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Atlanta Is Data Hub for CDO Magazine Inaugural Leadership Summit
Written by: CDO Magazine Bureau
Updated 4:26 PM UTC, Mon May 5, 2025
CDO Magazine’s Atlanta Leadership Summit on April 24 ignited vibrant, future-focused discussions among the area’s data, analytics and AI community. With nearly 200 participants and 40 distinguished speakers, the event featured a robust agenda of keynote presentations, breakout panel discussions, focus group sessions, and fireside chats. Executives in industries from financial services, healthcare and energy to manufacturing, hospitality, retail and transportation engaged in the dialogue, posing thought-provoking questions and sharing valuable insights during the interactive sessions—making the Summit a truly collaborative and high-impact gathering for everyone.
The three keynote sessions stood out:
- Ethical Challenges of AI for Data Leaders — Ali Khan, Experian Consumer Services SVP, Chief Data Officer.
- The Crucial Role of Data Operating Models in AI Preparedness — Olga Sudvarg Strategy & Execution Leader, former Invesco COO, Data; and Murugesh Mayandi, Tech Mahindra Head, Data & Analytics.
- The Changing Landscape of Data & AI: Are We Ready for Transformation? — Shuchi Agrawal, Citi Global Head, Metrics Data Provisioning, Tooling Adoption & Automation; Jon Pruitt, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Chief Data Officer; and Aylin Orial, Padgea CTO.
Participants also engaged in breakout sessions that explored practical and strategic topics, including generative AI use cases in the enterprise, preparing organizations for AI adoption, and turning AI and GenAI into real business value. Sessions addressed key themes such as emerging trends, lessons learned, and opportunities in AI. A special focus was placed on the future of the enterprise—highlighting how AI, strategy, and security can be integrated to unlock smarter, more sustainable business growth in today’s rapidly evolving landscape.
Keynote speaker Ali Khan, Experian Consumer Services SVP, Chief Data Officer, captivates the audience with his presentation on the “Ethical Challenges of AI for Data Leaders.”
Steve Wanamaker, Founder & Publisher of CDO Magazine, says: “When CDO Magazine was born out of the MIT CDOIQ community, we envisioned a platform that would champion data leaders and unite regional ecosystems into a global force. What we witnessed at the Atlanta Leadership Summit was that vision in action—nearly 200 innovators from across industries, exchanging ideas, building connections, and shaping the future of AI. Everyone in that room became a founding voice in Atlanta’s data and AI story—and it’s only the beginning.”
CDO Magazine thanks the host city Co-Chairs of the Atlanta Leadership Summit for their leadership:
- Mabby Amouie, Norfolk Southern AVP, Enterprise Data & Analytics
- Mallory Freeman, UPS VP, Global Enterprise Data Analytics & AI
- Sudip Ghose, Equifax VP, Data Analytics & AI
- Emeka Igwilo, Southern Company Gas Chief Data Officer & VP, Operations Support
- Yingying Kang, Assurant Director, AI & Data Science
- Ali Khan, Experian Consumer Services SVP, Chief Data Officer
Keynote speaker and Co-Chair Khan shares that “to spend a full day with 200 data, analytics and AI execs exchanging ideas was both stimulating and informative. This event underscores the emergence of Atlanta as the next great hub for innovation in our professions.” He adds, “Hats off to the CDO Magazine leadership team. I look forward to the next one.”
CDO Magazine honors the Top 25 Atlanta Data Leaders attending the Atlanta Leadership Summit:
Abhishek Pathak, Ash Naseer, Meg McIntosh, Devi Kyanam, Santosh Kudva, Naresh Mevada, Matt Kott, Pravin Kakaraddi, Ali Khan, Emeka Igwilo, Scott Sacha, Gautam Bhat, Matt Robuck, Pankaj Singal, Ameet Shetty, Olga Sudvarg, and Chen Tiryaki.
Reflecting on her “amazing time” at the Summit, keynote speaker Agrawal says, “The speakers and panelists from diverse industries and backgrounds shared great insights on current implantation and future trends. Some highlights and key takeaways were:
- Ethical AI by Design: Ali Khan emphasized that ethical AI must be rooted in trust, transparency, and fairness—not just compliance.
- Preparing Organizations for AI: Leaders highlighted how AI can optimize industries while keeping human judgment and evolving ROI measures at the center.
- Building Trust in Enterprise AI: Success requires balancing rapid innovation with responsible governance, cross-functional collaboration, and agility.
- Future-Ready AI Leadership: Embracing adaptability, emotional intelligence, and human insight is key to leading in an AI-augmented world.”
Participants took part in a focus group led by Greg Haney, TigerGraph Director, Enterprise Sales, discussing how innovative graph databases can supercharge AI systems.
Sharing reflections from her fireside chat with Mayandi, keynote speaker Sudvarg posts on LinkedIn: “We tackled a hard truth: AI may be the headline, but without trusted, scalable data underneath it, it’s just a collection of POCs (Proofs of Concept). Most companies are still figuring out how to move from pilots to production — and from potential to real value. Our message: You can’t scale AI without a strong operating model for data. One built around people, processes, and technology — and focused relentlessly on business outcomes, not just infrastructure.”
Co-Chair Igwilo says that attending the CDO Magazine Summit was an enriching experience. “The thought-provoking discourse around relevant topics like AI ethics, operationalizing AI in business, and others provided invaluable insights; and the opportunity to have candid conversations with other data leaders was very valuable. Spaces like these — where ideas, best practices and connections can be incubated — are priceless in my opinion, and I look forward to future events,” he adds.
Speaking on “Bridging the Gap: Using AI to Democratize Data & Build a Data-Literate Culture” are moderator Stefanie Block, Flagstar Head, Payments & Card Services; Sammi Li, Flagstar Chief Analytics Officer; Ioana Mazare, The Data Lodge SVP & GM; and Yingying Kang, Assurant Director, AI & Data Science.
For Imtiaz Juneja, Macy’s Director, Enterprise Data Analytics, “Attending the Leadership Summit was a remarkable opportunity to engage with Atlanta’s growing data and AI community. Insightful sessions on GenAI use cases and the future of the enterprise ignited a spark of creativity and innovation.” He continues, “I left inspired and energized, armed with practical ideas to use AI ethically, cultivate a robust data culture, and equip our workforce for a dynamic future.”
Co-Chair Ghose praises CDO Magazine for its efforts, saying, “CDO Magazine’s first Atlanta Summit was exceptionally executed, featuring a standout keynote by Ali Khan, CDO at Experian, and deeply engaging panel discussions. The session I moderated sparked rich dialogue on evolving legacy organizations for AI.”
Presenting on “Bias and Ethics in Data: Building Trust Through Transparency” are moderator Peter Vennel, Equifax Global Data Office Leader, and panelists Ehrar Jameel, TK Elevator Head of Data Enablement, Analytics & AI; Su Rayburn, Delta Community Credit Union VP, Information Management & Analytics; and Gabriel Charvat, Dun & Bradstreet VP, Data Quality Insights.
According to Meet Patel, Kellanova Global Sr. Director, Advanced Analytics, Strategy, Capabilities & Culture, Global Growth, “The CDO Magazine Leadership Summit was an impressive gathering of inspiring leaders who explored the transformative influence of data, leadership, emerging technologies, and AI.
“Key topics included the necessity of cultivating a data-centric culture, the importance of ethical AI in decision-making, and the significance of ongoing innovation to thrive in a digital landscape,” Patel adds. “The event fostered collaboration and sparked thoughtful discussions, equipping attendees with practical strategies and a renewed dedication to utilizing data for meaningful change, while addressing challenges in overcoming and scaling emerging technologies like Generative AI.”
Steve Bangsund, CDO Magazine Sr. Director, Programs, highlights, “With almost 200 in attendance, it is a testimony to the power of community and leadership that is prevalent in Atlanta. It also shows that the leaders are willing to help find solutions, have deep discussion and work with each other. This is paramount as every industry moves forward in the data and AI space. Vision is something that is seen, acted on and embraced — This is the Atlanta community!”
Sam Ramachandran, Tiger Analytics Chief Sales Officer, sums up the Summit, saying,“It was inspiring to hear the various strategies employed by organizations to leverage the power of AI, manage executive expectations, deliver measurable value, continue to leverage innovations from the marketplace, and take an experiment-prove-scale approach towards business priorities. The positive energy and enthusiasm towards AI was palpable in all the sessions.”
Special thanks to ThoughtSpot, Tiger Analytics, Cohesity, TigerGraph, Fivetran, Data Society, and The Data Lodge for making this event a success.
Executives speaking at the CDO Magazine Atlanta Leadership Summit included:
Eugene Agichtein, Emory University Professor, Computer Science; Shuchi Agrawal, Citi Global Head, Metrics Data Provisioning, Tooling Adoption & Automation; Stefanie Block, Flagstar Head, Payments & Card Services; Gabriel Charvat, Dun & Bradstreet VP, Data Quality Insights; Xiquan Cui, The Home Depot Sr. Manager, Data Science; Tracy Daniels, TEVA Pharmaceuticals Head, Data, Analytics & AI; Dhrubojyoti Das Deb, JPMorgan Chase SVP, Software Engineering; Rajendra Gangavarapu, Pathward SVP; Sudip Ghose, Equifax VP, Data Analytics & AI; Siddharth Goyal, MiTek Director, AI; Emeka Igwilo, Southern Company Gas Chief Data Officer & VP, Operations Support; Ehrar Jameel, TK Elevator Head, Data Enablement, Analytics & AI; Yingying Kang, Assurant Director, AI & Data Science; Ali Khan, Experian Consumer Services SVP, Chief Data Officer; Anurag Khare, UCB Head, Commercial Analytics; Srijan Kumar, Georgia Tech Assistant Professor; Tera Ladner, Aflac Deputy Global CISO; Sammi Li, Flagstar Chief Analytics Officer; Manish Limaye, Revinate Chief Data Officer; Krystine Mahmood, Zelis VP, Data Intelligence & Innovation; Winn Martin, Live Oak Bank Chief Data & Analytics Officer; Murugesh Mayandi, Tech Mahindra Head, Data & Analytics; Samantha McConnell, Cox Communications Director, AI Strategy & Product Management; Shireesh Mishra, Citi Retail Services Head, Acquisition & Digital Analytics; Gerson Morales, BrandSafway VP, Enterprise Technology; Vivaldo Moraes Pinto Junior, MICHELIN Connected Fleet VP, Technology; Aylin Orial, Padgea CTO; Kartik Pillai, Yum! Brands Director, Data & Analytics; Jon Pruitt, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Chief Data Officer; Vadim Radinsky, MediaNews Group Director, Product, Analytics, Data Science; Teevyah Yuva Raju, BlackRock Business Strategist & Communications Lead, COO Team, Data & AI; Karthik Ramasamy, Guardian Industries Chief Analytics Officer; Su Rayburn, Delta Community Credit Union VP, Information Management & Analytics; Olga Sudvarg, Strategy & Execution Leader, former Invesco COO, Data; Peter Vennel, Equifax Global Data Office Leader; Mohammad Zahid, Vestis VP, Global Head, IT Infrastructure & Support; Amardeep Bhagat, Tiger Analytics VP, AI & Data Engineering; Josh Haley, Cohesity Sr. Director, Solution Architecture; Greg Haney, TigerGraph Director, Enterprise Sales; Kelley Jarrett, ThoughtSpot SVP, Strategy, Operations & Enablement; Ioana Mazare, The Data Lodge SVP & General Manager; Steve Bangsund, CDO Magazine Sr. Program Manager; Camille Prado, CDO Magazine Global Editor; and Steve Wanamaker, CDO Magazine Founder & Publisher.
CDO Magazine honored the Top 25 Atlanta Data Leaders attending the Atlanta Leadership Summit:
Gautam Bhat, Graphic Packaging International VP, Data Analytics & AI; Emeka Igwilo, Southern Company Gas Chief Data Officer & VP, Operations Support; Pravin Kakaraddi, Inspire Brands VP, Enterprise Data; Ali Khan, Experian Consumer Services SVP, Chief Data Officer; Matt Kott, Carter’s VP, IT, Data, Analytics, & Enterprise Applications; Santosh Kudva, GE Vernova Chief Data Officer; Devi Kyanam, The Coca-Cola Company Head, Data; Meg McIntosh, IHG Hotels & Resorts VP, Data & Analytics; Naresh Mevada, Assurant VP, Business Integration & Strategy, Data Analytics; Ash Naseer, Delta Air Lines Managing Director, Enterprise Data & AI Technology; Abhishek Pathak, Molina Healthcare AVP, Data & Analytics; Matt Robuck, Georgia-Pacific VP, Data & Analytics; Scott Sacha, Novelis VP, Enterprise Data & Analytics; Ameet Shetty, Equifax Chief Data Officer, U.S. Information Solutions; Pankaj Singal, Goldman Sachs Chief Data Officer, Risk Division; Olga Sudvarg, Strategy & Execution Leader, former Invesco COO, Data; and Chen Tiryaki, Morgan Stanley VP, Analytics AI & Data Tech.
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