In this special #NomadFuturist episode recorded at Data Center World on 03/30/2022, Phil and Nabeel invite Bill Kleyman back to the podcast to share his unique perspective on the conflict in Ukraine.
Kleyman himself is a refugee whose family left Ukraine around the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. Listen to his first podcast for details of that extraordinary journey.
Kleyman shares his heartfelt perspective and concern for family members, friends and colleagues who are dealing with the challenging situation in Ukraine. (Note, this podcast was recorded on March 30th and reflects the conditions on the ground at that time.)
Kleyman talks about checking in with friends in Kyiv and Odessa and having phone conversations punctuated by the sounds of air raid sirens and bombs in the distance. He applauds the courage of the Ukrainians collectively as well as that of his own friends, many of whom decided to remain in their homeland.
“…literally their words to me were, we made a decision after the first week this started that we're going to stay to the end.”
In addition, Kleyman highlights some unique aspects of the current conflict.
“This is a war of data. This is a war of digital information. This is a war fought on TikTok and Twitter and videos on Telegram.”
He also talks about aspects of propaganda and how deeply this has impacted Russian perspectives about the war, particularly for an older generation that is hesitant to venture outside their comfort zone. Kleyman quotes what an older person shared with him – “I listen to what I feel I need to listen to.”
Phil and Bill talk about the robust technology sector in Ukraine, referencing successful companies like GitLab and Grammarly that were launched there.
Kleyman concludes by expressing his hope that the audience will continue to pay attention to the plight of the Ukrainians.
“To everybody listening, just please keep these conversations going. Don’t let these voices be forgotten!”
Below are links mentioned by Kleyman in this podcast:
· Ukraine Humanitarian Aid website: https://help.gov.ua/en
· Article in the Atlantic about the Ukraine-Russia war: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/03/american-volunteer-foreign-fighters-ukraine-russia-war/627604/
· Bill Kleyman’s Facebook Page:
Kleyman also invites listeners to follow him on Facebook if they are interested in the latest Ukraine news and updates including information on how to contribute to specific charity efforts —e.g., military, humanitarian, and supporting local animal support groups and shelters. Note, you do not need to send a friend request to access this information, simply follow his Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/bkleyman
Bill Kleyman brings more than 15 years of experience to his role as Executive Vice President of Digital Solutions at Switch. Using the latest innovations, such as AI, machine learning, data center design, DevOps, cloud, and advanced technologies, Mr. Kleyman delivers solutions to customers that help them achieve their business goals and remain competitive in their market. An active member in the technology industry, he was ranked #16 globally in the Onalytica study that reviewed the top 100 most influential individuals in the cloud landscape and #4 in another Onalytica study, which reviewed the industry’s top Data Security Experts.
Prior to joining Switch, Kleyman was the CTO at MTM Technologies where he worked with new designs around virtualization, data center architecture, and cloud design. He was also a leader in the cloud and DevOps practice at EPAM Systems. Kleyman is currently an Advisory Board Member at MTM Technologies and an Advisory Board Council Member at Infrastructure Masons (iMasons) where he chairs the IM Millennials/GenZ Member Resource Group; focused on inspiring and bringing young people into the technology industry.
Kleyman enjoys writing, blogging, and educating colleagues about everything related to technology. His work can be seen within thousands of articles, blogs, chapters in various books, white papers, journals, and more. Kleyman is a regularly featured keynote presenter and speaker at major industry events
