Meet Papanii Okai

Meet Papanii Okai

Papanii Okai is the Executive Vice President of Product Engineering at Rocket, where he leads the teams building AI-powered systems that transform how millions of people experience homeownership. Before Rocket, he served as CTO of Venmo, scaling a platform trusted by over 60 million users, and held senior engineering and architecture roles at PayPal across nearly six years. His career spans fintech, platform architecture, and human-centered design, with a through line of translating emerging technology into systems that actually serve people. Originally from Ghana, Papanii brings a global perspective and a leadership philosophy rooted in building things that last and people who thrive. We're glad to have him on the Executive Runtime. Follow and subscribe to Executive Runtime: * X [https://x.com/execruntimepod] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@execruntimepod] * Instagram [https://instagram.com/execruntimepod] * Web [https://executiveruntime.show] Follow your host, Johnny! * X [https://x.com/johnnyaustin] * Web [https://johnnyaustin.me]

Meet Rory Verrett

Rory Verrett is the founder and managing partner of Protégé Search, a boutique executive search and leadership advisory firm focused on diverse talent. Over two decades, he has placed C-suite leaders at organizations including Patagonia, Ben & Jerry's, Twilio, Pinterest, and The New York Times. Before founding Protégé Search, Rory served as the first-ever Head of Talent Management at the National Football League, where he managed succession planning, leadership development, and executive search functions. He also led diversity practices at Spencer Stuart and Russell Reynolds Associates, two of the world's most prestigious executive search firms. Rory is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Howard University. He has testified before Congress on best practices in inclusive recruiting, advised the Biden administration on leadership strategy, and authored The Pomegranate Principle: Best Practices in Diversity Recruiting (Wiley). He is a former president of the Harvard Law Black Alumni Association and former trustee of Howard University. He now operates Protégé Search from Lisbon, Portugal, serving clients globally. Follow and subscribe to Executive Runtime: * X [https://x.com/execruntimepod] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@execruntimepod] * Instagram [https://instagram.com/execruntimepod] * Web [https://executiveruntime.show] Follow your host, Johnny! * X [https://x.com/recursivefunk] * Web [https://johnnyaustin.me]

Meet Alphonzo Terrell

Alphonzo "Phonz" Terrell is the Co-Founder and CEO of Spill, a social media platform that became the #1 most downloaded Social Networking app shortly after its 2023 launch and was named one of Fast Company's "Most Innovative Companies in Social Media" in 2024. Before founding Spill, Phonz served as Global Head of Social and Editorial at Twitter, where he led brand campaigns that dramatically increased engagement and earned multiple industry awards including Clios and a Cannes Lion. With over 15 years of experience spanning HBO, Showtime, Sony Music, and Island Def Jam, he has built a career at the intersection of technology, culture, and marketing. Named to CNN Business's "2023 Risk Takers" list alongside tech leaders like Sam Altman and Tim Cook, Phonz is a sought-after speaker who has appeared on Good Morning America and at major conferences including SXSW and AfroTech. Follow and subscribe to Executive Runtime: * X [https://x.com/execruntimepod] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@execruntimepod] * Instagram [https://instagram.com/execruntimepod] * Web [https://executiveruntime.show] Follow your host, Johnny! * X [https://x.com/recursivefunk] * Web [https://johnnyaustin.me]

Meet Smruti Patel

Smruti Patel is the SVP of Engineering at Apollo GraphQL, where she leads the charge in building highly performant APIs at scale. With more than two decades of experience, she previously transformed Stripe's Data Platform organization, scaling the team from 30 people to nearly 180 while bringing dozens of discrete products under its umbrella. Her journey includes 11 years at VMware building enterprise disaster recovery solutions and pioneering cloud-based data protection initiatives. Known for her "shift left" engineering philosophy and systems thinking approach, Smruti has mastered the art of building critical infrastructure that ensures security, reliability, and efficiency for global businesses.   Follow and subscribe to Executive Runtime: * X [https://x.com/execruntimepod] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@execruntimepod] * Instagram [https://instagram.com/execruntimepod] * Web [https://executiveruntime.show] Follow your host, Johnny! * X [https://x.com/recursivefunk] * Web [https://johnnyaustin.me]

Meet Stephen Ovadje

Stephen Ovadje is a seasoned P&L leader and Chief Marketing Officer at Best Egg, bringing over two decades of expertise in consumer finance, fintech, and strategic leadership. With an impressive track record spanning JPMorgan Chase, where he led Chase Sapphire acquisitions and loyalty marketing, to his consulting work at Deloitte delivering $60MM in profitability improvements, Stephen has consistently driven growth and transformation across major financial institutions. Beyond his corporate leadership, he's an active entrepreneur and board member, co-founding multiple ventures including energy companies in Nigeria and serving as a trustee at St. Anne's Episcopal School. Armed with an MBA from Wharton and deep expertise in analytics, strategic planning, and multi-channel marketing, Stephen offers unique insights into scaling financial products, building customer acquisition strategies, and leading through complex organizational transformations. This conversation explores his journey from analyst to C-suite executive and his perspective on the evolving landscape of consumer lending and fintech innovation.   Follow and subscribe to Executive Runtime: * X [https://x.com/execruntimepod] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@execruntimepod] * Instagram [https://instagram.com/execruntimepod] * Web [https://executiveruntime.show] Follow your host, Johnny! * X [https://x.com/recursivefunk] * Web [https://johnnyaustin.me]