Data, analytics, and AI executives from San Francisco connected at the CDO Magazine Executive Boardroom Dinner at the Boulevard Restaurant on August 19 for thought-provoking conversations on data challenges, governance, and the realities of scaling AI responsibly.

Leaders examined how enterprises control the context fed into corporate LLMs, the gaps in understanding data footprints and access controls, and the critical need for tighter collaboration with security counterparts to strengthen data protection and build confidence in existing security tools. The discussion was moderated by Aidan Hrynda, Teleskope Lead Customer Engineer.

According to Ozlem Peksoy Bishop, Renaissance Park Corporation Chief Data Officer, “Connecting with peers and exchanging ideas around our professional passions is priceless at the CDO Magazine events. Last night was no exception with a lively discussion moderated by Teleskope. As a risk expert, I appreciate the complexity of technical aspects but remain convinced that strategic thinking is critical to building security excellence. True success comes from partnerships—both within the enterprise and with external allies — because security is a team sport.”

Sharing his takeaway, Sharath Gokula, Sam’s Club Head, Product Data Science, says, “We explored emerging agentic frameworks and their potential, while emphasizing that true impact comes when these agents are closely aligned with business needs. Generic, one-size-fits-all solutions rarely deliver value — it’s the tailored, business-driven applications that matter.”

Anjali Arora Mehra, eBay Director, AI Strategy & Transformation, says the event was an excellent opportunity to connect and exchange perspectives with peers across the industry. She adds, “Hearing how different organizations are using AI to drive innovation was both inspiring and insightful. I walked away with new ideas and valuable connections that I’m excited to carry forward.”

Similarly, Jayant Kolhe, Stripe Head of Privacy and Data Protection (Engineering), says, “The event was exceptionally well organized, with engaging and insightful discussions throughout. I especially appreciated the thoughtful exchange on privacy and security practices across different data organizations — valuable perspectives that reflect the evolving challenges and innovations in the field.”

RingCentral Chief Privacy Officer Paola Zeni echoes, “Last night’s event was a great opportunity to connect with a diverse group of leaders, share candid insights and benchmark best practices.”

Subramanian Iyer, former QXO SVP, AI, adds, “CDO Magazine hosted a superb small-group dinner; the conversation with data and AI leaders was refreshingly pragmatic about value, risk, and readiness.”

Steve Bangsund, CDO Magazine Sr. Executive Program Director, highlights, “It was a fantastic evening bringing together top AI and data leaders from the San Francisco CDO Magazine community. The night featured in-depth discussions on data security, AI processes, and systems currently in use, along with conversations on AI tools for organizational teams. The outstanding table interactions will continue to fuel growth, networking, and collaboration in this AI era. Thank you to all the leaders—looking forward to even greater growth in the community.”

Summing up the evening, moderator Hrynda says, “It was a privilege to join and sponsor CDO Magazine’s thoughtful discussion with leading data executives. The dinner underscored how LLMs are subject just as much to organizational politics as they are the technical limitations of context. Every attendee had a mandate to explore LLMs, their security, and value in practice. At Teleskope, we see these kinds of conversations as critical to balancing responsible privacy with AI adoption across enterprises.”

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

Executives attending the CDO Magazine San Francisco Executive Boardroom Dinner included: 

Ozlem Peksoy Bishop, Renaissance Park Corporation Chief Data Officer; Sharath Gokula, Sam’s Club Head, Product, Data Science; Deepa Harnalli, Forge SVP, Global Head, Data, AI/ML & Analytics Platforms, standing Chief Data Officer;

Subramanian Iyer, former QXO SVP, AI; Jayant Kolhe, Stripe Head, Privacy & Data Protection (Engineering); Anjali Arora Mehra, eBay Director, AI Strategy & Transformation; Sri Naraharasetti, Hinge Health Director, Research & Development (Engineering, Product, Design) Operations & Analytics; Jean-Paul Saliou, Synopsys Sr. Director, Business Intelligence & Analytics; Seema Singhal, ConnectIQ Chief Data & Analytics Officer; Guan Wang, Airtable VP, Data; Akshay Wattal, Ripple Head, Information Security & Chief Information Security Officer, Ripple Markets; Brianna Zhao, Warner Bros. Games Head, Data Insights; Paola Zeni, RingCentral Chief Privacy Officer; Ruth Chong, Teleskope VP, Partnerships & Growth; Aidan Hrynda, Teleskope Lead Customer Engineer; Steve Bangsund, CDO Magazine Sr. Executive Program Director; Anthony Losanno, CDO Magazine SVP, Sales.