Jameel Al-Aziz, Bastion CTO on Crypto Security, Stablecoins & Building Trust in Web3

Описание: In this episode of Software Leaders Uncensored, host Steve Taplin speaks with Jameel Al-Aziz, CTO of Bastion, about his career journey from self-taught coder in Kuwait to leading a startup focused on stablecoin issuance. They discuss the challenges of building a robust engineering team, the importance of practical security measures, and the evolving landscape of crypto and AI in engineering. Jameel shares valuable lessons learned throughout his career and offers advice for tech leaders navigating the complexities of the industry.

00:00 – Introduction: Welcome to Software Leaders Uncensored
00:53 – Meet Jameel Al-Aziz, CTO of Bastion
01:00 – From Kuwait to UCLA: Jameel’s early journey into tech
02:43 – The thrill of startups and building great teams
03:07 – How tech education is growing in Kuwait
03:50 – What is Bastion? Company overview
04:53 – How Jameel became CTO at Bastion
06:18 – Recruiter connection and joining as employee #4
06:53 – Bastion hits $40M in funding
07:13 – Building a stablecoin issuance platform
08:16 – The engineering challenges behind stablecoins
10:15 – Inside Bastion’s engineering team and culture
12:20 – Remote team structure and global collaboration
13:06 – Managing time zones and productivity
14:46 – Practical vs. theatrical security
16:50 – Understanding real-world cyber threats
17:29 – Proactive security: detection over prevention
18:03 – The evolution of crypto and stablecoins
19:40 – Comparing crypto’s rapid change to AI
20:23 – How AI impacts security and compliance
22:42 – AI in compliance automation and risk management
23:27 – Why regulation makes Bastion different
24:44 – Challenges of 2025: hiring and crypto talent
25:32 – How AI complicates the hiring process
26:30 – The debate: is using AI in interviews cheating?
27:07 – AI as a tool, not a crutch
28:03 – Brutal lessons from years in engineering leadership
29:23 – Building for your customers, not yourself
30:45 – Why documentation and context empower teams
31:14 – No-BS advice for tech leaders: focus on what you can control

Connect with today's speakers:
🔗 LinkedIn   / stevetaplin  
🔗 LinkedIn   / jalaziz  

#CTO #TechAdvice #TechLessons #TechExec #TechLeadership #Tech #SoftwareDevelopment #TechStrategy #SoftwareLeadersUncensored

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