AI and Data Dynamics: Navigating Tomorrow's Terrain
Joining us is Ansh Kanwar, the Senior Vice President of Technology at Reltio, known for his expertise and leadership in the tech industry. Alongside him, we have the pleasure of welcoming Asha Saxena, a strategic and innovative leader with a wealth of experience in technology businesses. Stay tuned as we embark on a journey of discovery and learning in the realm of data technology.
Asha Saxena's Background:
- Asha has a distinguished career, including being the Founder and CEO of Women Leaders in Data and AI (WLDA). She is also the CEO of Coaching International, a board advisor, an adjunct professor at Columbia University, a published author, and a columnist at Entrepreneur Magazine.
- Her journey in technology started with a degree in computer science engineering and a job as a mainframe programmer in New York City. She quickly advanced in her career, starting her own consulting company in her early twenties, growing it significantly, and later founding other successful companies.
- Asha's experience as an educator and author led her to write a book, inspired during the COVID-19 pandemic. This period also led to the creation of WLDA, focusing on responsible and ethical AI and promoting diversity in leadership roles in the field.
Women Leaders in Data and AI (WLDA):
- WLDA was conceived as a response to the lack of diversity in senior AI roles and the potential biases in AI models. The organization aims to bring consciousness to leaders in the industry and includes both women and men. It focuses on ethical AI and creating a positive impact in the technology world.
- WLDA's activities include peer-to-peer community building, events, tech talks, leadership summits, and awards to recognize contributions in the field.
Asha Saxena's Book on The AI Factor:
- The book discusses bridging the gap between business users and technologists, emphasizing the value of technology and practical frameworks for implementing AI in businesses.
- It provides use cases of successful companies, a four-step process for data readiness, and strategies to ensure that technology projects deliver real business value.
Advice for Companies Approaching AI:
- Companies should not shy away from AI but start with small steps and create small wins to build momentum.
- The approach should be methodical, focusing on data readiness and ensuring that AI investments align with strategic business goals.
Challenges in Data Management and Governance:
- Common issues include unclear ownership of data, priority conflicts, and the tendency of data initiatives to become more focused on infrastructure than on delivering business value.
- Proper data governance and strategic focus are crucial for successful data and AI initiatives.
Asha's story and insights offer a comprehensive view of the challenges and opportunities in the data and AI space, especially emphasizing the importance of ethical considerations and diversity in leadership roles.
Creators and Guests
Host
Anshuman Kanwar
Ansh is a Senior VP of Technology at Reltio. He builds awesome teams and cutting edge tech. Always learning.
Host
Chris Detzel
Innovative and strategic Community Engagement Director with over 15 years of experience scaling communities and driving engagement within start-up environments and established companies. Proven track record of steering product strategy, driving growth through data-driven decisions, and thriving in high-pace, “0-to-1” scenarios. A flexible problem-solver known for a creative and tenacious approach to challenges, backed by robust analytical acumen and an entrepreneurial mindset.
Guest
Asha Saxena
Asha Saxena is a strategic, innovative leader with a proven track record of building successful tech businesses for over 28 years. With a strong academic background, creative problem-solving skills, and an effective management style. She has been instrumental in building business models for success. Asha Saxena is the Founder and CEO of Women Leaders in Data and AI (WLDA), an organization bringing senior leaders together with a mission to create an impactful digital world with parity and equity. Asha Saxena is also a partner at CEO Coaching International, a leading coaching firm for growth-focused CEOs and entrepreneurs, where we follow a practical and proven methodology to help CEOs and their teams perform at their very best and achieve their business goals. As a Board Advisor and an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University, she teaches graduate classes on Management Consulting, Entrepreneurship and Big Data Analytics. She has served a four-year term as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Columbia Business School. Published Author, Columnist at Entrepreneur Magazine, Asha Saxena is a well-known key-note speaker on Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Women in Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Big Data.