Alix Boulnois is the Chief Business, Digital & Tech Officer at Accor, one of the world's leading hotel companies. Alix joined Accor in February 2020 as SVP Digital & Innovation. In January 2023, Alix was appointed Chief Digital Officer, expanding her oversight from the Digital Factory to include business functions across Distribution, Loyalty, Contact Centers and E-commerce. Concurrently, she joined Accor’s Management Board. 

In June 2024, Alix's responsibilities expanded to include the leadership of Business, Digital & Tech, as Chief Business, Digital & Tech Officer. This expansion included taking on oversight of Tech in hotels & Core IT. In this broader capacity, she leads significant transformative business and technological initiatives, partnerships, and projects with her teams, aimed at supporting and enhancing the Group's activities and operations.*

*As stated on the Accor company website. (1)

L’Oréal Groupe is embracing generative AI to redefine the beauty industry, leveraging cutting-edge technology to enhance customer engagement and marketing. 

Under her leadership, L’Oréal Groupe introduced “Beauty Genius,” an AI-powered beauty consultant that offers personalized advice and product recommendations, enhancing consumer engagement and product formulation. 

With partnerships like Nvidia and its internal Generative AI Task Force and GenAI Content Lab, the company integrates AI into its operations through a focus on science, technology, and creativity. 

The task force develops ethical guidelines, upskills employees, and identifies AI applications, while the content lab explores innovative ways to create marketing content without compromising authenticity. (2)

Bhavesh Dayalji is the Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer at S&P Global and the Chief Executive Officer of Kensho, S&P Global’s AI innovation hub.

Bhavesh is responsible for S&P Global’s AI vision and strategy, championing the use and deployment of AI to accelerate innovation across S&P Global and for its customers. (1)

Kensho utilizes S&P's data to develop machine learning applications for both S&P Global and its clients. Focusing on natural language data, they create models that structure unstructured and semi-structured data. Their AI services enhance data collection speed, enrichment depth and discovery relevance while addressing significant business challenges. (2)

Bhavesh also champions the need for a skilled workforce to execute their AI goals effectively. In September, the company initiated an upskilling program for its 35,000 employees, including top executives, in collaboration with Accenture, creating a tailored AI curriculum. About 200 leaders are engaging in a hybrid learning program on generative AI.

The company is not alone; over one-third of C-suite leaders prioritize AI training investments. However, many enterprises struggle with unclear plans and only 23% of employees feel equipped to use AI effectively. Addressing these gaps with programs like this is crucial to achieving S&P Global's AI integration goals. (3)

Brett Keller is Chief Executive Officer of Priceline, a subsidiary of Booking Holdings. Brett joined the company in 1999, just a year after launch, and rose to Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Operating Officer prior to his appointment to CEO in 2016. 

With over 25 years of experience in scaling global e-commerce businesses, Brett has played a pivotal role in growing Priceline’s business and evolving the brand’s product and go-to-market strategies for its diverse set of digital offerings. 

A proven leader and champion for innovation, Brett spearheaded the launch of the travel industry’s first full-service mobile app, was the architect of the iconic Priceline Negotiator campaign and most recently was a driving force behind the company’s robust early adoption of Generative AI.*

*As stated on the Priceline company website. (1)

Priceline is redefining the travel booking experience by collaborating with OpenAI’s Operator to explore how agentic AI can simplify trip planning. Travelers can effortlessly share their desired destination and unique preferences, while Operator navigates Priceline’s platform to manage the research and booking process on their behalf.

Over the last 18 months they have introduced an AI-powered Trip Intelligence suite,  their virtual travel assistant Penny, and, integrated conversational commerce into its platform with OpenAI’s Realtime Voice API. These innovations reflect Brett and his team's dedication to leveraging the latest technologies to ensure that their customers always find the best travel deals with ease. (2)

In a recent post on LinkedIn, Brian mentioned being excited about two AI innovations for 2025:

"Agentic AI - Which promises to increase efficiency and reduce operational friction, aiming to enhance employee capabilities and elevate customer experiences.

Specialized Language Models (SLMs) - Are set to revolutionize multiple sectors. Unlike the broader Large Language Models (LLMs), SLMs are tailored to specific domains, providing superior accuracy and efficiency for specialized tasks while being more cost and energy-efficient. 

Together, Agentic AI and SLMs are expected to usher in a new era of understanding, precision, and efficiency in customer service at Verizon. This approach is seen as providing a VIP Pass to a more seamless and intuitive customer experience." -  according to Higgins. (2)

As EVP and Global Chief Information Officer at McDonald's, Brian Rice has led several significant developments in the realm of technology innovation and digital transformation. 

Rice has been instrumental in McDonald's strategy to double down on what they call the "3Ds" — digital, delivery, and Drive Thru. This involves enhancing digital capabilities to improve customer interactions across these channels.  (1)

His leadership has seen McDonald's scale new capabilities, including loyalty programs now in nearly 50 markets, introducing innovations like artificial intelligence (AI) and automated order-taking systems, and modernizing data systems to enhance customer experience. 

Digital displays are also an essential part of McDonald’s transformation. McDonald's has installed huge touchscreen kiosks for self-service ordering and payment in place of conventional printed menu boards and posters throughout each of its restaurants. (2)

Cara Sylvester is the executive vice president and chief guest experience officer for Target Corporation. In this role, Cara is focused on deepening guest engagement, attracting new shoppers and overseeing Target’s well-loved and powerful brand by driving connection across pivotal capabilities that underpin Target’s distinctive guest experience. 

She leads the teams responsible for the retailer’s marketing, media and creative strategy, as well as its e-commerce business, including user experience, product and operations. Cara also oversees the company’s loyalty efforts as part of Target Circle, and its in-house media company, Roundel.

Cara joined Target in 2007 and has held a variety of leadership roles with the company. In recent years, she directed the evolution of Target’s omnichannel shopping experience by forging strong connections between the retailer’s marketing, digital and technology capabilities, including the strategic application of generative AI.*

*As stated on the Target company website. (1)

Charlotte Baldwin has established herself as a formidable leader in the realm of technology and digital transformation across various industries. Her career trajectory has notably focused on leveraging technology to drive business growth, innovation, and efficiency.

Charlotte was recently appointed as CIO of Burberry, where she leads the company's global technology team. Under the Burberry Forward plan, the retailer said it would reconnect the brand to outwear, improve its e-commerce functionality, and use data-driven decision making and AI to complement the creative process. (1)

Before joining Burberry, Baldwin was the Global Chief Digital and Information Officer at Costa Coffee. She managed the technology, digital, and data organization across 3,800 stores globally. Her role included implementing AI solutions for supply chain optimization and enhancing customer experience through data-driven marketing strategies.

Charlotte has built a distinguished career in technology and digital transformation across multiple industries, most recently at Costa Coffee where she served as Global Chief Digital & Information Officer.

Her tenure at Thomson Reuters saw her as a Divisional CIO, where she laid the groundwork for leveraging technology in data analytics and reporting.

At Pearson, as CTO, Baldwin managed a significant technology portfolio, focusing on educational technology enhancements through data analytics and AI, aiming to customize learning for individuals.

At Freshfields, she led the firm's digital strategy, incorporating AI to advance legal services. At Bupa, she transformed the company's digital offerings, using AI to personalize health services and improve predictive insurance analytics. (2)

Under his leadership, Indeed has leveraged AI to power tools like resume screening, personalized job recommendations, and employer insights, helping millions of job seekers connect with opportunities more effectively.

In his keynote at Indeed FutureWorks 2024 (above), Chris said that an upcoming AI-powered product called Pathfinder will provide job seekers with the resources to develop a career path and will help employers fill talent gaps. 

He also shared that Hyams’ daughter Mazie was one of Pathfinder’s early testers and said Indeed is committed to using AI responsibly and keeping the human at the center of hiring decisions.

In November 2024, Clara joined Meta to lead Meta’s new Business AI group that will offer AI products made with Llama to the millions of businesses advertising and creating content on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. “This new product group under Clara’s leadership will help us bring that vision to life,” said Meta’s VP and Head of Monetization, John Hegeman. (1)

According to Clara's LinkedIn, she was previously the CEO of Salesforce AI, where she spearheaded the company’s AI-driven initiatives to enhance customer experiences and business automation. 

A trailblazer in AI and social media, Shih gained prominence with her bestselling book The Facebook Era, which explored the impact of social networks on business. She has been recognized as one of Fortune’s “Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs” and featured on lists such as Forbes’ “Top Women in Tech.” (2)

For instance, Cristina views AI as an opportunity to neutralize bias, a discussion so often absent from the broader industry. 

Diageo launched a programme called ‘What’s your Whisky?’, an algorithm which helps consumers find a whiskey they  will enjoy through identifying each individual's flavor profile, a process free of bias. As Diezhandino explains: “It doesn't matter what gender you are or what age you are. It is your flavour choice that counts.” (2)

Additionally, Diezhandino has led initiatives to modernize Diageo’s brand experiences through digital innovation. A notable example is the Johnnie Walker Princes Street Experience in Edinburgh, which integrates digital elements to create immersive consumer engagements. (3)

Dara Treseder is a proven technology business leader with expertise in building and leading high performing global marketing, communications, consumer, and commercial organizations. 

She is currently the Chief Marketing Officer of Autodesk — a leading innovative technology & software company changing how the world is designed and made. Dara Treseder serves as the Chief Marketing Officer at Autodesk where she leads marketing for the global e-commerce business, sets the strategy to market the product portfolio, and oversees the company’s marketing, brand, communications, demand generation, growth, digital, and education business teams. Treseder was recognized by Forbes as the top CMO on its World’s Most Influential CMOs list. (1)

Treseder's leadership in AI application extends beyond just marketing; she fosters a culture where technology enhances creativity and productivity. Her work at Autodesk demonstrates a commitment to using AI not just for efficiency but also to empower users, making complex tasks more accessible and fostering innovation. 

Ekta Chopra serves as the Chief Digital Officer at E.L.F. Beauty, where she has been pivotal in steering the company's digital transformation since joining in 2016. 

Ekta's approach combines technology with a deep understanding of consumer behavior, ensuring that E.L.F. Beauty remains at the forefront of digital innovation in the beauty industry. With over 20 years of experience in technology from both private equity and retail sectors, Chopra has a rich background in leveraging tech for business growth. 

Before E.L.F., she held key positions such as Director of Technology at The James Irvine Foundation and VP of Technology at Charming Charlie, where she managed significant tech transformations. (1)

Chalwin's approach to marketing at Workday involves leveraging AI to drive both creative and strategic initiatives. She has introduced AI-powered solutions for lead scoring and customer engagement, aiming to increase ROI on marketing efforts, according to a recent interview with The Drum.

“There’s nothing more infuriating to the business than a marketer bragging about leads when the company isn’t hitting goals,” she says. “We’re using AI for lead scoring, next-best actions – anything that shows real impact on sales.” (3)

As CEO of Delta Air Lines, Ed Bastian leads 100,000 global professionals who are building the world’s premier international airline, powered by a people-driven, customer-focused culture and spirit of innovation. (1)

Ed Bastian's vision for Delta Airlines centers on leveraging emerging technologies to significantly enhance the customer experience, making air travel not just a means of transportation but a cherished part of the journey itself. 

Bastian believes that technology should be used to enhance human interaction rather than replace it. He speaks of "innovating with heart," where technology serves to create premium experiences while maintaining the human touch at the core of Delta's service.

Esi Eggleston Bracey is Unilever’s Chief Growth and Marketing Officer, and responsible for leading Unilever into the next generation of marketing and maximizing opportunities for growth.

With over 30 years of experience in general management, brand building, and marketing leadership, Esi has a proven track record of driving growth and innovation in the consumer goods and beauty industries, guiding organizations to unlock growth in rapidly evolving markets. (1)

Helen Davis serves as the SVP and Head of North America Operations at The Kraft Heinz Company. With over 25 years of experience in leading operations and supply chain for major consumer packaged goods companies, Davis has worked across diverse geographies, bringing a wealth of expertise to her current position. 

Before joining Kraft Heinz, Davis was the Head of Supply Chain North America Beauty, Wellbeing and Personal Care at Unilever, where she was known for modernizing the planning function by implementing new tools and reorganizing teams for future growth. Her career also includes significant roles at other giants like Estée Lauder, Coca-Cola, and Reckitt Benckiser. (1)

One initiative that Helen is instrumental in guiding is how AI is applied to Supply Chain. Kraft Heinz is developing a  “self-driving supply chain” that uses predictive technologies and a “cognitive decision layer” to make autonomous decisions and respond quickly to consumer demand. 

Additionally, the company is developing an internal generative AI tool, KraftGPT, to help employees quickly gain insights into business trends, such as product sales. The app allows employees to ask questions like why certain products, like bacon, are experiencing a surge in popularity. (2)

Howie Xu is the Chief AI & Innovation Officer at Gen, a global leader in consumer cybersecurity. In this role, he spearheads the integration of artificial intelligence to enhance cybersecurity solutions, ensuring safer digital experiences for users worldwide.

Before joining Gen, Xu served as Vice President of Machine Learning and AI at Zscaler, a prominent cloud security company. His journey into AI leadership began with the co-founding of TrustPath, an AI-focused startup specializing in advanced machine learning solutions for cybersecurity. TrustPath’s innovative approaches led to its acquisition by Zscaler in 2018, where Xu continued to drive AI initiatives.  He also founded VMware's networking team and ran it for a decade. Howie is an alum of Stanford University Graduate School of Business. (1)

In Howie's recent blog post on LinkedIn entitled "My Gen AI Career Chapter" Howie discusses his vision for AI at Gen, and what attracted him to the role. One of Xu’s key initiatives will focus on developing AI-native personal assistants tailored for individual consumers and solopreneurs. 

Unlike existing virtual assistants from tech giants like Microsoft and Apple, Gen’s AI solutions will aim to provide specialized support, acting as on-demand Chief Financial Officers, Legal Officers, and Personal Brand Managers. These AI-driven tools are expected to address consumer pain points in ways that traditional enterprise solutions do not.

Jaime Montemayor is the Chief Digital and Technology Officer at General Mills, overseeing digital transformation and strategy by integrating IT, Digital, Data and Analytics, and Cybersecurity. 

Jaime joined General Mills with over 20 years of experience in the technology space, having held leadership positions at Oracle, Booz Allen Hamilton and PepsiCo. His career has been global and multicultural with a focus on partnering with transformational business leaders to leverage technology to drive differentiated business outcomes. He has a deep commitment to developing high performing talent and experience building strong, diverse teams across North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia.

During his time with PepsiCo, Jaime led multiple IT-enabled business transformations, spearheaded the development of the analytics-at-scale strategy and deployed innovative capabilities to better prepare the company for future retail and consumer trends. 

Prior to joining General Mills, he served as PepsiCo’s Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer – Digital Innovation, Data and Analytics. (1)

*As stated on the General Mills company website. (1)

Jane Lauder, granddaughter of Estée Lauder’s founder, has been a pivotal figure in the company. Over nearly three decades, she held various leadership roles, including Global President and General Manager of Origins, Darphin, and Ojon brands, where she oversaw strategic direction and growth. 

In 2020, she was appointed Executive Vice President of Enterprise Marketing and Chief Data Officer, leading initiatives that combined data science with creativity to drive the company’s growth. In October 2024, Jane Lauder resigned from her executive position at Estée Lauder Companies amid a leadership transition, though she continues to serve as a board member and advisor.

In 2024, The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) and Microsoft announced the launch of an AI Innovation Lab, expanding their global partnership.

Using Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service, the lab aims to develop generative AI solutions to strengthen consumer connections and accelerate market readiness with locally relevant products for ELC’s 20+ prestige beauty brands. This collaboration positions both companies as leaders in leveraging generative AI to transform the beauty industry.

With Microsoft’s generative AI tools and extensive expertise, they are able to leverage ELC’s tremendous data to create more personalized consumer experiences and faster insights to action resulting in increased speed to market and stronger local relevance. (1)

Jennifer Oleksiw is the Group Vice President, Global Chief Customer Officer, Eli Lilly and Company, where she drives innovative to enhance customer engagement and health outcomes.* 

With a focus on digital transformation, she has championed the integration of AI-driven insights and tools, including partnerships with platforms like Salesforce, to deliver personalized customer experiences. (1) Jennifer has also spearheaded initiatives that leverage AI and behavioral insights to improve patient well-being. 

Her leadership reflects a commitment to advancing healthcare through technology and fostering meaningful connections with customers worldwide.

Jennifer's passion lies partnering with talented entrepreneurs and venture capital firms to identify, expand and/or scale new technology businesses. (3)

Jill Cress is the Chief Marketing and Experience Officer for H&R Block. In this role, Cress is responsible for leading all aspects of the company’s customer experience, marketing and communications efforts, driving the company’s transformation, delivering growth, and increasing the brand’s relevance.

For more than 30 years, Cress has honed her skills as a strategic and passionate consumer, B2B marketer and experience strategist with deep expertise in financial services, media and technology. Prior to H&R Block, Cress served as vice president of brand marketing for PayPal, where she also had responsibility for all Venmo marketing. In addition, she was the chief marketing and communications officer at National Geographic Partners and served for more than 20 years at MasterCard Worldwide.

She has been recognized for numerous accolades, including Adweek’s inaugural Marketing Vanguard list, 2025 Forbes Entrepreneurial CMO 50, Forbes’ list of the World’s 50 Most Influential CMOs, Forbes’ inaugural CMO Next List, and Forbes Business Insider’s 25 Most Innovative CMOs.*

*As stated on the H&R Block company website. (1)

In the episode of The Speed of Culture above, Jill discusses H&R Block’s strategic pivot towards digital and mobile experiences, the impact of AI on consumer financial interactions, and insights into career longevity in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.

Under her leadership, H&R Block introduced the AI Tax Assist tool, a generative AI experience designed to provide real-time answers to common tax-related questions. This tool leverages large language models to improve the efficiency and accuracy of services offered to clients, making tax filing more accessible and less intimidating. (2)

As of February, 2025, Joe was appointed President and tasked with the development and growth of Byte by Yum!, an AI-driven restaurant technology platform powering customer and team member experiences worldwide.

According to a release by Yum! Brands; The technology platform enables easy operations for team members and improved experiences for customers, while consolidating essential systems into a cohesive, easy-to-manage platform. 

Backed by artificial intelligence, Byte by Yum! offers franchisees leading technology capabilities with advantaged economics made possible by the scale of Yum! The Byte by Yum! platform includes online and mobile app ordering, point of sale, kitchen and delivery optimization, menu management, inventory and labor management, and team member tools. 

In the U.S., all four of Yum!’s brands are using elements of Byte by Yum! to process more than 300 million digital transactions a year. (3)

According to Hoke, the company is developing both public and in-house models to form a "private garden" of data, combining Nike's proprietary insights with public datasets to train their AI. This approach aims to enhance product creation by merging athlete-specific information with emerging technologies.

Nike is also pioneering the use of generative AI in product design, leveraging its exclusive athlete performance data to create a bespoke large language model (LLM). At a recent event in Paris, Nike introduced its Athlete Imagined Revolution (AIR) project, demonstrating how AI can be used to quickly design prototype shoes tailored to the preferences and personalities of elite athletes ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games. 

Shown above, AI models generate numerous design images based on athlete prompts, which are then refined into final concepts using other digital tools like 3D sketching and printing. (1)

Julie Averill serves as the EVP and Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Lululemon Athletica Inc., a role she has held since May 2017. Under her leadership, Lululemon has seen significant advances in its digital transformation, focusing on enhancing both customer interaction and internal operational efficiencies through technology innovation. 

Before joining Lululemon, Averill was the first Chief Information Officer at REI where she led a major shift to cloud systems, improving digital and operational capabilities across the organization. Prior to REI, she spent over a decade at Nordstrom in various leadership roles within IT, where she was pivotal in the early development of e-commerce and integrating omnichannel strategies. Her work there contributed significantly to the company's sales growth through enhanced digital experiences. 

Averill's career is marked by her ability to align technology with business objectives, ensuring that tech advancements directly contribute to customer satisfaction and business growth in the retail sector.*

*As stated on the Lululemon company website. (1)

Additionally, Lululemon has used AI to enhance the search functionality on its e-commerce platform, allowing consumers to find products more intuitively. For example, when searching for black tights, the system can suggest variations like tights with pockets or specific lengths based on consumer data and being used by designers to speed up product development. (2)

Julie de Moyer is the Chief Data and AI Officer at LVMH, where she leads the data, analytics, and AI innovation activities for over 15 beauty brands.

De Moyer has honed her skills through diverse leadership roles focused on data, CX, and digital transformation strategies. Her professional journey includes engagements with start-ups, major public corporations, and global FTSE 100 consumer brands, both in advisory capacities and within in-house teams.

Prior to LVMH, De Moyer served as Director of Strategy and Innovation for EMEA at Nike. In this role, she provided strategic guidance for Nike's marketplace operations throughout the EMEA region. (1)

De Moyer's leadership sets a new standard for AI in luxury, balancing technological innovation with traditional luxury values. She believes in blending art with science, allowing brands like Guerlain and Fenty Beauty to evolve digitally while respecting their unique identities. 

De Moyer introduced a concept called "quiet AI" at the 2024 Web Summit, that she describes as subtly enhancing luxury beauty experiences, while preserving artistry and exclusivity for LVMH beauty brands. 

In luxury, where trust is paramount, Julie focuses on high-quality, compliant data to build customer trust, treating privacy as an opportunity to deepen customer relationships rather than just a regulatory requirement. (2)

Above: Domino's Innovation Garage

“We have to think about the way that this technology can be best utilized to drive customer satisfaction and efficiencies in our stores. This is moving so fast, that if we’re not learning at the pace that it's actually being developed, we will be left behind…. I can’t 100% say yet what all the outcomes will be, but us being experts in the space on the cutting edge with a partner like Microsoft will increase the likelihood of really fantastic results for our franchisees, customers and team members.” - Kelly Garcia (4)

OpenAI recently hosted its first AI Economics event in Washington, D.C., led by CEO Sam Altman, Chief Product Officer Kevin Weil, and Chief Economist Aaron “Ronnie” Chatterji. 

The event brought together policymakers and industry leaders to discuss AI’s role in driving economic growth and ensuring the U.S. remains a global leader in AI innovation. Discussions covered AI’s potential to transform sectors like healthcare, scientific research, education, and small business support. (1)

OpenAI also recently announced ChatGPT Gov, a version of ChatGPT that government agencies can deploy in their own MS Azure commercial or government cloud environment. Read OpenAI's release announcent.

Kirti Singh is the Chief Analytics and Insights Officer at Procter & Gamble, where he leads the company’s data and analytics strategies to drive growth, innovation, and operational excellence. 

With over 20 years at P&G, Singh has been instrumental in integrating cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI, into P&G’s decision-making and consumer engagement processes.*

His leadership has enabled the company to leverage AI for predictive analytics, personalized marketing, and optimizing media investments, among other achievements. 

*As stated on the P&G company website. (1)

To learn more about P&G's Analytics & Insights group as they celebrate 100 years of making an impact through data insights, click here.

Kyle is EVP and Chief Executive Officer of Verizon Business, a leading global technology company serving 99% of Fortune 500 companies in over 120 countries. Kyle and his team are responsible for delivering the next generation of technology-driven innovation to their customers around the world.*

Under his leadership, Verizon launched AI Connect, an integrated suite of solutions designed to enable businesses to deploy AI workloads at scale. (4)

*As stated on the Verizon company website. (1)

Dubbed Verizon AI Connect, the initiative consists of a suite of services that would tap into the telecom giant’s existing assets, including network connectivity, edge computing and space, which will be leveraged to satisfy the AI needs of hyperscalers, cloud providers and global enterprises. (2)

Leandro Balbinot currently serves as the Chief Technology Officer at Whole Foods Market, where he has been instrumental in driving the company's digital transformation since joining in 2019.

At Whole Foods Market, Leandro oversees all strategy, design, development, delivery, and support for all technology within Whole Foods Market, including large program delivery, infrastructure, enterprise architecture, portfolio planning and security.  (1)

Before his role at Whole Foods, Balbinot held various leadership positions in technology, including CTO at Mattel and SVP of Technology at Viacom. His career is marked by a dedication to using technology to solve complex business problems, particularly in consumer-facing industries. 

*As stated on the Whole Foods company website. (1)

Leandro has significantly leveraged artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI to drive transformation within the grocery retail sector. 

Balbinot has introduced conversational AI to streamline operations, particularly in simplifying the ordering process. This technology helps in making operations more efficient by automating responses to routine inquiries, thus allowing staff to focus on more complex tasks.

Whole Foods uses data to successfully launch new products in all 540 stores, and has found conversational AI to be transformational in simplifying operations and making ordering more efficient. (2)

Balbinot's leadership in technology at Whole Foods has been about not just adopting AI but ensuring it aligns with the company's ethos of quality, customer service, and sustainability. 

A couple of weeks after Create Real Magic, they launched  its Coca-Cola ChatGPT enterprise capability across the whole company, with clear implication for knowledge management. 

"You can find out the policies of the company with regards to whatever topic you want to know, either internal topics, ie travel expenses, or external topics. You will get a very quick answer. 

It's mind-blowing because before you would go to our website for what we call commercial leadership and our members would need to read hours and hours of material versus getting an immediate answer that says ‘these are the three examples that have the highest impact." - Manuel Arroyo (3)

Melanie has a proven history of driving transformation and growth initiatives across industries such as CPG, FMCG, and eCommerce, with expertise in P&L leadership, global brand management, and operational strategy. 

Melanie's accomplishments include crafting billion-dollar innovation pipelines, managing M&A activities like Unilever’s $4B Alberto-Culver acquisition, and thriving in diverse cultural and business environments.

With a strong focus on AI leadership, Melanie spearheaded enterprise-wide initiatives to integrate AI into innovation, marketing, and operations, enhancing productivity and driving results. (1)

Mustafa has been a vocal advocate of AI and warns of the transformative yet perilous future AI presents. In his book The Coming Wave: Technology, Power and the Twenty-First Century’s Greatest Dilemma, Mustafa emphasizes how AI will soon permeate every aspect of society—from business operations to government services.

While these advancements promise immense benefits, including breakthroughs in medicine, energy, and automation, Suleyman cautions that they also pose significant risks, such as destabilizing the global order and challenging the role of nation-states. He highlights the containment problem—the struggle to regulate AI without either allowing unchecked dangers or imposing excessive government surveillance. (2)

At Lenovo, Naomi drives product marketing direction, strategy, and programs for existing and new AI offerings. She partners with Lenovo’s AI Center of Excellence and product management teams to differentiate Lenovo’s portfolio of various AI solutions and services throught marketing communications. 

Naomi joins other members of Lenovo’s AI team in the mission of helping organizations find the right AI strategies to advance their business goals and deploy them quickly and securely in ethical and responsible ways. (1)

Before joining Lenovo, Naomi held senior marketing positions at Avanade, including Global Marketing Lead for Advisory Services & Emerging Technologies and Corporate Communications Lead for Growth Markets. Her career also includes leadership roles in corporate marketing at Bluewolf, an IBM Company, and Polycom. (2)

Patricia Corsi is the Chief Growth Officer at Kimberly-Clark. Corsi previously served as Chief Marketing, IT, and Digital Officer at Bayer Consumer Health, where she led significant brand and commercial teams, overseeing a successful innovation pipeline. (1)

Corsi has been instrumental in integrating digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) throughout her career, notably during her tenure at Bayer. As Chief Marketing, Digital, and Information Officer at Bayer Consumer Health, she led initiatives to modernize the company’s marketing strategies by leveraging AI technologies. This approach aimed to enhance consumer engagement and streamline operations within the healthcare sector.  (2)

Patricia has emphasized the need for creating frictionless consumer journeys by leveraging data and technology to engage consumers more proactively in their health management, highlighting the use of AI to accelerate capabilities in consumer health. Click the image above to listen to the complete podcast. (3)

Peggy Fang Roe, Marriott International’s EVP and Chief Customer Officer, has been instrumental in integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the company’s marketing and customer engagement strategies. 

In her role, she oversees Marriott’s Global Customer Strategy, Data and AI, Global Brand and Marketing, the Marriott Bonvoy Loyalty Program, and Global Design and Innovation.  Under Roe’s leadership, Marriott utilizes AI for enhanced personalization and customer loyalty, using first-party data to tailor guest experiences. (1)

The company reportedly launched an AI Incubator in 2023, with over 150 use cases and aims to improve in three areas: content generation, customer experience, and associate intelligence. (2) Marriott has initiated pilots like the AI-powered virtual assistant RenAI, focusing on enabling employees to enhance guest experiences. (3) Marriott’s tech investments reached up to $1.2 billion in 2024, marking the highest tech expenditure in its history.

"We are embracing the need to take risks, experiment with AI across our system and build on what we learn to drive scale and convert the opportunity into value for the company," said Thakar. (1)

One notable initiative was the "Create Real Magic" campaign, where fans worldwide were invited to use AI technologies like GPT-4 and Dall-E to create unique artwork with Coca-Cola themes. This campaign led to the formation of  the "Real Magic Creative Academy," where selected participants spent three days at Coke's Atlanta headquarters creating artwork. 

The campaign was a massive success, with over 300 pieces of art displayed on digital billboards, achieving 300 million social impressions in just 11 days and engaging consumers for an average of over seven minutes. (2)

The company has also introduced AI-co-created flavors like Y3000 and leveraged AI in ads like “Masterpiece,” blending art with live-action elements.

Image: Capital One

Rachel Whitcomb has extensive experience in technology leadership roles, particularly in the retail industry. Rachel has held various positions at Target, where Rachel currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Technology, overseeing tech capabilities. Rachel has also worked in supply chain technology, digital engineering, and merchandise systems strategy and architecture at Target. Prior to their time at Target, Rachel worked as a consultant and design director in the technology industry. (1)

By August 2024, Target planned to roll out new Generative AI-powered tools to team members across nearly 2,000 stores, aiming to improve operational efficiency and customer service through AI assistance. Target is also using generative AI to improve its product display pages, aiming to deliver personalized customer search results and detailed product review summaries. 

AI-driven improvements are designed to improve the online shopping experience by making it easier for customers to find the products they are looking for and understand their features and benefits. The new guided search feature on Target’s online store broadens the selection of relevant items returned in customer searches. (3)

In the video above, Raja discusses how Generative AI is a ground-breaking tool for structuring marketing briefs. Most importantly, he emphasizes how although AI is a powerful tool, it cannot replace the unmatched creativity of human marketers.

Under his leadership, Mastercard has developed AI-powered tools like Shopping Muse, an assistant that translates everyday language into personalized product suggestions, enhancing the online shopping experience. This innovation has been adopted by brands such as Belk, H&M, Michael Kors, and Hugo Boss.  

Raja is a globally renowned thought leader and author, writing books such as Quantum Marketing, which helps marketers gain clarity on the right marketing strategies and tactics to pursue amidst an ever-evolving industry.

As the Global Head of Insights at Reddit, Rob Gaige has been instrumental in leveraging artificial intelligence to transform how Reddit processes and interprets data for both user engagement and marketing insights. 

Gaige's vision has been to use AI to make sense of the vast, organic conversations on Reddit, thereby providing a treasure trove of insights for advertisers looking to connect authentically with communities.

One of the key areas where Gaige has applied AI is in predicting consumer trends by mining Reddit's user-generated content. His approach has been to use AI to predict future behaviors and preferences, such as the adoption of unconventional diet trends like entomophagy or the rise of AI-generated music. 

This has positioned Reddit as a forward-thinking platform where AI aids in understanding the pulse of consumer behavior well before it becomes mainstream.

Furthermore, Gaige's leadership has seen the incorporation of AI into Reddit's search and analytics capabilities, enhancing tools like "Reddit Answers." This AI-powered feature provides users with curated, conversational responses based on the platform's extensive data offering advertisers deeper insights into community sentiments. (2)

Sathish Muthukrishnan became the Chief Information, Data, and Digital Officer at Ally Financial Inc. in December 2019, where he focuses on enhancing technical and digital capabilities at the company while reporting to the CEO.

Recognized for his leadership in digital transformation, he received the Innovator of the Year award in 2024 and was inducted into the CIO Hall of Fame. Previously, he held senior roles at Honeywell Aerospace and American Express, accumulating over 20 years of technology leadership experience. (1)

Sathish has extensively discussed the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within the company. In a presentation at Digital Banking 2024, he highlighted the development of Ally.ai, a proprietary AI platform designed to enhance customer service and internal operations. 

This platform assists customer care associates by summarizing conversations, allowing them to focus more on customer interactions. Additionally, it aids marketing and user experience teams by generating initial drafts of content, expediting the creation process by 60%. (view above video)

As Chief Digital & Technology Officer at CBRE’s Advisory Services and the Global Chief MarTech Officer, Satnam leads global digital and technology team focused on harnessing the power of digital, data, and AI to drive innovation and enhance client and business outcomes across real estate services. (1) 

 With over two decades of experience in technology leadership, Satnam has a proven track record of delivering transformative solutions across various industries. His career includes significant roles such as Chief Product Officer at Thomson Reuters, where he spearheaded innovative product development in the tax and trade sector, and a senior position at Oracle, where he was pivotal in launching Oracle's first AI product suite. 

Satnam has also held key leadership roles at companies like MetLife, Travelocity, and Omnicom, managing complex technology projects that spanned multiple sectors and geographies.

Scott Belsky leads corporate strategy and development, is responsible for design across the Digital Media and Digital Experience businesses, and is driving incubation of some of Adobe’s fastest growing emerging products. 

As Chief Strategy Officer, Scott plants flags for future opportunities in all of Adobe’s markets and leads investments, engagements, and acquisitions in the startup ecosystem. Scott is Adobe’s design leader, working to continuously uplevel design of all Adobe products. 

Prior to this role, Scott was Adobe’s Chief Product Officer for five years, leading development of all Creative Cloud products. Under his leadership, the company launched Adobe Express, brought flagship products like Photoshop and Illustrator to web and mobile platforms, incubated our 3D & Immersive products, and created the Content Authenticity Initiative, which fosters attribution for creators and enables transparency in digital content.

Prior to joining Adobe in December 2017, Scott was a venture investor at Benchmark in San Francisco. This is Scott’s second tenure at Adobe. He originally joined the company after it acquired Behance in 2012. At that time, he also led Adobe’s mobile and services strategy for Creative Cloud. Scott co-founded Behance in 2006 and served as its CEO for six years.

Scott has been an advisor on design and product management for leading companies and institutions, including Pinterest, Uber, sweetgreen, Carta, Cheddar, Flexport, Airtable, OpenSea, Ramp, Ro, and Periscope. 

Belsky is also recognized for his writings, authoring books such as "Making Ideas Happen" and "The Messy Middle," which focus on productivity and creativity in business. (1)

Sehr Thadhani, Chief Digital Officer at Nasdaq, is a visionary intrapreneur renowned for her ability to innovate and transform brands and businesses. 

With expertise in brand strategy, business design, and transformation, she has held senior roles at leading organizations such as Google, NBC, Viacom, and Edelman Digital. As a trusted advisor, Sehr has provided strategic guidance to executives at GE, Estee Lauder, Samsung, and even the White House during the Obama Administration.

Passionate about navigating the speed of change and exploring uncharted territories, Sehr excels in balancing analytical and creative thinking to drive both systemic transformation and commercial success. Her career path reflects a bold, non-linear approach, uncovering opportunities in overlooked intersections to keep organizations at the forefront of relevance and innovation. (1)

CarMax employs AI tools like GPT-3.x and DaVinci to automate content creation, drastically reducing the need for extensive human resources and cutting down content generation times from years to hours. (2)

CarMax’s AI applications extend beyond content generation, as the company has implemented AI in multiple facets of its operations. These include machine learning for photo optimization and search engine visibility, as well as AI-driven tools that streamline code generation and data structuring for new digital products. 

A standout example is an AI-powered app that provides customers with instant offers for trade-ins, significantly increasing CarMax’s car purchases. The company is building a solid governance framework around AI usage to ensure its responsible application in achieving business goals. (3) 

Suresh Kumar is the EVP and global chief technology officer (CTO) and chief development officer (CDO) of Walmart, Inc. Suresh sets Walmart's technical strategy, combining advances in computing with Walmart’s strengths to deliver the best customer experiences. 

As the global CDO, he leads the team in building tools and systems to digitally transform its business operations, using the scale and power of data to deliver a competitive advantage while improving the productivity of their associates.*

*As stated on the Walmart company website. (1)

Kumar has been pivotal in integrating artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance retail operations and customer experiences. An  initiative he pioneered is Walmart’s “Adaptive Retail” strategy, designed to create seamless, personalized shopping experiences by integrating the best aspects of both online and in-store shopping. (2)

Takeshi Numoto serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Microsoft, where he leads global marketing efforts encompassing product marketing, brand management, advertising, market research, events, and communications across all Microsoft products and services.

Since joining Microsoft in 1997, Numoto has played a pivotal role in the company’s digital transformation initiatives. He was instrumental in transitioning Microsoft Office to the cloud-based Office 365, a move that significantly modernized the company’s product offerings and business model. (1)

Takeshi 's leadership was instrumental during The Microsoft AI Tour, described as a pivotal initiative aimed at fostering innovation through artificial intelligence (AI). Last year, Microsoft introduced this tour to engage senior business leaders and technical practitioners in exploring AI's transformative potential. Due to its success, Microsoft has expanded the tour for 2025. (2)

Additionally, Takeshi has been instrumental in communicating Microsoft's message about Trustworthy AI, offering assurances that its AI offering is secure, safe, and private. (3)