CDAO Fall Day 1 schedule

•    How is the role of data leadership evolving in today’s financial organizations?
•    What bold moves have you made to turn data into a transformation driver?
•    How do you inspire trust, speed, and innovation across business and tech teams?

Panelists:
Ellis Wong, Chief Information Security Officer, JST CAPITAL 
Amin Assareh, Vice President, Data Science, FIDELITY INVESTMENTS
Martin Bernier, Senior Director Quantitative Strategies and Data Science, La Caisse
Muthu Selvam, Lead Software Engineer, VP, U.S BANK
Patrick Mauro, Chief Data Science Officer, PEARL HEALTH



Moderator:
Shouvik Das, Head of Enterprise Outcome, TRUEFOUNDRY

•    Anticipating change and managing uncertainty, a look at five fast growing trends of data management in Financial Services 
•    Strategies to invest in those trends that are most relevant to your organization 
•    How data & analytics leaders need to adapt to succeed in the future

•    Developing practical steps to move from strategic planning to successfully deploying data, analytics, and AI initiatives across the organization 
•    Addressing common roadblocks such as data silos, governance, and scalability to ensure a seamless implementation 
•    How to leverage AI, agentic workflows and analytics to uncover opportunities, enhance decision-making, and achieve measurable business impact 

Moderator:
Chitrang Shah, CEO and Co-Founder, Savant Labs

AI should be a superpower. Instead, it’s a struggle. Most AI efforts stall before they scale, blocked by inaccurate results, mounting costs, and poor adoption when solutions fail to deliver real business value. Unframe’s Managed AI Delivery Platform changes that by making AI solutions that actually work: tailored to your business, delivered in days, and deployed securely without sharing data or upfront costs.

•    How to see past the hype and truly understand where AI can transform
•    Anticipate future regulations to avoid losing out
•    Developing a culture of AI acceptance and trust

Moderators:
Sujoy Golan, VP of Strategic Initiatives, AI SQUARED 
Barbara Widholm, Vice President, Automation & Artificial Intelligence, STATE STREET 

 

•    Bridging the gap between data teams and business leadership
•    Enabling scalable AI through cross-functional collaboration
•    Using emotional intelligence to lead change and foster adoption
•    Positioning soft skills as a strategic advantage in AI-driven initiatives

 

 

Core Concept: Moving beyond agentic AI hype to practical implementation frameworks that deliver measurable business value. Enterprise leaders need concrete approaches to deploy Agentic AI systems while maintaining control, transparency, and regulatory compliance.

Key Messages:
•    From Concept to Production: Practical roadmaps for deploying agentic AI systems that integrate with existing enterprise architectures and governance frameworks
•    Enterprise-Grade Autonomy: Building AI agents that can operate independently while maintaining the transparency, auditability, and control required by regulated industries
•    ROI-Driven Implementation: Demonstrating measurable business impact through strategic use cases that align with enterprise priorities like risk management, customer experience, and operational efficiency

•    How are data and AI leaders in retail reshaping decision-making in a world of constant consumer flux?
•    What does true data-driven leadership look like in the age of real-time personalization and omnichannel demand?
•    Are today’s data strategies aligned with tomorrow’s retail challenges — or are we optimizing for the past?
•    How can retail leaders foster a culture where analytics and AI are not just tools, but catalysts for innovation and growth?

Panelists:
Rajesh Sura, Head of Data Engineering and Analytics, AMAZON
Shreesha Jagadeesh, Associate Director of Applied Machine Learning, BEST BUY
Vatsal Modi, Data Science Leader, DRAFT KINGS
Rohit Raghunathan, Engineering Manager, DOORDASH 

Moderator: Jason Webster, Founder & CEO, ARCHETYPE

•    Aligning analytics goals with business objectives to maximize ROI in retail and CPG.
•    Leveraging advanced analytics and AI to drive customer insights, personalization, and operational efficiency.
•    Building a culture of data-driven decision-making across teams to ensure long-term success

 •  Driving Adoption at Scale – How Pyramid uses AI/ML to make analytics intuitive and indispensable for every user.
  •  Value Across the Organization – Who benefits from Pyramid’s AI/ML investments, from executives to everyday decision-makers.
  •  Smarter Insights, Faster – Leveraging machine learning to uncover patterns and insights hidden in complex data.
  •  Staying Ahead of the Curve – Using AI/ML to proactively detect anomalies and surface critical issues before they escalate.
  •  Conversational Analytics in Action – A look under the hood of Pyramid’s chatbot and LLM capabilities.
  •  Analyst Acceleration – How Pyramid’s chatbot jumpstarts analysis and reduces time to insight.
  •  Empowering Business Users – Enabling non-technical users to ask questions naturally, explore data, and take action with confidence.

AI should be a superpower. Instead, it’s a struggle. Most AI efforts stall before they scale, blocked by inaccurate results, mounting costs, and poor adoption when solutions fail to deliver real business value. Unframe’s Managed AI Delivery Platform changes that by making AI solutions that actually work: tailored to your business, delivered in days, and deployed securely without sharing data or upfront costs.

•    Understanding the evolving consumer behaviors through data-driven insights
•    Leveraging predictive analytics to anticipate future trends and drive strategic decisions
•    Building a consumer-first data strategy to enhance personalization and loyalty

Co-Moderators: 
Nick Smith, Senior Sales Engineer, ALTERYX
Shreesha Jagadeesh, Associate Director of Applied Machine Learning, BEST BUY

 

•    Unifying customer data for real-time, cross-channel experiences
•    Reducing integration complexity with modern tools and APIs
•    Driving personalization through connected data
•    Building trust with data quality and transparency

 

Roundtable: Agentic AI: The Enterprise Reality Check
Core Concept: Moving beyond agentic AI hype to practical implementation frameworks that deliver measurable business value. Enterprise leaders need concrete approaches to deploy Agentic AI systems while maintaining control, transparency, and regulatory compliance.

Key Messages:
•    From Concept to Production: Practical roadmaps for deploying agentic AI systems that integrate with existing enterprise architectures and governance frameworks
•    Enterprise-Grade Autonomy: Building AI agents that can operate independently while maintaining the transparency, auditability, and control required by regulated industries
•    ROI-Driven Implementation: Demonstrating measurable business impact through strategic use cases that align with enterprise priorities like risk management, customer experience, and operational efficiency

 

Panel Discussion: What Makes Data Leaders Successful? Let’s Find Out!
•    Are we limiting the potential of data leadership by prioritizing control over creativity and experimentation?
•    What if data leadership started with trust, empowerment, and storytelling — rather than policies and compliance?
•    Can data leaders truly drive transformation if they don’t first lead cultural change within their organizations?
•    Why aren’t more data leaders borrowing bold ideas from outside their field — and what’s the cost of staying in the bubble?

Panelists:
Gene Voskov, Chief, Data Analytics & Resources Bureau, Division of Local Services, MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE
Randall Gordon, Head of Data Governance, CROSS RIVER
Ferhat Yilmaz, Associate Director, NOVO NORDISK 
Tyler Frieling, Director - PMG - DS&S Alternative Data Research, BLACKROCK
Haroon Abbu,  Senior Vice President, Digital Technology & Data Analytics, BELL AND HOWELL

Moderator: Sriraj Srinivasan PhD – SVP, Head of Data & AI, INFOGAIN

 

•    Exploring how AI empowers organizations to extract deeper, more actionable insights from complex data sets
•    Leveraging AI to seamlessly bridge the gap between raw data and real-time, impactful decision-making
•    Overcoming hurdles like data integration, quality, and skill gaps to fully realize the benefits of AI in enterprise analytics

•    What strategies can organizations adopt to ensure that the implementation of agentic AI delivers measurable business value while keeping costs under control? 
•    How can companies strike the right balance between speed, accuracy, and scalability when deploying agentic AI systems on large and complex datasets? 
•    What governance models or frameworks are needed to maintain transparency, security, and compliance while giving agentic AI enough autonomy to operate effectively? 
•    As agentic AI evolves, what do you see as the biggest opportunities and risks in using these systems for data management and decision-making over the next 3–5 years? 

Panel Discussion: Agentic AI and the Future of Data: How to Balance Cost, Performance, and Control 
•    What strategies ensure agentic AI delivers value while controlling costs?
•    How can companies balance speed, accuracy, and scalability in large-scale deployments? 
•    What governance frameworks enable transparency, security, and compliance with effective autonomy?
•    Over the next 3–5 years, what are the main opportunities and risks of using agentic AI in data management and decision-making?
 
Panelists:
Tarun Sood, CDO, AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS
Nitin Kumar, Director Data Science, GenAI, MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL
Manish Nigam, Senior Director, AI, AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL

Moderator: Or Zabludowski, Chief Executive Officer & Founder, FLEXOR.AI

 

AI should be a superpower. Instead, it’s a struggle. Most AI efforts stall before they scale, blocked by inaccurate results, mounting costs, and poor adoption when solutions fail to deliver real business value. Unframe’s Managed AI Delivery Platform changes that by making AI solutions that actually work: tailored to your business, delivered in days, and deployed securely without sharing data or upfront costs

 

•    Predicting the next wave of data leadership challenges and opportunities
•    How data leaders can prepare for the changing technological landscape
•    The evolving role of the CDAO in driving business growth and innovation

Moderators:
Suku Krishnaraj, President, COO, PROMPTQL
Sandip Devarkonda, Director, Forward Deployed Engineering, PROMPTQL

•    The evolving role of the CDAO in navigating disruption and embracing data-driven transformation.
•    Transitioning from a data provider to a strategic advisor within the organization.
•    Essential leadership skills to foster a culture of data empowerment across teams

 

Core Concept: Moving beyond agentic AI hype to practical implementation frameworks that deliver measurable business value. Enterprise leaders need concrete approaches to deploy Agentic AI systems while maintaining control, transparency, and regulatory compliance.

Key Messages:
•    From Concept to Production: Practical roadmaps for deploying agentic AI systems that integrate with existing enterprise architectures and governance frameworks
•    Enterprise-Grade Autonomy: Building AI agents that can operate independently while maintaining the transparency, auditability, and control required by regulated industries
•    ROI-Driven Implementation: Demonstrating measurable business impact through strategic use cases that align with enterprise priorities like risk management, customer experience, and operational efficiency

Opening Panel: What are The Key Data Management Issues Keeping Leaders Awake in 2025?
•    What are the most pressing challenges data management leaders face in optimizing data strategies to drive informed decision-making in 2025?
•    How can data management leaders effectively integrate emerging technologies like AI and machine learning to enhance data governance and decision-making processes?
•    What are the best practices for balancing the need for data accessibility with the imperative of maintaining robust data security and compliance?
•    In a rapidly evolving data landscape, how can leaders ensure continuous data quality and integrity to support long-term strategic goals and real-time decision-making?

Panelists:
Julia Cherashore, Deputy Superintendent, Data Governance and Management, NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES
Sam Marks, Director of Business Strategy & Analytics, BOSTON BRUINS & TD GARDEN
Rafique Awan, VP Director, Information & Solution Architecture, MFS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
Farid Sheikhi, Senior Manager, Analytics Innovation, RBCx 
Sherman Cooper, Head of Data, QBE North America

•    Break silos by creating shared visibility into data flows
•    Use lineage to reduce duplication, inefficiencies, and cost
•    Align business, tech, and data roles through end-to-end traceability

When done right, governance is a growth engine. In this talk, Jean-Georges “jgp” Perrin will show how data contracts bring precision, trust, and accountability into your data and AI pipelines—without creating bottlenecks. Using the Open Data Contract Standard (ODCS) from the Linux Foundation’s Bitol project, you’ll see how organizations can cut downstream defects, accelerate AI model onboarding, lower compliance risk, and reduce firefighting—often in just days.

As data volume and complexity skyrocket, data teams are hitting capacity, business demands keep rising, and silos are holding back progress. In this session, Caroline Meidan explores how CDAOs can break free from these constraints and lead their organizations into the next era of data. Discover how autonomous data connectivity and AI-powered systems are reshaping the way teams deliver trusted, ready-to-use data without burnout and without limits.

 

 

 

•    How can AI help produce the trustworthy data businesses have longed for? 
•    What role can AI play in enhancing data quality, governance, and operational efficiency? 
•    Can AI agents do most of the work? 
•    What are data products and how do they enable scalability, reliability, and repeatability? 
 
Panelists:
Elena Alikhachkina, Chief Data and AI Officer, TE CONNECTIVITY  
Tyler Frieling, Director - PMG - DS&S Alternative Data Research, BLACKROCK 
Victoria Gamerman, Global Head of Digital Transformation COE, BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM
Dr. Tarun Sood, CDO, AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENTS
Steve Boras, Chief Data Officer, CITIZENS BANK 

Moderator: Anthony Deighton, Chief Executive Officer, TAMR    

As data volumes grow exponentially and organizations adjust to a new normal of constant AI-fueled disruptions, business and data leaders are increasingly expected move at a pace and dexterity as never before experienced.  Sitting at the core of this chaos is the data that’s always mattered the most, master data.  In a world of transformation and change, companies that leverage modern, adaptive, and intuitive approaches to MDM processes and technologies will out-pace their competitors, and those who fail to embrace them will be left behind.
 In this presentation, Malcolm Hawker, ex-Gartner MDM analyst shares his insights into the future of MDM, including:
•    Why MDM will remain relevant in an AI dominated future
•    What ‘modern’ MDM will look like in the future
•    The future state MDM technical landscape
•    What data leaders should start doing to prepare 

 

Let’s talk about how you have too much data: new, old, and everything in between, and what it actually takes to make it useful 

From hallucinating chatbots to biased decision-makers, let's build Agentic AI that won’t embarrass you in production

Mery Zadeh, Senior Vice President AI Governance and Risk Consulting, Lumenova

Defining culture for the workforce of the future

Practical considerations for measuring AI’s return on investment (ROI) and ways to improve adoption. 

•    Highlight the importance of fostering a data-driven culture essential to deliver growth and value amid cultural barriers
•    Addressing resistance to change within a large organization, and the importance of looking to the future

Nachiket Mehta, Head of Data and Analytics, Engineering, Global Operations, WAYFAIR
Tonjia Coverdale, Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer for Operations & Technology, ASSOCIATED BANK
Moderated by: Steve Boras, Head of Model Risk Management & Validation, CITIZENS BANK

•    Exploring the importance of accountability in driving data-driven initiatives and achieving business outcomes.
•    Strategies for defining clear goals, establishing performance metrics, and holding individuals and teams accountable for results

Justin Yu, Senior Director, Infrastructure & Insights, AUDIBLE, INC. (former)

Strategies for overcoming resistance and driving cultural change towards a data-centric organization, ensuring widespread adoption and engagement
Ian James, Head of Data Strategy, RIGHTHAND ROBOTICS, INC.

In this session, you will hear from some of the highest leaders, hear how they started in the sector and made their way up to be a Chief Data Officer.  You’ll have the opportunity to ask your burning questions, have robust discussions and gain insights into what makes a great leader and what the future of the CDO looks like. 

Chris Bennett, Chief Data Officer, VANGUARD
Jen Courant, Chief Data Officer, DWS GROUP
Alex Golbin, Managing Director, Chief Data Officer & Interim Chief Technology Officer,  HUDSON BAY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT
Moderated by: Jasper Cannon, Strategy Lead, Strategy & Operations, Job Seeker Platform, INDEED

•    Exploring the intersection of data strategy, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the role of organizations in addressing societal and environmental challenges.
•    Strategies for integrating sustainability and CSR principles into data strategy development, governance, and decision-making processes.

Besa Bauta, Chief Information Officer, JEWISH BOARD 

•    Insights on reporting on a company’s impact in areas like sustainability, corporate responsibility. Organizations can assess their carbon footprint, diversity initiatives, regulatory compliance, and governance practices.
•    Allowing for better decision-making and enhances trust with stakeholders who are increasingly concerned with a company's ESG performance
Arun Venuturupalli, Data Architect Environmental Solutions and Services, VEOLIA NORTH AMERICA

•    Acknowledging the inevitability of resistance to change and what strategies are there for addressing resistance
•    The importance of defining a clear and compelling vision for the transformation, and how the benefits of a data-driven culture is aligned with the organizational goals 

Tonjia Coverdale, Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer for Operations & Technology, ASSOCIATED BANK
Robin Patra, Head of innovation, Director Data & Analytics, ACRO CONSTRUCTION 
Jasper Cannon, Strategy Lead, Strategy & Operations, Job Seeker Platform, INDEED
Moderator: Xu Cheng, Head of Business Intelligence & Insights, ASCOT GROUP 

•    A roadmap for cultural transformation towards becoming a data-driven organization, from vision-setting to implementation and measurement
•    Practical guidance and real-world examples to navigate the complexities of cultural change and drive successful data initiatives
Ryan Simone, Vice President, Data Strategy, BETCHES MEDIA

•    Discussing the role of data analytics in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within organizations through data-driven hiring, promotion, and retention practices
•    Strategies for leveraging data insights to identify and address bias, promote representation, and foster inclusive cultures

Maggie Ward, Manager, Talent Ops Data & Reporting, NETFLIX
Jennifer Mezzio, Global HR Data Officer, FIRST CITIZENS BANK
Cecilia Dones, Professor, COLUMBIA BUSINESS SCHOOL
Moderated by: Debika Sarkar, WOMEN IN AI

•    What are privacy implications of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT)
•    Insights into assessing privacy risks, implementing privacy-by-design principles, and leveraging emerging technologies to enhance data privacy and protection

Corey M. Dennis, Senior Director, Global Counsel, Information Security & Privacy, ELI LILLY AND COMPANY
Christopher Hart, Partner, Co-Chair, Privacy & Data Security Group, FOLEY HOAG LLP

Moderated by: Karina Klever, Governance & Compliance Expert

So many of us are overwhelmed with this topic and have no idea how to approach, decipher, or execute governance principles. 
The "checkbox exercise" approach to the endless irrelevant controls hadn't left us any more secure! We spin within each audit cycle and dedicate hundreds of thousands of hours *and dollars* on activities within our organizations that may not even be necessary. 
Join us to understand how to mature your GRC posture without sacrificing your people or budget!

Karina Klever, Governance & Compliance Expert

Effectively managing the risks associated with deploying data and analytics strategies that utilize new AI functions, including generative AI, large language models, and predictive AI.

Curtis O’Dell, Business Performance Director, Data Integrity, TRICENTIS 

•    Balancing Innovation with Privacy: How to innovate and leverage data-driven technologies while maintaining compliance with privacy regulations
•    Mitigating Risks: Identifying potential risks and challenges in data management and how to implement effective safeguards to prevent breaches and penalties

Rose Lally, Chief Information Security Officer, Vice President, Governance & Controls, ALTISOURCE
Alan Halfenger, Chief Compliance Officer, ARCTARIS IMPACT INVESTORS
Moderated by: Karina Klever, Governance & Compliance Expert

•    The use of predictive modeling techniques, such as machine learning algorithms, to assess and quantify risks
•    The integration of risk analytics with strategic decision-making processes, where data-driven insights are used to inform strategic initiatives, investments, and resource allocations

Thomas Shola, Chief Risk & Privacy Officer, NORTHERN BANK

•    Ensuring Compliance in a Rapidly Evolving Regulatory Landscape
•    Ethical Data Use and innovation
Vivek Goel, Chief AI Strategist, WELLNESS CONNECTION

Rahil Parikh will review the vulnerabilities of AI models. He will discuss two privacy attacks aimed at extracting instances of the training data from a trained model. Subsequently, the session will explore measures to safeguard language models against these threats, ensuring a responsible and secure integration of large language models

Rahil Parikh, Applied Scientist, AMAZON

•    The importance of privacy training and awareness programs in educating employees about privacy risks, obligations, and best practices
•    Developing comprehensive privacy training programs, raising awareness of privacy issues, and fostering a culture of privacy compliance within organizations
Christopher Hart, Partner, Co-Chair, Privacy & Data Security Group, FOLEY HOAG LLP

•    The concept of privacy by design and its importance in proactively addressing privacy concerns throughout the data lifecycle.
•    Strategies for integrating privacy principles into data architecture, system design, and product development processes to minimize privacy risks

Karina Klever, Governance & Compliance Expert

Alan Halfenger, Chief Compliance Officer, ARCTARIS IMPACT INVESTORS

Thomas Shola, Chief Risk & Privacy Officer, NORTHERN BANK