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Protik Mukhopadhyay
Chief Operating Officer
Protecto
Arjun Srinivasan
Director of Data Science (AI/ML/GenAI)
Wesco
Copyright 2024 AI Ignite Studio
Ankit Chadha is an accomplished leader with over 15 years of experience in mechanical engineering and engineering management, including consulting for LNG, ethylene, and other petrochemical projects. With a Master’s in Business Analytics from Texas A&M, he has expertly integrated AI/ML solutions to optimize engineering workflows and drive operational excellence. His unique ability to combine technical knowledge with data science has delivered transformative results in multiple industries.
Ankit is also known for making AI/ML concepts approachable by using cooking metaphors, often comparing algorithms to recipes—where the right blend of ingredients creates success. In his free time, he’s putting his creative mind to work on a personal project: building a tandoor in his backyard, where he’s developing an MVP using a clay pot before seeking stakeholder approval for a full production version.
At home, Ankit is busy shaping the two young minds in his household, frequently using machine learning jargon to convince them that he’s the true positive when it comes to being the boss. Whether in his professional or personal life, Ankit brings a blend of creativity, leadership, and technical expertise to everything he does.
Priya Reddy is a key figure in the fintech and financial services industry, with over two decades of experience guiding startups through critical phases, from inception to IPO. As a data leader, she thrives at the intersection of business and technology, architecting, implementing, and innovating enterprise data strategies to unlock potential and gain a competitive advantage. While managing a $250M auto finance portfolio, she built the data and analytics department from the ground up to launch consumer lending products through Reprise and is currently spearheading cloud migration and the integration of AI technologies.
Her career encompasses big data, cloud, traditional architecture, and service delivery. Priya expertly manages data warehouses, enhances reporting, analytics, and machine learning, and supports backend databases, ensuring a robust data supply for application development. She is renowned for her commitment to fostering a culture of data excellence and building empowered, agile teams. Known for her dynamic leadership, Priya is dedicated to customer-centricity, modern delivery methods, and continuous improvement, consistently building high-performing teams and fostering a culture that drives business outcomes.
Before her role at Reprise, Priya delivered critical data insights at Skopos Financial and Santander Consumer USA, significantly contributing to their business growth. Her technical expertise and leadership were instrumental in establishing Reprise Financial’s Enterprise Data Management platform. She collaborates closely with all stakeholders, providing the data and platforms necessary for advanced analytics, automation, marketing campaigns, and the contact center, helping the organization prioritize efforts and drive value. Priya enables organizations to harness data and technology to offer customers innovative digital experiences.
Priya’s industry contributions have earned her the AI100 award at MachineCon 2024, a place on CDO Magazine’s 2023 ‘Global Data Power Women List,’ and a finalist position for the 2023 WLDA ‘Data Leader of the Year’ award, along with nominations for the Women in Technology Award. She is a member of CHIEF, actively participates in organizations supporting women in data and AI, such as WLDA, leads the Dallas chapter for TheAssociation.ai, and has joined CDO Magazine’s Global Editorial Board, reflecting her commitment to leadership and diversity in technology. As a speaker on thought leadership, innovation, and all things data and AI, Priya is a strong advocate for advancing these fields.
As a mother of two daughters, she understands the importance of girls in STEM and serves on the Board of Directors at The GEMS Camp, aiming to inspire future generations. Priya is dedicated to empowering female STEM leaders and enhancing communities and societies through education and technology.
Arun Giri is a visionary technology leader with a decade-long track record of designing and leading groundbreaking platform engineering efforts that have set new standards for scalability, security, and availability. As the architect behind an industry-leading API platform, Arun’s work has laid the foundation for one of the largest Transportation Management Systems (TMS) in North America—NetControl. Over the past 15 years, Arun has taken on increasing levels of responsibility, leading to roles that have allowed him to shape core platforms that perform at scale and evolve with ease. His engineering journey has been marked by a focus on delivering solutions that are built to last and capable of handling the ever-evolving demands of modern enterprises.
In his current role, Arun is spearheading the development of a cloud-native data insights platform for a Fortune 150 company, enabling real-time AI/ML deployments powered by operational data from the TMS. His leadership in building modern platform ecosystems—complete with high availability, security, and scalability—has been instrumental in creating data-driven decision-making capabilities that solve previously insurmountable challenges.
Arun’s ability to seamlessly scale complex solutions while ensuring their long-term sustainability sets him apart as a leader who brings a wealth of expertise and strategic insight to the AI startup ecosystem.
A respected speaker, advisor, and mentor in the tech industry, Arun’s expertise helps bridge the gap between cutting-edge AI technologies and the operational realities of large-scale enterprises. His advisory role at AI Ignite Studio empowers the next generation of tech entrepreneurs to build impactful AI solutions that revolutionize industries.
Outside of work, Arun is passionate about fostering future tech talent and enjoys mentoring aspiring engineers and entrepreneurs. He also loves traveling and exploring new ideas that challenge the status quo.
Ashok Singh is a visionary leader in generative AI, engineering platform management, and DevOps, focused on driving significant improvements in engineering efficiency and productivity. As Executive Director at JPMorgan Chase, Ashok integrates AI-driven solutions and next-generation toolchains, accelerating digital transformation and optimizing financial operations (FinOps). His leadership in DevOps fosters collaboration and automation, enhancing time-to-market and engineering outcomes.
With deep expertise in managing large-scale integrated developer platforms, Ashok has improved developer productivity by up to 50%. His experience spans Fortune 500 companies like Bank of America and Citibank, where he has led impactful platform development, product management, and AI integration initiatives.
Beyond his corporate responsibilities, Ashok is an active advisor and mentor to startups, helping them navigate early growth stages. His guidance empowers emerging companies to scale efficiently, adopt the right technologies, and position themselves for long-term success.
Through global presentations and publications, Ashok translates complex AI, DevOps, and FinOps strategies into actionable solutions that drive innovation and operational excellence across industries.
Pritam Debnath is the Director of Sysco’s Inbound Supply Chain Technology,responsible for the end-to-end technology vision, roadmap and delivery for Sysco’s Inbound Supply Chain processes encompassing areas such as Demand Planning & Forecasting, Purchase Order Lifecycle Management, Supplier Collaboration & Inbound Supply Chain Analytics. Pritam is also responsible for championing innovation for Sysco’s Supply Chain technology.
With a career spanning 19+ years, Pritam has worked across multiple technologies ranging from mainframe technology, SAP, Cloud technology across AWS & Google cloud, web technology and advanced analytics. Pritam holds a postgraduate diploma in Data Science & Business Analytics from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas, Austin and a bachelor’s degree.
Pritam lives in Katy, Texas with his wife & twin boys and enjoys playing chess, reading & playing the piano in his spare time.
Shahran Haider is a Data, AI and Machine Learning executive who is passionate about improving patient outcomes and healthcare delivery through digital transformation and data driven innovation. Under his leadership as the head of Enterprise Information Management, at NYC Health + Hospitals, the largest public health system in the U.S., the Data Analytics team has developed a modern cloud data management platform with capabilities for strategic analytics, predictive insights, data discovery and exploration, and bi-directional automated data exchange with internal and external partners. Shahran pioneered the establishment of the NYC H+H Enterprise AI Council, charged with setting strategic priorities for AI investment, ensuring safe and responsible use of AI technology, and maximizing business outcomes through leveraging AI.
Prior to working at NYC H+H, Shahran founded CerebralEdge, a consulting firm that bridges the gap between data analytics and tangible business improvements. While he was the Managing Director of Enterprise Data Strategy & Analytics at L.A. Care, his team identified over $100 million in savings opportunities, underscoring Shahran’s leadership in harnessing data for quantifiable business improvements. Furthermore, as a former Director of Business Intelligence at Optum, he played a key leadership role in leveraging data driven insights to achieve $3 billion in medical cost savings annually in the Anti-Fraud Waste & Abuse organization. Throughout his career, Shahran’s blend of visionary thinking and servant leadership has consistently propelled healthcare organizations to transcend their performance boundaries.
Shahran lives in Flower Mound, Texas with his wife and two children and enjoys jamming on his guitar, playing racquet sports, and immersing himself in books and films with inspirational, life-changing messages.
In life, Shahran is guided by a few of his favorite quotes:
Protik Mukhopadhyay is a seasoned leader in data science, machine learning, and AI, with over 20 years of experience spanning multiple industries, including finance, technology, and academia. Currently serving as a consultant and advisor, he specializes in AI strategy, model deployment, and data-driven solutions that enable organizations to solve complex business challenges. His technical expertise includes algorithm development, statistical modeling, and large-scale data analytics, which have driven significant operational improvements and innovation for his clients.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Protik is deeply invested in advancing the AI and data science community. He is an active mentor, speaker, and thought leader, sharing insights and helping shape the future of AI-driven technologies. His contributions to the field include a strong focus on democratizing AI, ensuring its ethical application, and mentoring the next generation of data scientists. Protik’s leadership is built on a foundation of technical mastery combined with a strategic vision for leveraging AI to create business value.
For more about his work and contributions, you can visit Protik’s website protikm.com
Arjun Srinivasan has over 18 years of industry experience and is currently the Director and Head of Data Science (AI/ML/GenAI) at Wesco International, a B2B distribution and supply chain company. He leads a cross-functional and global team of data scientists, ML engineers, data engineers, business analysts and oversees the Data Science and AI/ML practice and strategy for Wesco’s Enterprise Applications. He has extensive experience in algorithm development, scientific computing and operationalization of advanced analytics and AI/ML workloads at enterprise scale. His functional expertise spans business development, program management, product management, strategic planning, and digital transformation. Prior to working at Wesco, Arjun worked at ExxonMobil, Amazon, and AWS across the energy, retail, and tech sectors.
Outside work, Arjun actively participates in external speaking engagements and shares his knowledge with the Data and AI community through thought leadership and other industry engagements. Arjun also volunteers his time mentoring students and early career professionals to prepare them for the workforce with technology and leadership skills. He has been coveted with multiple awards in Data Science/AI space like AI 100 Distinguished leaders award in the USA and Indian Achievers Forum in India. He holds a Masters in EE (Machine Learning and Signal Processing) from New Mexico State University and an MBA from Cornell SC Johnson School of Business.
Pooja is an accomplished C-level technology executive with a proven track record of driving innovation and digital transformation in businesses. She excels at integrating emerging technologies, including AI, IoT, and hybrid cloud strategies, with operational excellence to improve financial outcomes such as operating capital, revenue, and EBIT. Her leadership is widely recognized for its forward-thinking approach, resulting in game-changing innovations that solve real-world problems, build strong brands, and implement customer-centric solutions. Pooja’s passion for technology extends beyond strategy, as she is deeply committed to leading high-performing teams and fostering collaborative, diverse, and learning-focused work environments.
With a commercially-minded and bold leadership style, Pooja’s core competencies span global infrastructure modernization, hybrid cloud transformation, and AI-driven solutions that deliver tangible impact. She has successfully managed large global teams and multi-million-dollar budgets, setting the strategy and execution plans to modernize legacy systems, reduce costs, and accelerate solution delivery. Her deep expertise in building global operating models, competency centers, and talent strategies underscores her ability to lead organizations through complex change and digital transformation while keeping the end customer at the forefront.
Pooja is also a visionary in developing data and AI strategies that leverage cutting-edge technologies like machine learning, image analytics, and large language models to address business challenges. She has built comprehensive data architecture and governance frameworks that ensure regulatory compliance, data integrity, and high standards of quality. With a focus on innovation, operational efficiency, and stakeholder engagement, Pooja continues to drive transformation initiatives that position businesses for sustainable growth and success in the future of work.
Arpita is a seasoned technology and digital transformation leader with over two decades of experience, currently serving as the CX/AI Competency Lead at Cognizant, where she manages a portfolio exceeding $50 million. Her expertise lies in conversational and generative AI, coupled with advanced CRM strategies, which have driven significant advancements in the Healthcare and Life Sciences sectors, particularly in Pharma and Medical Devices. Under her leadership, Cognizant has strengthened its position in AI-driven customer experiences, forging strategic partnerships with AWS Connect and Google CCAI to enhance digital solutions and elevate customer satisfaction.
Throughout her career, Arpita has been an active member of the Global AIM Leaders Council and has played a foundational role in the Canada India Tech Council, advocating for cross-border collaboration in technology. As a thought leader in the field of AI and cloud computing, she has consistently sought to align technological innovations with strategic business growth. Her leadership spans multi-cloud solutions, CRM platforms like Salesforce and Dynamics, AI-driven contact center automation, and data management, all of which have been instrumental in accelerating digital transformations for major brands across industries.
Arpita’s reputation as a bold visionary and an expert in AI and automation has earned her recognition on global platforms. She is a featured speaker at prestigious events such as AWS Re:Invent, Dreamforce, and Voice & AI, where she shares her insights on transforming customer experiences through AI. In addition to her accolades, Arpita has been named among Marquis America’s Who’s Who for 2024 and recognized as one of the Top 100 Innovators & Entrepreneurs in 2023 by The Top 100 Magazine. She holds two filed U.S. patents for her work in data management for cloud contact centers and machine learning-based communication triaging with Large Language Models (LLMs), solidifying her role as a pioneer in the field of AI-driven digital solutions.
Vineet is a seasoned Global CIO with a proven track record of delivering strategic value and driving technological transformation across diverse industries, including retail, transportation, banking, and human resources. With expertise in strategic planning, data strategy, software development, process improvement, and M&A due diligence, Vineet has demonstrated success in developing high-performance teams, implementing cost-effective technology solutions, and optimizing business processes to deliver bottom-line results.
Throughout his career, Vineet has spearheaded multi-year strategic plans, led global teams, and executed critical M&A due diligence in various sectors. He has a strong background in software development, with a focus on creating long-term product roadmaps that enhance customer experiences and bring new products to market. His leadership has driven measurable impact, including reducing payroll costs by 47% and vendor expenses by 45% through negotiation and team restructuring.
Vineet is also highly skilled in implementing enterprise-level systems, such as SAP/SuccessFactors and Acumatica ERP, and has successfully driven process improvements using Lean and Agile methodologies. As a passionate advocate for technology-driven solutions, Vineet continues to seek opportunities to connect, share, and grow with fellow technology leaders.
