every software company — but it may expose the ones without a clear strategy.

In this episode of The World Class Leaders Show, host Andrea Petrone is joined by Dr John Bates, CEO of Doxis, a former Cambridge computer science academic, and a technology leader who has built and led five successful companies.

John shares what he has learned from leading through the dotcom crash, 9/11, the 2008 financial crisis, COVID, and today’s AI disruption. He explains why CEOs must stay focused on business value, sharpen their positioning, and avoid panicking when markets shift.

The conversation explores AI, crisis leadership, competing with giants like Microsoft and Box, the burden of CEO transparency, and why every leader needs trusted people around them when pressure is high.

John also reflects on why transformation can be more powerful than starting from scratch, why great CEOs must sometimes act as agitators, and what it really takes to lead with clarity when uncertainty never seems to end.

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BOOK PRE-ORDER

📘 My new book 'Reinvention at the Top: The Playbook for CEOs to Lead Under Pressure' (Wiley) is out in October. Pre-order your copy now:

👉 BOOK PRE-ORDER LINK

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FREE GUIDE

Want to establish authority and lead with confidence from Day One as a CEO?

Grab your FREE copy of '10 Foolproof Ways New CEOs Establish Authority From Day One':

👉 Download - https://bit.ly/10-fool-proof-ceo-strategies 

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WCL21

WCL21 is a private, curated community of CEOs running mid-market companies. Monthly roundtables, masterclasses, and confidential conversations that don't happen anywhere else. We're in the founding member phase — a few seats remain.

👉 Request your invitation: https://andreapetrone.com/wcl21 

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1:1 COACHING

Want to work with me directly? I coach a small number of CEOs and senior leaders each year through exactly the challenges in this show.

👉 Apply for 1:1 coaching: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30

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COACHING APP

Want to grow as a leader on the go? My Executive coaching app helps Directors, VPs and C-suite leaders build world-class leadership habits, guided by the Throughline™ framework: Identity, Message, Presence.

👉 See the app: https://studio.com/apps/andreapetrone/executive

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NEWSLETTER

Join 183,000+ leaders who read my weekly insights on leading at the top:

👉  https://www.andreapetrone.com/newsletter/

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MORE FROM ANDREA

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Website: https://www.andreapetrone.com/podcast/
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Follow Our Guest:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drjohnbates
Learn more about Doxis: https://www.doxis.com