DLA Piper Appoints Niresh Rajah as Chief Data and AI Officer

(US & Canada) Global law firm DLA Piper has appointed Niresh Rajah as Chief Data and AI Officer. Formerly the Group Chief Data Officer at Danske Bank, Niresh will spearhead the firm’s AI and data initiatives, embedding data practices and generative AI-powered solutions into its services and offerings.

Niresh brings over 20 years of experience in financial and professional services, having led major digital and data transformation projects at international organizations including Barclays Bank, Lloyds Banking Group, and Grant Thornton. He has a proven track record of building and integrating AI and data intelligence functions, developing and delivering comprehensive data strategies, and navigating complex regulatory environments such as Brexit and GDPR. His previous roles at Deloitte and EY involved managing significant transformation projects for FTSE100 companies.

The creation of the CDAIO role marks a significant step in DLA Piper’s innovation strategy, aligning with its focus on the future of legal services. This builds on the firm’s Law and Innovation arm, which offers pioneering legal service solutions like Aiscencion, an AI-driven tool for detecting cartel and corruption activities, and TOKO, a virtual asset tokenization platform and legal AI assistant. The firm's 100-strong AI and data team is revolutionizing practice across its global footprint, collaborating with leading clients on innovation, compliance, and policy influence.

Simon Levine, Managing Partner and Global Co-CEO, stated: “Niresh’s appointment will solidify our data and AI advancements at DLA Piper. Businesses today face unprecedented changes and complexities. Niresh has consistently driven transformative change, ensured compliance, and established innovative practices in top-tier global organizations. His vision aligns perfectly with our forward-looking approach to legal services, and we are confident he will be instrumental in shaping our future.”

Niresh Rajah added: “The legal industry is breaking new ground in leveraging big data and generative AI to unlock client value. I am excited to join DLA Piper on this journey. Having met the impressive team already pushing boundaries, I look forward to working with them to achieve remarkable outcomes for our clients and colleagues.”

Additionally, DLA Piper has appointed Vikram Mitra as the new Lead Data Scientist. Mitra joins from FTI, where he was a Director in the Digital Science team, with previous data science roles at Deloitte and MUSO.