What does it really mean to be AI-native when hiring or backing a leadership team?

Chris Preston, CEO at ZEREN, a global technology recruitment firm, and Rishabh Kaul, Venture Partner at Hoxton Ventures, discuss how AI is changing the signals that matter in senior talent, from curiosity and hands-on experimentation to judgement and functional expertise.

Recorded at the EUVC Summit & Awards Show in April 2026, they explore the trade-off between proven experience and AI-native thinking, how founders can rethink hiring and how investors can better assess and support leadership teams as expectations evolve.

Highlights

What AI-native leadership looks like in practice
How founders and investors can assess AI capability
Why curiosity and experimentation matter alongside experience
When deep domain expertise still matters more
Why interim executives can help shape evolving roles
Why early-stage teams should focus on standout strengths rather than perfection

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro
(02:00) How AI is changing leadership hiring
(04:00) Why experienced leaders need to stay close to how AI is being used
(06:00) How to test for genuinely AI-native thinking
(07:00) Balancing proven experience with AI curiosity
(09:00) The investor perspective on AI adoption across portfolio companies
(11:00) When deep domain expertise still matters more
(12:00) Using interim leaders when roles are still evolving
(13:00) Why founders should hire for standout strengths, not perfection

Summit | Chris Preston (ZEREN) & Rishabh Kaul (Hoxton Ventures): Building AI-native leadership teams

EUVC

Summit | Chris Preston (ZEREN) & Rishabh Kaul (Hoxton Ventures): Building AI-native leadership teams