Welcome to another episode of the Oteemo CIO Podcast. In another compelling conversation from our CIO Podcast, we sit down with Rukevbe (Rukus) Esi, Chief Digital Officer at AvalonBay Communities.

Meet Rukus Esi

With over 25 years of experience across six industries, Rukus is a transformative leader who shares practical insights on digital leadership, innovation, and organizational change. This episode is packed with real-world strategies on leading enterprise transformation, building high-performing teams, and aligning tech initiatives with business outcomes.

Here are some of the key takeaways from this episode:

1. Begin with the Problem, Not the Solution Rukus emphasizes starting all transformation efforts by deeply understanding the customer-backed problem. He uses a “people, process, technology” framework—but only after the business objective is crystal clear.

2. From Project-Centric to Product-Centric Execution Transitioning AvalonBay from a project-based model to a product-centric operating model was pivotal. The organization now focuses on iterative improvements, journey-based design, and long-term ownership of solutions—especially those that differentiate their customer experience.

3. Build What Differentiates, Buy the Commodity To stay competitive, AvalonBay builds proprietary tools in areas where differentiation matters, and buys or rents commodity tech. This hybrid approach ensures control over strategic experiences while optimizing investment.

4. Reimagining Real Estate Operations Through Tech Rukus details AvalonBay’s shift to neighborhood-based asset operations, supported by centralized, tech-enabled staffing. This transition enhances efficiency, reduces friction, and improves the leasing and living experience for both customers and associates.

5. Metrics that Matter: NPS, Friction Scores, and Operational Cost Success is measured through Net Promoter Scores (NPS), customer effort scores, time-on-task metrics, and cost-to-operate. These outcome-driven metrics help validate tech investments and continuously improve service delivery.

6. Attracting & Retaining Talent Through Story and Impact Hiring great talent starts with a compelling vision. Rukus highlights how sharing the company’s mission, using modern technologies, and offering growth opportunities keeps AvalonBay’s digital team engaged and growing.

7. Advice to the Next-Gen Tech Leaders Rukus shares his playbook for rising tech professionals:

• Cultivate curiosity—always ask “why.”
• Stay agile—the tech landscape evolves fast.
• Be intentional—every career move should serve a purpose.

And most importantly, learn how to use AI.