The AI Leadership Forum agenda has been shaped in close collaboration with a steering committee of experienced board members and executives, ensuring the program addresses the most critical and relevant topics for today’s leaders.
Chair, Deloitte US
Lara Abrash is the Chair of Deloitte US, the largest professional services organization in the United States with more than 170,000 professionals. Lara was elected into this role in June 2023 after serving four years as the chair and chief executive officer of Deloitte & Touche LLP, where she was responsible for overseeing the US Audit & Assurance business. Lara is a member of Deloitte Global’s Board of Directors and Chair of the Deloitte Foundation.
3:30 – 4:15 pm
AI and Your Workforce: An Optimistic Vision
Leading Global Cyber Lawyer, Freshfields
Brock is a Partner in our Washington, D.C. and Silicon Valley offices, where he focuses on guiding clients through complex national security, cybersecurity, advanced technology development, data privacy and strategy, and regulatory issues.
Brock brings cutting-edge technology, cyber and data experience to the firm after spending several years with the National Security Agency (NSA) and earlier years in Silicon Valley. In his most recent position of Deputy General Counsel, Operations at the NSA, he advised the NSA’s leadership on how to achieve their mission objectives within the boundaries of state, federal, and international cyber, privacy, and national security laws. He has a deep understanding of advanced technologies and how to manage the legal and practical challenges that they raise and has been at the forefront of the government’s response to many of the most significant, global cyber incidents in recent years.
Prior to serving as counsel at the NSA, Brock practiced at international law firms, where he advised on data privacy, cybersecurity, government investigations and white-collar defense, and transactional issues. Brock also held several positions at the U.S. Department of Treasury, where he focused on economic crimes.
Brock has authored pieces and often speaks publicly on legal strategy regarding a variety of national security and cybersecurity topics. Particularly pertinent to the current data security landscape, Brock has written extensively on combatting organized criminality in liminal environments. He has also authored a fiction novel on pre-civil war Lebanon, titled The Third Force.
Brock’s experience includes advising on:
1:45 – 2:45 pm
Cybersecurity 2030: Establishing Your AI Risk Posture
CEO, Invisible Technologies
A proven technology innovator with decades of leadership experience, Matt
Fitzpatrick was appointed as CEO of Invisible Technologies in January, 2025.
Previously, he served as the global leader of QuantumBlack Labs, McKinsey’s AI
software development group, which builds all of the firm’s sector-based machine learning products (e.g., PMPx, GemX, InsureX), horizontal ecosystem tooling (e.g., Horizon, Kedro, Brix, Iguazio), and GenAI solutions (e.g., LegacyX), all
designed to enable digital transformation at scale.
During his tenure, Fitzpatrick oversaw 1,000 engineers and product leaders
across both QuantumBlack Labs and McKinsey, and also McKinsey’s financial services digital and technology
solutions, managing a portfolio of 75 assets. His leadership drove transformative impact across banking,
wealth management, real estate, and private equity. Notably, Matt founded FinLab, a multidisciplinary team of
data scientists, engineers, and architects spanning five global hubs. FinLab specializes in developing scalable
data and software applications tailored to financial institutions.
Before rejoining McKinsey, Matt cofounded a multi-category e-commerce retailer and gained extensive experience as a private equity investor. He holds a BA in Politics from Princeton University and an MBA from The Wharton School.
Outside of work, Matt serves on the board of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and on the event committee of CAG in New York City. He is an avid reader of fiction, a pickup-basketball player, traveler, and committed fan of the New York Knicks and Jets.
1:45 – 2:45 pm
Build, Buy or Backburner? A Strategic Framework for C-Suite Investment Decisions in the AI Era
Innovation Strategist, Amazon Web Services
Syed Hoda is an Innovation & Strategy Advisor at Amazon Web Services, where he helps companies drive innovation to achieve business impact, market growth, and happier customers. Prior to AWS, he served in a variety of leadership roles, including President, Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Marketing Officer at four different software companies. Previously, Syed held global leadership roles at Cisco, most recently as GM of Emerging Solutions. Outside of Amazon, he serves on the Silicon Valley Board for Human Rights Watch. Syed has worked and lived on three different continents and currently lives in Palo Alto, California. He earned an M.B.A. from Emory University and a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Case Western Reserve University.
3:00 – 3:30 pm
A Regulatory Check-in: What Does the Future Hold Here and Abroad?
Innovation Strategist, Amazon Web Services
Glenn Holland is an Innovation Strategist at Amazon Web Services, helping customers solve their most significant challenges through innovative approaches and cloud technologies. Drawing from Amazon’s culture of customer obsession and inventive thinking, Glenn employs a forward-thinking approach to help organizations reimagine their business models and customer experiences. His methods enable customers to enhance decision-making, streamline operations, and create personalized experiences.
Previously, Glenn played a key role in developing Salesforce’s Ignite digital innovation program, pioneering transformative strategies to drive customer engagement and growth. His extensive experience in solution architecture and strategic partnerships is grounded in a deep understanding of how technology can enhance customer service and business value.
“We’re at a unique intersection of opportunity and disruption, where entire industries are being reinvented. The organizations that thrive will be those bold enough to define the future rather than wait for it to be defined for them.”
Glenn resides in Southlake, Texas, with his wife, and two Rhodesian Ridgebacks.
3:00 – 3:30 pm
A Regulatory Check-in: What Does the Future Hold Here and Abroad?
Partner, Freshfields
Janet H. Kim’s practice focuses on platform regulation, including regulations concerning content liability and content moderation, artificial intelligence, data privacy, assessment and mitigation of risks, and user choice. Janet is a hands-on and pragmatic advisor to companies navigating risk, and defends companies facing regulatory inquiries and investigations.
Janet helps companies navigate major regulatory reforms relating to digital media, artificial intelligence, and content, including the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), the UK Online Safety Act (OSA), the EU AI Act (AIA), and U.S. state laws on content moderation and artificial intelligence.
As lead counsel for multiple digital services coming into compliance with global content and AI regulations, Janet has advised on all aspects of the regulatory compliance lifecycle – including horizon scanning, legislative advocacy; scoping and current state assessments; pragmatic design and implementation advice; cross-regulatory (or regulation agnostic) design of key processes, systems, tools, and controls; design, conduct, and documentation of risk assessments; governance briefings; and regulatory engagement.
She routinely advises on clients’ engagement with international regulators and policymakers – including the European Commission, member state Digital Services Coordinators, Ofcom, and civil society—as well as U.S. regulators, including the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, the Department of Justice, and investigative committees of the U.S. Congress. She has counseled on informal regulatory engagements – including regulatory engagements in connection with ongoing legislative efforts and requests for public comments. She has also conducted internal investigations in service of, and served as lead drafter, for written submissions responding to investigative inquiries.
She has represented companies in independent audits of technology platforms, advising on testing and evidencing of platform systems, data, controls, and processes; applicability of financial regulatory auditing standards to tech / data contexts; and management of privilege and sensitive information in connection with third-party independent audits.
Janet has a diverse range of experience in the federal government. Janet served in the White House Counsel’s Office, where she advised senior White House officials and Executive Branch officials on high-risk matters, including congressional oversight investigations. She also served as the Chief Counsel for Investigations for the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, the principal investigative committee of the House of Representatives, where she led multiple high-profile investigations into topics related to the financial sector, environment, energy, national security, technology, the coronavirus pandemic, health care, personnel practices, ethics, consumer products.
1:45 – 2:45 pm
Cybersecurity 2030: Establishing Your AI Risk Posture
CEO and Chief AI Strategist, Averanda Partners; Board Chair, Director & Advisor
Joyce Li, CFA is a seasoned investor, board director, entrepreneur and AI strategist. With nearly two decades of experience managing multi-billion-dollar investments and serving on boards, Joyce is recognized as a “Top Artificial Intelligence Voice” on LinkedIn.
She serves as an advisory board member to OpenBB, at the forefront of bringing open source to the financial services industry. Joyce is a member of the NYSE Board Advisory Council Network, and co-chair of the AI task force at Athena Alliance.
11:25 am – 12:15 pm
What Creates Value?
Sonita Lontoh is a public company board director, strategic advisor and former Fortune 100 senior executive who focuses on digital innovation, artificial intelligence and sustainability. She has extensive global experience in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. She serves on the NACD’s Blue Ribbon Commission on board culture and on the NACD/World Economic Forum/CGI’s Climate Advisory Council.
In addition to her role on the boards of Sunrun and TrueBlue, she serves on the advisory board of UC Berkeley Engineering’s Jacobs Institute of Design Innovation and as a advisor to Sway Ventures, a VC firm investing in early to mid-stage category-creating enterprise or consumer companies.
10:35 – 11:25 am
Beyond Productivity and Cost-Cutting: How AI is Solving Big Problems and Creating New Business Models
Alissa Hsu Lynch is a member of board directors of The Honest Company and American Ballet Theatre and host of the podcast The Leadership Dance.
She rose rapidly through the ranks at Johnson & Johnson from Assistant Brand Manager to Worldwide Vice President and made her imprint on iconic consumer brands including Johnson’s Baby, Aveeno, Neutrogena, and CeraVe (at Bausch Health), as well as J&J’s medical device business. She then made a leap to Google, where she pioneered strategic partnerships with Fortune 500 companies to drive digital transformation in healthcare through the innovative application of data, analytics, and AI. She is a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute, holds two design patents,and was an Entrepreneur in Residence at DigitalDx Ventures.
1:45 – 2:45 pm
AI 101: Establishing a Practical Understanding of How GenAI Does (and Doesn’t) Work
President & Chief Legal Officer, Salesforce
Sabastian Niles is President and Chief Legal Officer at Salesforce, where he oversees Salesforce’s global legal and corporate affairs organizations, including government affairs, public policy, the office of ethical and humane use of technology and responsible AI, and global legal affairs.
In his role, Sabastian serves as a trusted advisor and leader to stakeholders, helping customers, partners, policymakers, and industry leaders prioritize trust, impact, and responsibility in an AI-first world, particularly in the era of AI agents. He oversees Salesforce’s commitment to responsible and ethical AI innovation, crafting and implementing policies that put trust at the forefront. Through collaborative efforts with stakeholders, he oversees how we navigate evolving opportunities, risks and regulations, ensuring responsible and sustainable practices.
Before joining Salesforce in 2023, Sabastian was a partner at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, where specialized in advising global companies on corporate governance, enterprise risk oversight, stakeholder and shareholder affairs, strategic investments, and mergers and acquisitions. His expertise also includes championing sustainability initiatives and fostering strong stakeholder relationships.
Recognized as one of the highest-ranked attorneys in the country, Sabastian is actively involved in several advisory and nonprofit roles, including serving on the Aspen Institute’s Business & Society Board of Advisors and as a director of Literacy Partners, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering families and individuals through education.
Sabastian earned his law degree from Harvard Law School, where he co-founded the Harvard Association of Law and Business, and holds undergraduate degrees in Economics, Finance, and Decision and Information Sciences from the University of Maryland.
3:30 – 4:15 pm
AI and Your Workforce: An Optimistic Vision
Sean is counsel in the strategic risk and crisis management practice based in Washington, DC. Sean’s practice is cross-disciplinary, focusing on both high-stakes investigations in Congress and before federal agencies, as well as regulatory strategy and controversies in complex, highly regulated industries. He also consults on product design, compliance, and commercial matters, especially related to internet platform services, content moderation, machine learning artificial intelligence, and big data.
Prior to joining Freshfields, Sean was investigative counsel for the US House of Representatives. In that role, he conducted dozens of depositions of key witnesses, including members of Congress, and led inquiries as lead attorney investigating criminal allegations including corruption and fraud, conflicts of interest, campaign finance issues, and ethics violations under House rules.
Earlier in his career, Sean was an associate at Williams & Connolly LLP, where he specialized in complex litigation and white-collar defense. He is now also an adjunct Professor at the Georgetown University Law Center teaching a seminar on ethics, professional responsibility, and career development.
3:00 – 3:30 pm
A Regulatory Check-in: What Does the Future Hold Here and Abroad?
Fmr. Chief AI Officer, Avanade; Author, The Handbook for Chief AI Officers and We the People: Human Purpose in a Digital Age
As Avanade’s Chief AI Officer, Florin Rotar drives the global AI strategy and execution across all parts of the business, spanning leadership, sales, solutioning, delivery, capability and partner ecosystem. He also accelerates Avanade’s internal transformation, identifying new ways AI can disrupt—and improve—how we work, operate and deliver for our clients.
Florin previously served as Chief Technology Officer at Avanade, where he led the strategic development of a portfolio of solutions and services centered on emerging technologies and innovation. He is a member of the Forbes Technology Council and was recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as one of the Top 10 CTOs to Watch in 2023. Florin is passionate about people-first AI innovation and co-authored the book, We the People: Human Purpose in a Digital Age: A Guide to Digital Ethics for Individuals, Organisations and Robots of All Kinds.
10:35 – 11:25 am
Beyond Productivity and Cost-Cutting: How AI is Solving Big Problems and Creating New Business Models
Lutz is a partner in our offices in Vienna and Düsseldorf focusing on IP and new technologies. Lutz advises clients worldwide, in particular in the tech and consumer sector, on platform and digital regulation, intellectual property and new business models and technologies, including AI.
Lutz has long-standing experience with e-commerce business models, on the contractual as well as on the contentious side, where he has represented clients in consumer protection issues in court, including before the European Court of Justice.
Lutz is publishing regularly on IP and tech issues and is teaching international copyright law at Vienna University.
Lutz’s experience includes advising:
3:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Angie Ruan is the Chief Technology Officer, Capital Access Platform at NASDAQ. An award-winning industry leader, Ms. Ruan holds four technical patents and has been instrumental in driving digital transformation across many industries, including enterprise application, e-commerce, payment, and capital markets. She most recently served as Vice President of Engineering at Chime before returning to NASDAQ where she was the Senior Vice President of Global Technology, responsible for overseeing the development of Key Market Technology Products and Corporate Platforms. Prior to joining Nasdaq, Ms. Ruan served as the Global Group Technology Vice President of consumer experiences and platform for American Express, where she was responsible for the digital transformation of American Express web and mobile technology. Before then, she was the Unit CIO for U.S. Consumer and U.S. Small Business, and was also Head of Engineering for Global PayPal Retail and Merchant product lines. As well, she held various executive engineering leadership roles at eBay including building the eBay messaging system, creating the eBay mobile platform, and transforming the DevOps organization.
Recognized as one of Silicon Valley’s Women of Influence, Ms. Ruan holds an M.S. in Computer Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and studied undergraduate in Computer Science at Tsinghua University of China.
11:25 am – 12:15 pm
What Creates Value?
As AWS Head of AI and Modern Data Strategy, Ben Schreiner is a trusted advisor helping customers unlock transformative growth. With 25+ years of global experience spanning enterprise tech, startups, and financial services, Ben provides a unique perspective on driving innovation through emerging technologies like generative AI.
11:25 am – 12:15 pm
What Creates Value?
Dominique Shelton Leipzig founded the Global Data Innovation Teams at two successful international law firms where she provided strategic guidance to companies with a cumulative market capitalization of more than $3 trillion. Dominique has trained and coached over 50,000 professionals on AI privacy and security, including Fortune 100 executives, board members and leaders at major companies and universities, and judges on privacy, AI, and cybersecurity to keep your business ahead of the curve. She is also a trusted advisor to policymakers in Washington, where she is working closely with lawmakers charged with crafting the nation’s first legislative and regulatory framework on artificial intelligence.
She has authored three books on data leadership, with a fourth forthcoming from Forbes. She serves on the Advisory Board of the AI Governance Center and the Board of Directors of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).
1:00 – 1:45 pm
TRUST: Establishing an Intentional Approach to AI and Data Governance
JoAnn Stonier serves as a Mastercard Fellow focusing on Data, AI and Privacy, having previously served as their Chief Data Officer and Chief Privacy Officer. She is a recognized global data strategist with extensive experience in artificial intelligence, data governance, science, platforms with an emphasis on responsible data design. She has advised industry executives, governments and NGOs on both commercial and non-profit solutions.
Currently, she serves as the co-chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Data Equity, is a member of the United Nations Expert Group on Governance and Artificial Intelligence and is a member of OmniCon Group’s AI Advisory Board.
11:25 am – 12:15 pm
What Creates Value?
Board Member, Ossia Inc.; Former Assistant Director for Cybersecurity, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
Ms. Van Wazer is a global executive with deep fluency in technology coupled with strategic expertise in assessing and leveraging regulatory landscapes for bottom line results. An engineer, lawyer, and White House veteran, she has been involved in policymaking to facilitate many of the major technological transformations of the last 25 years, from cellular and Wi-Fi, to smart grids, the cloud, and AI. She has deep substantive expertise in disruptive innovation, cybersecurity, and privacy.
Van Wazer is Vice President, Global Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs, for Akamai Technologies, a $4B cloud computing and cybersecurity services company operating in over 140 countries. Before joining Akamai, she was the lead for cybersecurity in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, handling cybersecurity policy, cyber incident response, and serving as White House lead for the Financial Services Sector Coordinating Council, a public-private partnership to increase the cyber resiliency of the financial services sector. Her White House service includes a stint as Assistant General Counsel for OMB.
She is a member of the Board of Ossia Inc., a Redmond, WA-based technology company whose pioneering products transmit power wirelessly, eliminating the need for cords and batteries. At Ossia, she is Chair of the Regulatory Committee and a member of the Audit and Compensation Committees. She is on the boards of Georgetown University Law Center, Helen Keller International, and a past Chair of the Board of the Information Technology Industry Council, the largest technology trade association. She is a member of the North America Regional Advisory Council for ISC2, the global cybersecurity certifying organization.
1:45 – 2:45 pm
Cybersecurity 2030: Establishing Your AI Risk Posture
CEO Ignitetech, GFI Software, Khoros
Eric Vaughan is an experienced technology and M&A executive recognized for his innovation in the enterprise technology space. As IgniteTech’s CEO, Eric is responsible for setting and executing the company’s vision, leading and motivating the global, remote-based IgniteTech team to continue to drive the company’s business to success in the eyes of its customers.
As the previous founder and CEO of 3 software and services companies, Eric is well known throughout the industry as an innovator, architect, and developer of a number of software, hardware, and integration solutions. With extensive technology-M&A experience on both the buy and sell sides, Eric has led teams through the full cycle of activities for over 60 M&A transactions including public-company buyouts, private equity/venture capital sales, and several divestiture transactions from IBM, with direct integration and CxO accountabilities for the acquired businesses post-close.
10:35 – 11:25 am
Beyond Productivity and Cost-Cutting: How AI is Solving Big Problems and Creating New Business Models
Board Member, Hitachi Ltd. and Humanetics Group; Former Global CIO, Siemens
Dr. Helmuth Ludwig is a Professor of Practice for Strategy and Entrepreneurship at SMU’s Cox School of Business in Dallas, where he teaches MBA courses, e.g., on Technology and AI Strategy. He serves on the Boards of Directors of Hitachi Ltd and Humanetics Group. He is also a senior advisor to Bridgepoint LLC and Zscaler, Inc.
From 1990 until 2019, he worked at Siemens in different functions and regions: global CIO (until 2019), CEO of Siemens Industry Sector North America (until 2014), and President of Siemens PLM Software (until 2010). Earlier in his career, Helmuth had several international assignments at Siemens in Europe, Latin America, and Asia.
Board Member, Ossia Inc.; Former Assistant Director for Cybersecurity, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
Ms. Van Wazer is a global executive with deep fluency in technology coupled with strategic expertise in assessing and leveraging regulatory landscapes for bottom line results. An engineer, lawyer, and White House veteran, she has been involved in policymaking to facilitate many of the major technological transformations of the last 25 years, from cellular and Wi-Fi, to smart grids, the cloud, and AI. She has deep substantive expertise in disruptive innovation, cybersecurity, and privacy.
Van Wazer is Vice President, Global Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs, for Akamai Technologies, a $4B cloud computing and cybersecurity services company operating in over 140 countries. Before joining Akamai, she was the lead for cybersecurity in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, handling cybersecurity policy, cyber incident response, and serving as White House lead for the Financial Services Sector Coordinating Council, a public-private partnership to increase the cyber resiliency of the financial services sector. Her White House service includes a stint as Assistant General Counsel for OMB.
She is a member of the Board of Ossia Inc., a Redmond, WA-based technology company whose pioneering products transmit power wirelessly, eliminating the need for cords and batteries. At Ossia, she is Chair of the Regulatory Committee and a member of the Audit and Compensation Committees. She is on the boards of Georgetown University Law Center, Helen Keller International, and a past Chair of the Board of the Information Technology Industry Council, the largest technology trade association. She is a member of the North America Regional Advisory Council for ISC2, the global cybersecurity certifying organization.
1:45 – 2:45 pm
Cybersecurity 2030: Establishing Your AI Risk Posture
The AI Leadership Forum agenda has been shaped in close collaboration with a committee of experienced board members and executives, ensuring the program addresses the most critical and relevant topics for today’s leaders.
