CDO Magazine’s Executive Boardroom Dinner at the Capital Grille in Atlanta on June 25 brought together senior executives in data, analytics, and AI, for an engaging conversation on advancing responsible and impactful AI adoption across the enterprise.

The highlight of the event was a panel discussion on “Safe Use of Data + AI to Unleash the Power of Enterprise AI.” The panelists explored key challenges in deploying AI, including data readiness, transparency, and aligning AI initiatives with business goals. 

They also deepdived the importance of building trust, both internally and with customers, through clear communication and governance. The conversation also examined the trade-offs between off-the-shelf tools and custom solutions, and how data teams can effectively present measurable outcomes that resonate with the C-suite.

The panels of experts were:

• Matt Robuck, Georgia-Pacific Vice President, Data and Analytics
• Sudipto Ghose, Equifax VP, Enterprise Data, Analytics & AI
• Scott Sacha, Novelis VP, Enterprise Data & Analytics

The discussion was moderated by Jack Berkowitz, Securiti Chief Data Officer.

Reflecting on the conversations, speaker Robuck, says, “It was a great dinner in Atlanta with an engaging panel discussion with my peers Scott and Sudipto with Jack facilitating. The conversation honed in on the importance of not just technology and platforms, but how we as data leaders tell the story and influence our organizations to drive value from data and AI – a critical and often overlooked role we must play.”

For Speaker Ghose, one of the most “eye-opening” insights was learning how an AI tool was deployed but ultimately shelved because people didn’t trust it. “The panel questions were great and helped the panel to speak about what is working and what is not in AI,” Ghose adds.

Speaker Sacha shares that it was a valuable opportunity to connect with fellow data leaders and gain insights on key topics, especially around securing data. Building on Ghose’s reflections about the importance of trust and transparency in AI deployment, he adds, “The best part was realizing that challenges I thought were unique to me are shared by many others in the industry. The evening was enriched by engaging conversations and a fantastic dinner with professionals from diverse industries.”

Adding to this perspective, Ehrar Jameel, TK Elevator Head, Data, Analytics & AI, North America, says, “AI readiness is no longer just about models and data — it’s about governance. Organizations that invest in a security-first AI stack will outpace those chasing capabilities without control.”

Emeka Igwilo, Southern Company Gas Chief Data Officer & VP, Operations Support, says, “I enjoyed the community with data leaders sharing ideas and perspectives about the importance of storytelling as a way of engaging business partners at the onset of initiatives.”

Anthony Losanno, CDO Magazine SVP, Sales, highlights, “We had a great night in Atlanta with Securiti and all of the data leaders who attended. The panel discussed challenges around deploying AI systems and their predictions for the near future in this rapidly evolving space. Great thought leadership as always and fascinating to hear how companies are adapting.”

Summing up the evening, moderator Berkowitz, says, “The Atlanta CDO Magazine event was an energetic, informative, and fun discussion on the state of AI and governance in the enterprise. It was great to hear the progress many were making in significant business impact in their companies, and the panelists shared a lot of great insights.”

Special thanks to Securiti for making the CDO Magazine Executive Boardroom Dinner such a resounding success.

*Matt Robuck, Scott Sacha, and Emeka Igwilo are among the Top 25 Atlanta Data Leaders recognized by CDO Magazine. Sudipto Ghose is a member of the Atlanta Executive Board. Igwilo and Ghose are co-chair of the Atlanta Executive Board. Ehrar Jameel, Robuck, Ghose, and Igwilo are members of the CDO Magazine Global Editorial Board.

Executives attending the CDO Magazine Atlanta Executive Boardroom Dinner included: 

Rashmi Agrawal, Oldcastle APG VP, Data & Analytics; Mabby Amouie, Norfolk Southern AVP, Enterprise Data & Analytics; Rajendra Gangavarapu, Pathward SVP; Sudipto Ghose, Equifax VP, Enterprise Data, Analytics & AI; Jatinear Givens; Dewayne Griffin, Insight Global Chief Digital & Information Officer; Emeka Igwilo, Southern Company Gas Chief Data Officer & VP, Operations Support; Ehrar Jameel, TK Elevator Head, Data, Analytics & AI, North America; Kartik Pillai, Yum! Brands Director, Data Strategy Master Data Management AI & Data Governance; Randy Powell, Rheem Manufacturing Global Governance & Cybersecurity; Matt Robuck, Georgia-Pacific VP, Data & Analytics; Rama Ryali, McKesson Head, Data Platform Compliance & Operations; Scott Sacha, Novelis VP, Enterprise Data & Analytics; Ameet Shetty, Equifax Chief Data Officer, US Information Solutions; Olga Sudvarg, former Invesco COO, Data, Global Head, Data Strategy & Delivery; Seemant Teotia, Equifax VP, Product & Analytics Integration; Chen Tiryaki, Morgan Stanley VP Analytics AI & Data Tech; Greg Aiken, Securiti VP, Sales; Jack Berkowitz, Securiti Chief Data Officer; Lauren King, Securiti Field Marketing & Events; Sam Shirey, Securiti Regional Account Manager; Bailey Sugg, Securiti Regional Sales Manager, Enterprise; Anthony Losanno, CDO Magazine SVP, Sales; Lisa Runkle, CDO Magazine Global Event Manager.