Anna Keren. Image: VivaCity
VivaCity’s Anna Keren discusses the tech and capital challenges of the transport-tech scene.
Anna Keren is the chief technology officer (CTO) at VivaCity, a transport tech company based in London.
Prior to joining VivaCity, Keren held a number of tech leadership positions, including chief technology and product officer at Thirdfort and VP of technology at ComplyAdvantage.
She joined VivaCity in May of this year, replacing co-founder and CTO Yang Lu, who shifted to the role of technical founder. According to Keren, her role as CTO involves “assessing the landscape of systems, infrastructure, associated costs, processes and the talent required to innovate and support those systems”.
“Company and product strategy play a key role in shaping tech strategy, but it’s important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all approach,” she says. “Although commonalities exist, tech strategy must be tailored to a company’s specific needs and circumstances.
“Tech strategy must evolve as the organisation grows and adapts.”
What are some of the biggest challenges you’re facing in the current IT landscape and how are you addressing them?
The current climate of high interest rates has made capital investment in tech more challenging. Following years of low interest rates and abundant tech funding, the industry is facing tighter financial constraints.
I recall leading teams during times when one of the most important KPIs was hiring, and the competition for engineers was fierce. My fellow tech leaders and I would go to great lengths to secure the best talent. I’d even follow up with candidates who had declined our offers to check on them after a few months.
Having top talent is still critical to business success, but today, other KPIs – such as the efficiency of value delivery – are becoming just as important. We now need to manage investment more cautiously, implementing stricter controls to ensure maximum returns. As a result, investment decisions now require a more cautious or measured approach, with stricter financial controls and a focus on ensuring maximum return on capital.
What are your thoughts on digital transformation in a broad sense within your industry? How are you addressing it in your company?
Digital transformation is reshaping the transport industry, enabling more efficient, data-driven decision-making and greater connectivity. This shift is driving smarter infrastructure, improving operational efficiencies and creating more sustainable, future-proof solutions.
VivaCity is at the cutting edge of innovation in areas such as computer vision, AI, IoT and hardware sensor design. We’re actively shaping the transport industry through these breakthroughs and creating new opportunities in urban planning. Our technologies are enabling smarter, more connected cities and reshaping how the transport industry evolves.
Sustainability has become a key objective for businesses in recent years. What are your thoughts on how this can be addressed from an IT perspective?
Sustainability is at the heart of VivaCity’s mission. Smarter, more sustainable cities are what drive us. I find it incredibly inspiring to be part of this transformation in urban planning. I’m proud to contribute to solutions that help city planners and policymakers make cities more sustainable through our AI, computer vision and IoT innovations.
What big tech trends do you believe are changing the world and your industry specifically?
Someone has to mention LLMs or generative AI! We’re only just beginning to see how these technologies will reshape the industry. While concerns exist around bias, the accuracy of generated information and broader societal impacts, I’m excited about the productivity boosts that generative AI can bring to engineering teams. There’s a wealth of tools being developed that can help engineers become more productive by automating mundane tasks, which is incredibly exciting.
What are your thoughts on how we can address the security challenges currently facing your industry?
Unfortunately, security threats and scams are becoming widespread. I believe investment in staff education is crucial, alongside ongoing investment in security tools and maintaining a high level of vigilance.
Don’t miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.
