Episode notes
Few people have led transformation at the scale Steven Bandrowczak has.
After leading global technology businesses including DHL, Lenovo and HP, and ultimately serving as CEO of Xerox, Steven joins Mark Cleveland to share the leadership lessons he's learned from decades of navigating disruption, reinvention and technological change.
One of the most surprising moments comes when Steven argues that AI shouldn't be owned by IT — it should be owned by HR. His reasoning challenges the way most organisations are approaching AI today and reframes how leaders should think about building the workforce of the future.
But this conversation is about far more than artificial intelligence. How do you reinvent before you're forced to? How do you lead people through uncertainty? How do you build organisations that embrace change instead of fearing it?
Steven shares lessons from reinventing Xerox, leading through major acquisitions, learning from failure, mentoring the next generation of leaders, and why leadership — not technology — is still the deciding factor between companies that thrive and companies that disappear.
If you're building a business, leading a team, or trying to understand where AI fits into your organisation, this conversation offers practical insight from someone who has led transformation at the highest level.
In this episode
• Why Steven believes AI should be owned by HR, not IT
• Why reinvention is harder than transformation
• The biggest mistake leaders make during change
• Why company culture determines whether acquisitions succeed
• The real reason businesses fail to capture value from AI
• Why fear is the biggest obstacle to innovation
• How entrepreneurs should think about disruption
• The importance of solving real business problems
• Building organisations that can adapt faster
• Leadership lessons from more than four decades in technology
• Why kindness may be one of the greatest leadership advantages
About Steven Bandrowczak
Steven Bandrowczak is the former Chief Executive Officer of Xerox, where he also served as President and Chief Operating Officer. Across a career spanning more than four decades, he has held senior leadership roles at DHL, Lenovo, HP and Avaya while leading major technology transformations across global organisations. Today he advises CEOs and boards on AI strategy and teaches the next generation of technology leaders at Northeastern University.
Links & Resources
Join the Parallel Entrepreneur Network, and explore more founder conversations on The Parallel Entrepreneur Podcast.
Connect with Steven Bandrowczak
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SOL Consulting
SOL Consulting on LinkedIn
About the Host
Mark Cleveland is an entrepreneur, investor, and advisor who works at the intersection of multiple ventures. As the voice behind the Parallel Entrepreneur, he explores how founders build aligned businesses, strong teams, and sustainable momentum without forcing themselves into a single path.
Follow Mark on LinkedIn
Key Moments
00:00 AI or Employees? Why It's Both
00:36 Introducing Steven Bandrowczak
02:03 Reinventing Xerox as CEO
06:22 Why Mergers Fail
08:32 Keeping a 100-Year-Old Company Innovative
12:13 Why AI Is Accelerating So Fast
15:40 Leading People Through AI Change
17:57 Why HR Should Own AI Agents
20:29 What the Nortel Collapse Taught Steven
24:22 Why AI Can't Replace Strategy
28:54 Growing Up in Queens & Becoming Fearless
33:49 Leadership, Kindness & Reading the Green
36:07 Building an AI Strategy That Creates Value
39:03 The Biggest Business Risk Today
41:10 Why Companies Aren't Getting Value from AI
43:02 The Future of Parallel Entrepreneurship
48:18 The CEO's Responsibility to Build Leaders
51:15 Reverse Mentorship & Developing Talent
53:10 What Steven Is Reading
55:51 What He'd Tell His Younger Self
57:53 Closing Thoughts
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