Visionaries and trailblazers are shaping the future of how businesses are, and will be, leveraging artificial intelligence for business growth, career fulfillment, and competitive advantage. These leaders are paving the way for how businesses use AI to stay ahead. They are heading the way in aligning AI initiatives with business goals, enhancing decision-making processes, and driving digital transformation across industries.
These thought leaders offer valuable insights on how AI can transform businesses, along with the ethical aspects guiding its development:
Cal Al-Dhubaib
The Why: A globally recognized data scientist who revolutionizes AI implementation in regulated industries, driving innovation and ethical AI practices for over 100 Fortune 500 companies.
Cal Al-Dhubaib is a globally recognized data scientist and entrepreneur specializing in AI implementation in heavily regulated sectors. As the leader of AI and Data Science at Further, he brings expertise in privacy-first data, analytics, and AI solutions to over 100 Fortune 500 companies. Al-Dhubaib's background includes founding Pandata, known for responsible AI design and development, which was acquired by Further in March 2024. His insights on AI ethics, change management, and data literacy have been featured in publications such as Forbes and AI Business News.
Learn more about Cal:
- Follow Cal on LinkedIn
- Follow Cal on Twitter @caldhubaib
Andrew Au
The Why: A technological innovator who champions the impact of digital transformation and cultural evolution.
Andrew Au is the Managing Partner at Intercept, a globally recognized B2B marketing agency focusing on the tech sector. Working with big names like Microsoft, SAP, and others, his role leads all about Strategy and AI integration at the agency. At the age of 22, he made it into the Entrepreneurs Organization. He also landed on Forbes' 30 Under 30, and scored 50+ B2B marketing awards. Au's a go-to speaker on digital innovation and AI, and has shared his keynote presentations on stages for ADP, Microsoft, and more. His expertise and dynamic views have attracted major media outlets like Forbes, Business Insider, Tech Insider, Bloomberg, and BNN.
Learn more about Andrew:
- Follow Andrew on LinkedIn
Sandy Carter
The Why: A top AI and blockchain expert, drives innovation and empowers women to find their roles in Web3 and AI.
Sandy Carter is a powerhouse in the world of technology, AI, and blockchain. She is recognized as one of the Top 10 Most Powerful Women in Tech by CNN and a Top 10 Responsible AI Leader. Carter is currently the COO at Unstoppable Domains and the founder of Unstoppable Women of Web3 and AI. Carter is also the author of the best-selling book "The Tiger and The Rabbit: Harnessing the Power of the WEB3, and AI for Business Success."
Learn more about Sandy:
- Check out Unstoppable Women
- Follow Sandy on LinkedIn
- Follow Sandy on Twitter @sandy_carter
- Read Sandy’s book: The Tiger and The Rabbit: Harnessing the Power of the WEB3, and AI for Business Success
Sharon Gai
The Why: Learn from a digital transformation specialist with a decade of experience, and see why she’s a top voice in retail and AI.
Bringing a decade of e-commerce expertise, Sharon Gai is a culture-fluid pro in digital transformation and AI. Her impressive background includes advising brands and heads of state on digital strategies during her time at Alibaba. Gai's expertise has been sought after by major organizations such as TEDx, Singularity University, UBS, Deloitte, and LVMH. Recognized as one of 2024's RETHINK Retail's Top Retail Experts and a LinkedIn Top Voice in Public Speaking 2023, Gai brings an abundance of expertise to the intersection of AI and retail.
Learn more about Sharon:
- Follow Sharon on LinkedIn
- Read Sharon's book: Ecommerce Reimagined: what we can learn in retail and ecommerce from China
Lisa Gately
The Why: An analyst deep in the world of marketing and B2B tech who understands what marketers and business leaders need.
Lisa Gately, a Principal Analyst at Forrester, helps B2B organizations build and optimize content engines for generative AI growth and enhanced customer experiences. With over 20 years of experience in marketing leadership at B2B tech companies, she guides leaders and marketers on AI use cases, aligns teams for better outcomes, and specializes in content marketing, strategy, operations, services marketing, and customer marketing.
Learn more about Lisa:
- Follow Lisa on LinkedIn
- Follow Lisa on Twitter @lisagately
Brett Harris
The Why: A leader in helping brands understand, pilot, and scale programs augmented with smarter technologies in an ethical and effective way.
Brett Harris brings more than 20 years’ of experience supporting brands, retailers, and B2B clients in developing strategic communication channels and technologies. As a member of SGK's leadership team, Harris drives the alignment of resources to empower clients, offering insightful leadership and top-tier practices. In his current role, Harris has executive responsibility for SGK’s development of generative AI solutions, including leading SGK’s AI Council. Harris uses his experience to guide the SGK council in practices that promote the effective, ethical, and empowering use of AI technology.
Learn more about Brett:
- Follow Brett on LinkedIn
Tim Hayden
The Why: Visionary CEO, whose innovative strategies have propelled brands like Facebook, Google, and IBM to new heights.
Tim Hayden brings a wealth of experience as the founder and CEO of Brain+Trust, a strategic consultancy helping brands leverage first-party data and AI to grow revenue. His background includes leadership roles at Zignal Labs and Edelman Digital, where he worked with tech giants like Facebook, Google, and IBM. Hayden's expertise has driven transformational change for major brands such as Dell, McDonald's, Shell, and Walmart, making him a valuable voice in the AI and marketing space.
Learn more about Tim:
- Follow Tim on LinkedIn
- Follow Tim on Twitter @TheTimHayden
- Listen to Tim’ Podcast’s: Say it Again and As Far As We Know
Jessica Hreha
The Why: A pioneer in marketing AI literacy and responsible adoption, currently leading AI strategy at Jasper.
With 20 years of experience challenging the status quo in marketing, Jessica Hreha currently serves as the Head of Marketing AI Strategy and Transformation at Jasper. She's all about boosting AI know-how and responsible use in marketing teams, making her a real trailblazer. Hreha's background includes founding VMware's Marketing AI Council, which scaled responsible AI literacy to over 750 global marketers. Her mission to empower marketers in the AI era makes her insights particularly valuable for those looking to drive change within their organizations.
Learn more about Jessica:
- Follow Jessica on LinkedIn
- Follow Jessica on Twitter @jessicahreha
- Listen to Jessica’s podcast, AI Edge for Enterprise Marketing
Robert Hryniewicz
The Why: An ability to translate complex technical concepts into compelling market strategies that resonate with a broad audience.
A seasoned professional whose career spans technology and marketing within the AI industry., Robert Hryniewicz leads GTM and Product Marketing efforts for Enterprise AI at Cloudera, focusing on Fortune 2000 companies in the hybrid cloud space. With a Masters in robotics and AI from Case Western Reserve University, he brings over a decade of experience from Silicon Valley and currently lives and works in Cleveland, OH. Starting with a solid technical foundation, Robert played a key role in pioneering projects, including contributing to the development of autonomous vehicles for the DARPA Urban Challenge in 2007. His approach combines a deep understanding of technical details with a keen sense of market dynamics, positioning him as a key contributor to the widespread adoption of AI across various industries.
Learn more about Robert:
- Follow Robert on LinkedIn
- Follow Robert on Twitter @RobHryniewicz
Greg Kihlström
The Why: A marketing technology leader and best-selling author, known for guiding global brands through digital transformation.
Greg Kihlström is a best-selling author, speaker, and entrepreneur who helps advise top companies with marketing technology, customer experience, and digital transformation. With experience as a two-time CEO and Co-founder, he's grown companies both organically and through acquisitions. His clients? Big names like Adidas, Coca-Cola, Dell, FedEx, and Starbucks. Greg also holds an MBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology and teaches at the Association of National Advertisers' School of Marketing.
Learn more about Greg:
- Follow Greg on LinkedIn
- Follow Greg on Instagram
- Follow Greg on Twitter @gregkihlstrom
- Listen to Greg's Podcast: The Agile Brand
Christopher S. Penn
The Why: Cutting-edge AI and machine learning strategies expert, co-founder of Trust Insights and a recognized analytics authority.
As an authority on analytics, digital marketing, and machine learning, Christopher S. Penn has shaped five key fields in the marketing industry. Co-founder and chief data scientist of Trust Insights, Penn is responsible for creating products and services that leverage AI and machine learning for marketing strategies. His accolades include being a six-time IBM Champion in IBM Data and AI and co-hosting the award-winning Marketing Over Coffee podcast. Penn's expertise is further validated by his numerous certifications, including IBM Watson Machine Learning and Google Analytics.
Learn more about Chris:
- Follow Chris on LinkedIn
- Follow Chris on Twitter @cspenn
- Listen to Chris’s Podcasts: In-Ear Insights and Marketing Over Coffee
- Read Chris’s Books
Katie Robbert
The Why: An expert in AI compliance and governance, focusing on strategic and operational excellence.
As the CEO of Trust Insights, Katie Robbert knows her stuff when it comes to compliance, governance, and change management in the AI landscape. She's all about strategic planning, marketing ops, and market research. Robbert's background includes building multimillion-dollar lines of business in marketing technology, pharmaceutical, and healthcare industries. Her focus on the 5P framework—Purpose, People, Process, Platform, and Performance—provides a comprehensive approach and keeps teams on track in the AI-powered workplace.
Learn more about Katie:
- Follow Katie on LinkedIn
- Follow Katie on Twitter @katierobbert
- Listen to Katie’s Podcasts: In-Ear Insights and Marketing Over Coffee
Robert Rose
The Why: A content strategy leader who values and champions the art of storytelling combined with the science of strategy and data.
As a leader and advisor on marketing strategy, Rose primarily collaborates with technology and/or digital media companies, helping leaders navigate the complexities of modern marketing and digital content. Since its inception in 2010, Rose has been the Chief Strategy Advisor at The Content Marketing Institute, playing a key role in establishing it as a premier global content marketing education and training organization. With four books on modern marketing under his belt, including his latest work Content Marketing Strategy published in September 2023, Rose also co-hosts the podcast "This Old Marketing" with his colleague and friend Joe Pulizzi.
Learn more about Robert:
- Follow Robert on LinkedIn
- Listen to Robert’s podcast, This Old Marketing
- Read Robert’s books
Dan Slagen
The Why: A trailblazing leader who understands the value of people in an ever-changing, ever-advancing, AI-forward world.
As the CMO at Tomorrow.io, Dan is a go-to-market exec with experience in leading and scaling disruptive global functions across various industries, both public and private. Forbes recognized him as a Top 50 Entrepreneurial CMO. You may have seen Dan featured in The New York Times, NBC Nightly News, NPR, CNBC, BBC, WSJ, Bloomberg, Fortune... and more! Dan loves sharing insights on innovative trends, and he's also the author of the best-selling book "Understanding Start-Up CEOs," offering tips on working effectively with industry-leading CEOs.
Learn more about Dan:
- Follow Dan on LinkedIn
- Read Dan’s book, Understanding Start-up CEOs: And the Mindset You Need to Successfully Work for One
Amanda Todorovich
The Why: A content marketing leader who ensures her team’s marketing and communications do more then drive business; they create content that serves their communities.
Amanda Todorovich serves as the Executive Director of Digital Marketing at Cleveland Clinic, steering a team of 100+ marketers and communicators who shape the website, blog, social media, video, podcasts, emails, and more for this world-renowned institution. Notably, the Cleveland Clinic website stands tall among the top 30 most-visited sites worldwide. Since joining Cleveland Clinic in 2013, Todorovich's trailblazing path has earned her prestigious titles like Content Marketer of the Year by Content Marketing Institute in 2016 and an induction into the Healthcare Internet Hall of Fame Innovative Individuals in 2019.
Learn more about Amanda:
- Follow Amanda on LinkedIn
- Follow Amanda on Twitter @amandatodo
The field of Strategic AI is being shaped by a diverse group of visionaries who are driving innovation and transformation across industries. From Sandy Carter's empowerment of women in Web3 and AI to Christopher S. Penn's cutting-edge machine learning strategies, these leaders offer unique perspectives on how businesses can strategically leverage AI for competitive advantage.
Ready to dive deeper into the world of Strategic AI and learn directly from industry leaders? Register now for MAICON (Marketing AI Conference) to gain firsthand knowledge, network with experts, and stay ahead of the curve in AI-driven marketing strategies.
Don't miss this opportunity to accelerate your AI journey and transform your business. Visit the MAICON website today to secure your spot.