2025 Review & 2026 Predictions, with Kevin Antao (Part 1 of 3)

2025 Review & 2026 Predictions, with Kevin Antao (Part 1 of 3)

At Virtue & Virtuosity, we’re very aware that our listeners sometimes like to listen to podcasts whilst walking dogs, going for a run, cycling, struggling with insomnia in the wee hours (surely not?), … or cooking a festive dinner. This year, we’ve got a three-part special coming up over the holiday season - you can listen to the first part today, and the second two parts will be released on 22nd and 29th December. We’re here to get you through the holiday season!

In the first section, I talk with fellow consultant, and charity-sector tech expert, Kevin Antao. We discuss the trends we’ve seen in the past 12 months, what’s been on the CIO-agenda, and more broadly how the charity sector has dealt with technology and society shifts… and of course AI does come up once or twice in conversation.

In the following two episodes, we’ll then look at our predictions for 2026 (always dangerous recording things like this…!), and then finally we’ll aim to make this actionable, by listing our top leadership team agenda items for the coming year,

We’d love to hear your feedback on this, so please do join the conversation with some comments, or even just a Happy Christmas to the Virtue & Virtuosity community. My stats (and all the conversations I have when I bump into people) tell me that we’ve built up a strong loyal audience - we’d love to hear from you. If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, please do repost about it, give it a like on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Youtube, etc.

Finally, best wishes for a healthy, peaceful (and hopefully tech-problem-free) holiday break!

Stuart

Stay Tuned for more insights in future episodes

If you’re new to the podcast - then definitely take a look back at some cracking episodes in the previous two seasons. Whilst there is a storyline flowing through the episodes, they work in any order, so don’t feel obliged to listen to them chronologically.

If you like this newsletter and podcast, and want it to stay free, please do consider reposting it on LinkedIn - we love watching our audience grow. Also do get in touch if you want to get involved, or sponsor anything. You can also subscribe to the newsletter outside of LinkedIn by going to https://virtuechain.co.uk and scrolling down to the subscribe link at the bottom of the homepage.

If you’re keen for me to feature something going on in your charity, NFP or similar, please get in touch - and do comment on anything in here, or in the podcast that you like.

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About our host and guests

Kevin Antao, Independent consultant

Kevin Antao is an experienced technology leader with a strong track record of driving digital transformation in non-profit and commercial sectors. As a Digital Trustee, CIO, and Technology Advisor, he has spearheaded strategic initiatives that optimise technology infrastructure, enhance cybersecurity, and improve operational efficiency across global organizations.

Stuart McSkimming, Podcast Host

Stuart is a thought-leader in AI for charities and not-for-profits, and recognised in the 2025 AI100 list of the top 100 people shaping the future of AI in the UK. He is the founder of the sector-specific Technology & AI consultancy, Virtue Chain . He has over twenty years’ experience in NFP/Charity leadership roles, predominantly in the technology/digital and transformation space. He is an expert in getting the most from teams and focusing organisations on strategic goals to get the most from Technology & Digital. He is passionate about organisations focusing on inclusion and finding ways to attract a diverse mix of top talent into their teams. He has worked as a CIO for two organisations – Shelter and Royal British Legion, and also a variety of roles elsewhere. Stuart is extensively networked in the not-for-profit sector both in the UK, and internationally, and is the Vice Chair of top membership organisation, Charity IT Leaders. Stuart enjoys regular public speaking, and also has been known to do stand-up comedy gigs occasionally.

Virtue Chain builds the link between enthusiastic and talented technology teams, and organisation strategic goals. By focusing on people, strategy, governance and decision-making structures, Virtue Chain can help your charity get the right leadership approach across AI, Technology, Digital, Data, and transformation. We use maturity models, and partnering approaches to help trustees, CEO’s and exec leaders see the potential for technology in their organisation, and understand where to start in turning ideas into action.

Get in contact with stuart.mcskimming@virtuechain.co.uk if you’d like to chat. Typically the conversation starts from either a trustee, CEO or CTO level.

In case its not obvious, views expressed are the personal views of the podcast host and guests and don’t necessarily represent those of any organisations they work with or for, either now or in the past.