Virgin Active Group CTO: David Turner
In this conversation with Kyriakos , David, the CTO of Virgin Active, discusses his journey in technology and health, emphasizing the importance of data-driven decision-making, personalization in fitness, and the impact of COVID-19 on digital services. He shares insights on engineering, the future of health systems, and offers career advice for aspiring professionals in tech. The discussion also touches on the role of AI in enhancing customer engagement and the evolving gym experience.Chapters00:00 - Intro0:01:26 - What the UK market is good at0:05:33 - What F1 measures—and what fitness should be0:07:33 - Betting industry and health data0:09:30 - Getting into software engineering0:13:51 - Inside NHS tech: joining mid-Covid0:14:00 - Joining and leading NHS in Covid0:20:56 - Lockdown proof: testing at a national scale0:24:49 - The data behind the Covid travel pass0:26:00 - How David joined Virgin0:30:40 - How Virgin Clubs use technology0:33:40 - Building the 360° member view (and why it matters)0:37:23 - The tiny digital nudge that keeps you coming back0:41:40 - Rewards that actually reduce churn0:45:19 - Why gym innovation came from outsiders0:54:40 - Advice to younger folks: embrace failure0:58:17 - The future: your constant ‘digital twin’
