Speakers
Featured speakers
Connect with senior executives
K. Krithivasan
CEO and Managing Director, TCS
K. Krithivasan took over as the CEO and MD of Tata Consultancy Services on June 1, 2023. In his three-decade plus tenure at TCS, he has held leadership roles across delivery, customer relationship management, program management and sales with a strong track record of successfully leading TCS’ largest industry vertical, the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance Business. As the Global Head of the BFSI vertical, Krithi steered TCS’ expansion into Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand. As CEO, Krithi sharpened TCS’ focus on industries and has steered its AI-ready workforce strategy. Under Krithi’s leadership, TCS continues to be recognised as a Global Top Employer, its brand value has risen by over $3Bn according to Brand Finance, and it has been rated as one of the world’s most admired companies by Fortune Magazine for three consecutive years. Born in Trichy, Tamil Nadu, Krithi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Madras and a Masters in Industrial and Management Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur.
Amit Bajaj
President, North America, TCS
Amit Bajaj is President of TCS in North America, the company’s largest market. Under his leadership, TCS transformed its markets function through a unique agile operating model and digital go-to-market strategy. TCS North America generated nearly $15 billion in revenue in the 2025 fiscal year. TCS was also named one of the World’s Most Admired Companies™ in 2025 by Fortune Magazine® and one of LinkedIn’s 2025 Top 50 US Companies. Passionate about contributing to society, Amit has championed TCS programs that help young people embrace technology. In addition, Amit’s passion for running and commitment to health and wellness in local communities have driven TCS’ sponsorship of high-profile running events such as the TCS New York City Marathon and the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Prior to being appointed to his current role, Amit was Chief Executive of TCS Europe. Before that, he spent more than five years in the US in a variety of industry and service line roles where he positioned TCS as an integrated service provider. A dean’s scholar from the Indian School of Business, Amit graduated with an engineering degree and an MBA. He is on the board of directors of Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose, an Advisory Board Member of Innovate@UCLA, and a member of the Texas CEO Council and the International Advisory Board of BritishAmerican Business.
Amit Kapur
Chief AI and Services Transformation Officer, TCS
Amit Kapur is the Chief AI & Services Transformation Officer at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the global leader in IT services, consulting, and business solutions. Appointed to this role in September 2025, Amit leads TCS’ AI and Services Transformation, driving adoption of AI-powered technologies at scale for businesses worldwide. He has been driving the company’s AI ambition, strategy, execution and positioning through a unique Human+AI services autonomy model. This underpins TCS’ ambition of being the world’s largest AI-led technology services organisation. He is a strong believer in AI partnership ecosystems, redefining talent for the future and making AI real for enterprises globally. With more than two decades at TCS, Amit has built his career on fostering long-term partnerships and delivering deep contextual solutions for clients. Previously, Amit led TCS in the UK & Ireland, its second-largest market globally. Under his leadership, TCS strengthened its position as a trusted partner and was recognised among the top three for customer satisfaction, #1 in IT services by revenues, and as Top Employer for its people practices in the region. Beyond business leadership, Amit is passionate about community impact. Under his leadership, TCS took over the title partnership of the TCS London Marathon, which is the biggest annual one-day fundraising event, and has engaged more than one million children across UK through the TCS Mini London Marathon. Amit has also played a key role in driving TCS’ STEM education programs in the UK and Ireland, which has reached over one million students worldwide, embedding computational thinking into core subjects such as language, arts, science, mathematics, and social studies. He previously headed the Benelux region in Europe and was instrumental in establishing the company as a full-services player in the region. He is a member of the British Chamber of Commerce Business Council, the FT Chairs Forum, and has led on conversations with government on technology driven growth and innovation potential for the UK economy while also being active in the UK-India business corridor. Amit holds a Master’s degree in Management Studies from Mumbai University. He lives in London with his wife and daughter.
Thomas Kurian
Chief Executive Officer, Google Cloud
Thomas joined Google in November 2018 as the CEO of Google Cloud. Google Cloud is the division of Google that brings Google’s technology and solutions to enterprises, governments, and startups around the world. Prior to Google, he spent 22 years at Oracle, where he most recently served as President of Product Development. Before that, Thomas worked at McKinsey as a business analyst and engagement manager. His nearly 30 years of experience have given him a deep knowledge of engineering, enterprise relationships, and leadership of large organizations. Thomas' degrees include an MBA in Administration and Management from Stanford University as an Arjay Miller Scholar and a BSEE in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Princeton University, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. Thomas has served as a member of the Stanford Graduate School of Business Advisory Council and serves on the Advisory Council of Princeton University’s School of Engineering.
Simon Sinek
Renowned leadership expert, best-selling author, Founder of The Optimism Company
Simon is a spark that ignites passion and ideas. He envisions a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are, and end the day fulfilled by the work they do. As an unshakeable optimist, he believes in our ability to build this world together. A trained ethnographer, Simon is fascinated by the people and organizations that make the greatest and longest lasting impact. Over the years, he has discovered some remarkable patterns about how they think, act, and communicate, and also the environments in which people operate at their natural best. Simon may be best known for his TED Talk on the concept of WHY, which has been viewed over 60 million times, and his video on millennials in the workplace—which reached 80 million views in its first week and has gone on to be seen hundreds of millions of times. He continues to share inspiration through his bestselling books, including global bestseller Start with WHY and New York Times bestsellers Leaders Eat Last and The Infinite Game, as well as his podcast, A Bit of Optimism. In addition, Simon is the founder of The Optimism Company, a leadership learning and development company, and he publishes other inspiring thinkers and doers through his publishing partnership with Penguin Random House called Optimism Press. His unconventional and innovative views on business and leadership have attracted international attention, and he has met with a broad array of leaders and organizations in nearly every industry. He frequently works with different branches of the US Armed Forces and agencies of the US government, and is an adjunct staff member with the RAND Corporation—one of the most highly regarded think tanks in the world. Simon is also active in the arts and with not-for-profit work, or what he likes to call the for-impact sector. In 2021, he founded The Curve: a diverse group of forward-thinking chiefs and sheriffs committed to reform modern policing from the inside-out. Their purpose is to build a profession dedicated to protecting the vulnerable from harm while advancing a vision of a world in which all people feel justice is administered with dignity, equity, and fairness.
Aarthi Subramanian
Executive Director, President and COO, TCS
Aarthi Subramanian is the Executive Director – President and Chief Operating Officer of TCS. Prior to this, she was the Group Chief Digital Officer at Tata Sons Private Limited, the principal investment holding company and promoter of Tata Enterprises. In this pivotal role, she led the conglomerate's digital, technology and innovation agenda across a diverse portfolio of industries. Ms. Subramanian's association with the Tata group spans over three decades, marked by progressive leadership roles including several key board positions within the group. At Tata Sons, she was instrumental in ensuring that Tata group companies harness digital technologies to enhance operational efficiency, customer engagement, and competitive advantage. Previously she was Head of Delivery for Retail & CPG Business Unit at TCS, she led strategic accounts and major client relationships, driving customer satisfaction through rigorous service delivery, and value addition. Ms. Subramanian holds a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science from the National Institute of Technology, Warangal, India, and a Masters in Engineering Management from the University of Kansas, USA. Her exemplary contributions have been acknowledged through various accolades such as "Technology Leader of the Year" at the ET Prime Women Leadership Awards (2019) and "Most Powerful Women in Business" by Business Today (2016).
Rajat Taneja
President of Technology, Visa
Rajat Taneja is President of Technology for Visa, responsible for the company's technology innovation and investment strategy, product engineering, global IT and operations infrastructure. He joined Visa in this role in November 2013. Prior to joining Visa, Taneja was Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Electronic Arts Inc., from October 2011 until November 2013, responsible for platform engineering, data center operations and IT supporting the company's global customer base. From 1996 until 2011, he worked at Microsoft Corporation, including most recently as the Corporate Vice President, Commerce Division, in 2011 and the General Manager and Corporate Vice President, Online Services Division, from 2007 to 2011. Taneja holds a B.E. in Electrical Engineering from Jadavpur University and an MBA from Washington State University. He served on the Board of Directors for Ellie Mae, Inc. from 2015 to 2019. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for MSCI since June 2021.
Prashant Nateri
Executive Vice President, Chief Corporate Operations Officer, Huntington Bank
Prashant Nateri, Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Operations Officer, is responsible for setting the strategic direction for Huntington’s operations and transforming the Colleague and Customer experience to enable scale and growth. Nateri, who joined Huntington in 2012, has over 25 years of experience in banking and technology. He is an experienced leader who has executed transformational programs focused on strategy, operations, and technology. Prior to joining Huntington, Nateri spent 10 years at JP Morgan Chase, where he was most recently a Technology Director. He has also led numerous transformational initiatives for Fortune 500 companies as a consultant for Cambridge Technology Partners. Nateri earned his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Shivaji University, MBA (Marketing) from the University of Mumbai and Graduated from CBA's Executive Banking School.
Nikesh Arora
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Palo Alto Networks
Nikesh Arora is chairman and CEO of Palo Alto Networks, the world's leading cybersecurity company. During his tenure of eight years, he has led the company through a major transformation to become the global leader in Al and cybersecurity, and the security partner of choice for enterprise organizations and governments around the world. Before joining Palo Alto Networks in 2018, Mr. Arora served as president and chief operating officer of SoftBank Group Corp. Prior to that, Mr. Arora spent ten years at Google, Inc. as a senior executive, where he was senior vice president and chief business officer, president of global sales operations and business development, and president of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. His career also includes serving as chief marketing officer for the T-Mobile International Division of Deutsche Telekom AG, and chief executive officer and founder of T-Motion PLC, which merged with T-Mobile International in 2002. Nikesh Arora serves on the board of Uber Technologies, Inc., and as a non-executive director of Compagnie Financière Richemont S.A., a public Switzerland-based luxury goods holding company. Previously, he served on the boards of SoftBank Group Corp., Airtel, Aviva, Sprint Corp., Colgate-Palmolive Inc., Tipping Point and Yahoo! Japan, among others. He holds an M.B.A. in business administration from Northeastern University, an M.S. in finance from Boston College, and a B. Tech. in electrical engineering from the Institute of Technology at Banaras Hindu University.
Mark Kempic
President and COO, Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania & Maryland
Mark Kempic serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania and Maryland. He is responsible for profit and loss for both companies and designing and executing their legislative, regulatory, commercial, and external strategies. Kempic also oversees a program that has invested more than $4 billion since 2007 to modernize and expand Columbia Gas’s natural gas distribution systems across Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Sanjib Sahoo
President, Global Platform Group Ingram Micro
Sanjib Sahoo is president of Ingram Micro’s Global Platform Group, where he shapes the company’s enterprise strategy and global operating model, with the platform serving as the growth engine for Ingram Micro’s transformation into a B2B platform company. He is responsible for defining how the company competes, grows and creates value by bringing together technology, data, AI, services and commercial execution across the global technology ecosystem. Since joining Ingram Micro in 2021, Sahoo has played a central role in transforming the company from a traditional technology distributor into a B2B platform company. He led the vision and development of Ingram Micro Xvantage™, the company’s AI-powered digital platform, which brings together data, intelligence, automation and human expertise to transform how technology is bought, sold and managed. At the center of Sahoo’s vision is the belief that intelligence is becoming the new operating system of the enterprise. He is leading Ingram Micro’s effort to build the technology industry’s first B2B intelligent operating system, an operating model in which data, AI, automation, human expertise and real-time signals work together to continuously optimize growth, productivity, customer experience and business performance across the ecosystem. Recognized as one of the most influential minds in the world in AI, platform strategy and business transformation, Sahoo has received numerous global honors for his leadership and impact. In 2026, the World Leaders Summit recognized him as a Global Icon for AI, Platform & Business Transformation at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. His other honors include the Bharat Samman, APJ Abdul Kalam Award, Times Global Business Icon award, Outlook Business’s Visionary in Platform Excellence award, and induction into the Constellation Research Business Transformation Hall of Fame. He was named one of Fortune India’s Unstoppables in 2023 and included in CRN’s Top 100 Executives list for three consecutive years. A Harvard Business School alumnus and global keynote speaker, Sahoo has led large-scale transformations across multiple industries. His leadership philosophy combines bold vision with execution discipline, a strong focus on people and culture, and a belief that the next generation of market leaders will be defined not simply by their adoption of AI, but by how effectively they embed intelligence into the fabric of how their businesses operate, compete and grow.
Jacob Shapiro
Global Thinker and Geopolitical Analyst
Jacob Shapiro is a geopolitical analyst who provides strategic guidance to families, investors, and corporations. His approach blends rigorous, empathetic analysis with deep confidence in human agency and the transformative power of new ideas. Jacob is a global thought leader in the area of geopolitics and its impact on everything from global markets to supply chains. A prolific public speaker, Jacob delivers frequent keynote presentations and tailored corporate briefings. His insights help audiences and c-suites across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world. Jacob also hosts "The Jacob Shapiro" podcast, which features interviews with subject matter experts in geopolitics, technology, markets, and other fields. He holds a master's degree with distinction from Oxford University and a bachelor's degree in Near Eastern studies from Cornell University. He lives in New Orleans with his wife and two daughters. When he's not tweeting at 4 a.m. about the latest international developments or commodities prices, you might find him at a basketball court near you doing his best Larry Bird impersonation at a pickup game.
Kevin Bates
Chief Data Officer, T. Rowe Price
Kevin Bates is the Chief Data Officer and a Vice President of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. Kevin has been with T. Rowe Price since May 2025 and is responsible for all enterprise data functions, including governance, operations, architecture and engineering. Kevin is also responsible for corporate functions, operations technology, and the agile COE. Prior to joining the firm, Kevin was Senior Vice President and Chief Data Officer for Fannie Mae. Kevin has more than 25 years of experience in various data and technology roles. Kevin earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from Texas A&M University, a Master’s degree in Chemistry from Rice University, and studied neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine.
David Burns
Chief Information Officer, GE Aerospace
David Burns is the Chief Information Officer for GE Aerospace. Named to this role in March 2018, he is responsible for the successful operation of the company’s technology infrastructure and supporting applications. David’s organization focuses on securely developing and running applications to enable GE Aerospace business processes and outcomes by driving a consistent framework for how information flows through the business to optimize outcomes for customers, investors, and employees. David joined GE in 1998 and has held leadership roles in multiple businesses, including Aerospace, Lighting, Capital, Corporate, Energy, Oil, and Gas, and Transportation. Previously, David served as the CIO of Horizontal Products for GE, where he led a team focused on aligning common software solutions to enable productivity, optimize inventory, and improve customer outcomes. Prior to this role, David served as the CIO of GE Lighting, where he was responsible for a business transformation enabled by Digital Technology. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology and Operations/Strategic Management from Boston College.
DJ Sampath
Senior Vice President and General Manager, AI Software and Platform, Cisco
DJ Sampath is Senior Vice President of Cisco’s AI Software and Platform group, where he leads the charge in shaping a unified AI vision across the company’s product portfolio. A builder at heart and a visionary by design, DJ blends deep technical expertise with strategic storytelling to drive transformative outcomes at scale. He has founded, grown, and sold category-defining startups, advised U.S. government agencies, and emerged as a thought leader at the intersection of enterprise AI and innovation. In 2023, DJ joined Cisco through their acquisition of Armorblox, a VC-backed AI cybersecurity company he founded and led as CEO. Before Armorblox, he was Vice President of Engineering and a founding team member at StackRox, a Sequoia-backed cloud-native security startup acquired by RedHat for over $400 million. Throughout his career, DJ has also held roles at organizations including Deutsche Telekom, Juniper Networks, PARC (Palo Alto Research Center), and BBN Technologies – each adding to his reputation as a dynamic, impact-driven technologist. DJ holds a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his family.
Vagesh Dave
Global Vice President & Chief Information Officer, McDermott International, Inc.
Vagesh is an IT executive focused on driving technology-based innovation over 25 years. Vagesh is a visionary, results oriented with extensive experience in transforming IT organizations. Vagesh has built and lead high performing global teams to lead digital & business transformation at McDermott and other leading organizations. Vagesh has previously worked for General Electric, IBM, Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and RadioShack in various roles. He is 2022 MITCIO Finalist and the 2022 winner of the Houston CIO of the Year ORBIE Award. He is also actively engaged in local community. Vagesh has a B.S. in Computer Science from Texas Wesleyan University, M.S. in Computer Science from The University of Texas at Arlington and an MBA from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business.
Amber Shultz
Cabinet Secretary, Kansas Department of Labor
Amber Shultz is Secretary of the Kansas Department of Labor and, at her core, a problem-solver who is always asking two questions: “Why do we do it this way?” and “How can we do it better for the people we serve?” With nearly 30 years of experience in local and state government, Amber has led teams and initiatives focused on improving operations, embracing technology, and finding better ways to get things done. She believes meaningful progress starts with curiosity, a willingness to challenge the status quo, and a recognition that just because something has always been done a certain way doesn't mean it should stay that way. Her career has included leadership roles with the Cities of Lawrence and Topeka, Jackson County, Missouri, and the Kansas Geological Survey. Amber holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and an MBA from the University of Kansas. She proudly calls Lawrence, Kansas, home: Rock Chalk, Jayhawk!
Merrie Williamson
Chief Growth Officer, Pearson
Merrie Williamson is Chief Growth Officer at Pearson, where she leads growth across Pearson’s education customers, from institutions to enterprises. She is a Fortune 500 executive with 30 years in the technology sector. She has held senior roles at major global companies and led several high-growth businesses worth billions of dollars, across everything from the hardware that powered the early internet to global cloud platforms and AI. As Chief Growth Officer, Merrie shapes how Pearson grows its commercial offers and builds new ways of doing business. She is modernizing how Pearson brings value to learners, institutions and enterprises through its customer-facing teams, tools and technologies, unlocking Pearson’s growth in the era of AI. Merrie is also a Trustee of Lakeside School and serves on the board of the Northwest African American Museum.
Hosts
Stephanie Mehta
CEO, Mansueto Ventures
Whether she’s investigating the unprecedented rise of AI, the domino effect of technology on our lives, or what makes a workplace truly innovative, Stephanie Mehta has her finger on the pulse. She served as editor-in-chief of Fast Company before being promoted to CEO of its parent company Mansueto Ventures. Today, the company operates franchises that highlight the world’s most progressive leaders and companies, including “Most Creative People,” “Most Innovative Companies,” and “World Changing Ideas.” Over her prolific three-decade career in business journalism, Stephanie has come to value a human-centered approach to her work, modeled by her commitment to thoughtful storytelling. She draws on those stories to show the next generation of business leaders how to push creative boundaries, nurture a radical vision, and make innovation happen. Prior to Fast Company, Stephanie was Deputy Editor at Vanity Fair. Previously, she was editor of Bloomberg LIVE and Bloomberg Media’s global conference division. At Fortune, she rose to the #2 spot on the masthead, driving the magazine’s overall editorial direction while overseeing its technology, management, and international coverage. She also spent six years as an editor and writer at The Wall Street Journal.
David Pogue
CBS Correspondent, NOVA Host, Former NYT Columnist
The go-to expert on disruptive tech and science in a fast-changing world, David Pogue is a best-selling author, beloved “CBS Sunday Morning” correspondent, NOVA host on PBS, and New York Times contributor. David is a master communicator who brings even the most non-technical audiences up to speed. His highly entertaining keynotes prove that science and technology blend brilliantly with storytelling, humor, and music. He provides invaluable insights on how technology impacts our work, businesses, health, society, and connections with each other. David has been at the forefront of new and emerging tech trends for decades. For 13 years, he wrote the weekly tech column for the New York Times. Previously, he wrote a monthly column for Scientific American. His work at “CBS Sunday Morning” has won him six Emmy awards. David is one of the world’s best-selling “how-to” authors, with more than 120 titles. His 2021 book, How to Prepare for Climate Change provides practical advice on preparing for extreme weather events. His podcast, Unsung Science, features episodes which tell the origin story of an innovative science or technology achievement. With broad appeal, David brings expansive knowledge, engaging wit, and an occasional song to center stage. Audiences leave as informed as they are entertained, with an enlightened perspective of science and technology today—and how it’s shaping tomorrow.
