Ram Kumar is the Chief Data and Analytics Officer of Cigna’s International Markets where he is responsible for driving data and analytics strategy and its execution for 30+ countries covering The Americas, EMEA, and Asia Pacific. Prior to Cigna, Ram was the CEO of Quantium India where he was responsible for the overall management and operations of the organization that serves as a Centre of Excellence for Data Science and AI consulting, Data Product development, Technology Operations and Innovation, serving the Quantium Group, a global Australian company, that is No.1 in Data Science.

Ram commenced his career in Australia and has over 30 years of solid background in Information Technology coupled with over 22 years’ experience in data strategy and execution. He has held many executive roles in his career including as Group CTO, CIO of Asia and as Group Head of Data and Privacy for Insurance Australia Group and as Chief Data and Analytics Officer of QBE Insurance. He implemented his first data governance and monetization program in 1992. He has a strong basic and applied R&D background in AI and Machine learning and was actively involved in this field between 1986 and 2005, and has worked closely with some of the pioneers in this field.  His first big data based advanced analytics project was in 1992.  Ram has served as a member of the Data Research Advisory Board of MIT Sloan School from 2016-2019. He spent over 16 years building open data standards under OASIS, a Global Standards Body and his standards have been implemented globally and notably by Google Maps.

Ram has published over 150 articles and is a regularly invited keynote speaker in conferences globally and has spoken extensively. Ram is recipient of several IT and Data related awards globally. His work has been published as chapters in books as global best practices. Ram holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering and a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering with Artificial Intelligence as the major in both.

Adam Rosenbaum is a dynamic and accomplished professional with a rich experience spanning decades in data governance, analytics, and information systems. He is currently a Data Governance Analyst at Sands Capital.

Before this, Adam had a rewarding stint as the Manager, Analytics at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization. Here, he led a vibrant cross-organizational data governance team, creating innovative processes and procedures that significantly boosted member engagement, revenue, and advocacy campaigns. His leadership in developing a data glossary and a workshops for Excel and PowerBI reporting was highly appreciated.

Adam’s journey also includes a successful tenure as an Engagement Manager at Akamai Technologies. In this capacity, he led large multi-organizational business and technical teams. His initiative in developing templates for uniform business metrics reporting was a game-changer, saving countless hours and streamlining processes.

His career also saw a fulfilling period with the Council for Advancement & Support of Education, where he served in various roles including Director, Information Architecture, Director of Information Systems, and Database Administrator. His contributions in these roles, from leading the development of the organization’s analytics program to managing the migration to a new CRM/AMS platform, were instrumental in driving the organization’s success.

Earlier in his career, Adam served as the Assistant Director for Educational Technology at the Council for Opportunity in Education, where he successfully ran U.S. Department of Education TRIO staff training grants. His work at Democracy Data & Communications LLC as a Technical Services Manager & Operations Specialist, and his time as a Teacher at Montgomery County Public Schools, were marked by his dedication and commitment to life long learning and education.

Adam’s career is a testament to his ability to lead teams, develop efficient processes, and utilize data to drive decision-making. His infectious enthusiasm, combined with his expertise in data governance, analytics, and information systems, are what drive his passion for working with people and data.

A seasoned Data & Analytics Executive with 15+ years of experience driving business value through strategic data initiatives, data-driven decision-making, and advanced technology implementation. Proven ability to architect and implement robust data infrastructure, leverage cutting-edge analytics techniques, and build high-performing teams. Recognized for delivering significant cost savings, revenue growth, and operational improvements.

Career Highlights:

• Led a $300M digital transformation at MPI, achieving annual savings exceeding $7M and streamlining processes.
• Architected a data and analytics ecosystem at The Weather Network, driving a 20% reduction in operational expenses and a 40% increase in customer engagement.
• Delivered cost savings exceeding $9M and EBITDA impact of $250M at VEON B.V., building data competency in 10 countries.
• Supported IBM UK in developing Big Data Architecture for HSBC Bank UK, enhancing data analytics capabilities.

Prof. Hanlie Smuts has been an Associate Professor in the Department of Informatics at the University of Pretoria since 2017. She was appointed as Head of Department of Informatics in 2022.

During her tenure in industry prior to joining the University of Pretoria, her role aimed to deliver consistent customer relevance across all digital touch points by empowering customers through convenient and effective self-service, and by driving growth through personalised digital offerings and adjacent ecosystems.

Her lecturing and research role focuses on Information Systems and the organisation, with particular emphasis on Society 5.0, digital transformation, big data management, artificial intelligence, and knowledge management. Prof Smuts is deputy chair of the Knowledge Management South Africa (KMSA) board and has published several papers and book chapters in her field of study.

Wai Fong Boh is President’s Chair and Professor of Information Systems at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore. She is currently the Interim Dean of Nanyang Business School (NBS), Director of Information Management Research Centre at NBS, and she serves as co-Director for both Singapore Agri-Food Innovation Lab (SAIL @ NTU) and NTU Centre in Computational Technologies for Finance (CCTF). She received her PhD from the Tepper School of Business at the Carnegie Mellon University. She conducts research in the areas of knowledge and innovation management and entrepreneurship. She has published many articles in top management journals including Management Science, MIS Quarterly, Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, Journal of Management Information Systems, and Research Policy. She has also won multiple awards, including awards for best papers in journals, conferences, and as a best IS professor in Asia. Professor Boh is a seasoned and versatile instructor who teaches at both undergraduate and graduate levels. She has spoken in multiple industry conferences, and specializes in research and conducting training for entrepreneurs, managers and employees in areas related to innovation and entrepreneurship. Professor Boh is also sought after by private organizations as well as government agencies to conduct training programs. She is often cited and interviewed in the media.

Christine Legner is a Professor of Information Systems at the Faculty of Business and Economics (HEC), University of Lausanne. She is the co-founder and academic director of the Competence Centers Corporate Data Quality (CC CDQ), an industry-funded research consortium and expert community with 20 corporate partners (BASF, Bayer, Beiersdorf, Bosch, Nestlé, Schaeffler, SAP, Siemens and Tetrapak, among others). In the CC CDQ, she and her research team collaborate with industry experts to develop concepts, tools and methods that advance data management. Christine is also the co-director of the Executive Certificate in Data Science and Management, a joint program offered by University of Lausanne and EPFL.