TechEmergence Podcast: Innovation at the Intersect 4m6k6i

Today’s guest is Daniel Ferrante, AI Leader in R&D and Data Strategy at Deloitte. Daniel s Emerj CEO and Head of Research Daniel Faggella on today’s show to delve into the intersection of AI, data strategy, and research and development across industries such as agriculture, life sciences, and materials science. Ferrante breaks down the core challenges organizations face in harnessing data to unlock AI’s potential and drive efficiencies in R&D processes. Ferrante also emphasizes the importance of contextualizing data through a multimodal framework — Deloitte’s Atlas — to bridge gaps between disparate datasets and ontologies. He outlines how AI models, including large language models (LLMs), can be leveraged to label and map complex data landscapes. This episode is sponsored by Deloitte. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business’ podcast!

Today’s guest is Greg Cucino, Managing Director at RoundTable Strategy Advisors. RoundTable is a leading firm specializing in CFO and NetSuite services that help businesses boost financial management and operational efficiency. Greg s Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello on the podcast to share his perspective on how AI is redefining the CFO role. As AI automates manual finance and ing workflows, executives are shifting focus from historical data to forward-looking strategy. Greg also explores emerging AI technologies, including agentic AI, and how they’re set to transform financial operations and M&A activity across industries. If you want to understand the practical applications of AI in finance and what CFOs and business leaders can expect next, this episode is packed with insights. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business’ podcast! This episode is sponsored by RoundTable Strategy Advisors. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.

Today’s guest is Sidharth Ojha, Head of Process Optimization in Data and AI at AXA XL, a global commercial insurance and reinsurance company and subsidiary of AXA. Sidharth s Emerj Managing Editor Matthew DeMello to discuss how AI is being applied across commercial insurance workflows with real, measurable impact. He explains how machine learning is enhancing underwriting efficiency, portfolio decision-making, and risk assessment. The conversation also covers key enablers for scaling AI, including data quality, governance, and change management. For insurance professionals and data leaders, Sidharth offers practical insights on where AI is driving results today and what it takes to implement it responsibly. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business’ podcast! If you’ve enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!

In this episode of the ‘AI in Business’ podcast, Nathaniel Bell, Data Management Director at Wells Fargo, returns to discuss the evolving role of AI in risk management, compliance, and enterprise automation in banking. Host and Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello and Nathaniel explore how financial institutions can balance innovation with caution as deterministic, generative, and agentic AI technologies move from experimentation to production. He goes on to outline how simple automation and deterministic models are already creating meaningful efficiencies in audit workflows and compliance reporting—areas where rules-based logic remains dominant. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business’ podcast! This episode is sponsored by Automation Anywhere. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.

As the financial industry moves deeper into the generative AI era, compliance teams are navigating the tension between modernization and risk oversight. In this episode, Kandie Ibaka, Vice President and Sanctions Control Officer at Citi, returns to the ‘AI in Business’ podcast to discuss the real-world challenges of balancing legacy tech stacks with emerging technologies across global compliance operations. Throughout the episode, Kandie and Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello explore how institutions can approach AI adoption without losing sight of regulatory expectations or institutional memory. Moving away from chatbot disappointments to meaningful orchestration across systems, she offers firsthand insight into what it takes to move beyond scattered tools and build a connected, risk-aware compliance infrastructure. This episode is sponsored by Searce. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business’ podcast!

Today’s guest is Kandie Ibaka, Vice President and Sanctions Control Officer for International Investigations and Emerging Sanctions in Advisory Controls and Executions at Citi. Kanide s Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello to discuss how compliance leaders are navigating today’s rapidly shifting regulatory landscape. With global sanctions evolving at an unprecedented pace, Kandie shares how financial institutions are moving beyond basic monitoring to real-time risk interpretation, operational alignment, and strategic response. This episode is sponsored by MindBridge. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business’ podcast!

In this episode of the ‘AI in Business’ podcast, Deep Srivastav, Chief AI Officer at Franklin Templeton, shares a candid view into the evolving role of AI in wealth and asset management — and how enterprises can move beyond isolated use cases to reshape core business capabilities. Deep unpacks the unique challenges financial firms face when implementing AI, from managing high-stakes accuracy and regulatory demands to harmonizing siloed data systems and building long-term ROI. He outlines Franklin Templeton’s own approach to building a successful AI roap, highlighting how cross-functional collaboration and a focus on transforming full business processes — rather than piecemeal experimentation — have proven key to sustained impact. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business’ podcast! This episode is sponsored by FE fundinfo. FE fundinfo is a leading financial data company connecting the investment industry in the UK, Europe and Asia Pacific through a single integrated platform. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.

In this episode of the ‘AI in Business’ podcast, Scott Bradley, VP of AI and Innovation at Novartis, returns to discuss how AI is reshaping decision-making at the earliest stages of drug development—and what that means for the future of pharma investment strategy. Host Matthew DeMello and Scott explore how the pharmaceutical industry is transitioning from intuition-led portfolio choices to data-driven precision. They discuss the growing influence of AI in identifying viable drug candidates, deg complex proteins, and even solving long-standing manufacturing challenges. Scott also highlights the impact of AI on shifting portfolio dynamics—enabling pharma companies to target smaller, more specific patient populations and scale up development across a wider range of therapies. With AI now central to everything from molecule discovery to commercialization, the conversation offers a window into how life sciences organizations must adapt both structurally and strategically to stay competitive. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business’ podcast! This episode is sponsored by Intelligencia AI. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.

In this episode, Mathew Paruthickal — Global Head of Data Architecture, Utilization, and AI Engineering at Sanofi — s Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello to explore how AI is reshaping clinical trial operations at scale. He shares how Sanofi is leveraging advanced data strategies to address longstanding bottlenecks in trial design, safety signal detection, and site performance prediction. Mathew outlines the architectural and operational shifts required to move from isolated AI pilots to enterprise-wide transformation. From document intelligence to real-time data orchestration, he details how Sanofi is building integrated, compliant systems that faster, more informed decision-making across teams and therapeutic areas. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business’ podcast! This episode is sponsored by Medable. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.

Today’s guest is Oleg Savin, Enterprise Architect and MES Expert at Unilever. Oleg is a frequent guest speaker at manufacturing conferences worldwide, including this year’s Smart Manufacturing Excellence Summit in Munich. He returns to the program today to discuss use cases in why neurobiological and cybernetic AI capabilities for manufacturers and why it’s imperative for industrial leaders to understand the difference. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business’ podcast! If you’ve enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, consider leaving us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!

Today’s guest is Shawn Rosemarin, Vice-President of R&D in Customer Engineering at Pure Storage, a leader in cloud-based infrastructure and storage-as-a-service solutions designed to enhance operational efficiency and sustainability. Shawn s the podcast to explore the critical role of storage efficiency in scaling AI. As businesses accelerate AI adoption, modern, power-efficient infrastructure becomes essential. Shawn discusses the challenges posed by legacy systems, highlighting how outdated storage technologies consume excessive power and limit scalability. He explains how transitioning to advanced flash storage reduces energy consumption and allows enterprises to scale AI applications more effectively. If you’re looking to future-proof your infrastructure and optimize storage for AI growth, this episode provides key insights on building a sustainable, scalable foundation. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business’ podcast! This episode is sponsored by Pure Storage. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.

Today’s guest is Nathaniel Bell, Director of Data Management at Wells Fargo. Nate s Emerj Managing Editor Matthew DeMello on the show today to discuss the practical application of AI within internal audit workflows, focusing on tools that are already delivering results. He explains how deterministic models are transforming information gathering, testing internal controls, and identifying risks earlier in the process. The conversation also covers the transition from manual audits to continuous auditing, emphasizing the importance of foundational capabilities like data quality and system integration. For audit and compliance leaders, Nathaniel provides valuable insights into where AI is driving impact today and the ongoing role of human oversight in these processes. This episode is sponsored by MindBridge. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business’ podcast!

Today’s guest is Troy Felix, RVP of Sales Engineering at BigPanda. BigPanda is a leading AIOps platform that helps enterprises prevent and resolve IT incidents faster through automation and real-time insights. Troy s us to explore how automation and real-time data are transforming IT operations. He explains how organizations are using AIOps to reduce alert noise, speed up root cause analysis, and bridge communication gaps between IT, engineering, and SRE teams. Troy also discusses how industries like financial services, healthcare, e-commerce, and managed service providers are evolving from reactive firefighting to proactive, data-driven operations, despite challenges like high alert volumes and fragmented toolsets. We also dive into the stages of AI adoption in IT operations, including key obstacles such as siloed tools, resistance to change, and the need for better observability data. Troy offers a practical view on how AI is improving efficiency, service resilience, and team collaboration. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business’ podcast! This episode is sponsored by BigPanda. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.

Today’s guest is Matt DeLauro, President at SEON Technologies. SEON is a global provider of fraud prevention solutions, leveraging advanced AI and machine learning to help businesses identify and mitigate fraud throughout the customer journey. Matt s us on today’s show to discuss how SEON is tackling the challenges of modern fraud prevention in an increasingly digital world. Matt shares insights on the limitations of legacy systems and the complexities of data aggregation as fraud threats grow more sophisticated. He explains how “fraud as a service” is making cutting-edge fraud prevention tools more accessible to businesses of all sizes. Matt also discusses the importance of “shifting left” in fraud detection, balancing customer experience with security, and how dynamic friction strategies play a pivotal role in preventing fraud without disrupting experience. Finally, we explore the role of dynamic arguments in mitigating chargebacks and the differing fraud prevention strategies between retail and financial services. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business’ podcast! This episode is sponsored by SEON. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.

Today’s guest is Patricio La Rosa, Head of End-to-End Decision Science at Seed Production Innovation in Bayer Crop Science. With over 20 years of experience developing AI and data science solutions across healthcare and agriculture, Patricio s Emerj Managing Editor Matthew DeMello to explore how machine learning can drive better outcomes across the drug development lifecycle, from research design to clinical deployment. Patricio discusses how AI is optimizing early trial planning, improving participant engagement, and ing ethical, human-centered decisions at scale. Drawing lessons from both agriculture and life sciences, he emphasizes the importance of connecting technical models with real-world workflows. The conversation also delves into key barriers to AI adoption in clinical settings, including behavioral friction, model transparency, and challenges in orchestrating decision-making across global teams. Patricio offers a grounded perspective on what it takes to move from experimentation to enterprise impact in AI-driven R&D. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on Emerj’s flagship ‘AI in Business’ podcast!

Today’s guest is Akhil Khunger, VP in Quantitative Analytics at Barclays. Akhil returns to the program to discuss the evolving role of customer-facing AI in financial services and how financial institutions are embedding safety and security measures directly into client-facing systems. He delves into the risks financial services face, such as prompt injection and model jailbreaking, and how firms are balancing experience with necessary guardrails. Later, he and Emerj Managing Editor Matthew DeMello explore the challenges of building transparent, trustworthy, and resilient AI systems for the next generation of financial services, especially in light of growing regulatory expectations. This episode is sponsored by ActiveFence. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on Emerj’s flagship ‘AI in Business’ podcast!

Today’s guest is Brice Challamel, Head of AI products and Innovation at Moderna. With experience working across five continents, he brings a global perspective to driving AI adoption, innovation management, and measurable results in life sciences. Brice s Emerj Managing Editor Matthew DeMello to explore how Moderna is embedding AI into both its tools and corporate culture to scale collaboration, accelerate product development, and improve regulatory outcomes. He breaks down how AI is augmenting human creativity, enhancing team decision-making, and ing patient engagement efforts, while keeping human insight at the center of AI strategy. Brice also shares lessons from other industries to shed light on what’s ahead for AI in regulated sectors like life sciences, where the technology has the potential to improve operational efficiency, vaccine adoption, and broader public health outcomes. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on Emerj’s flagship ‘AI in Business’ podcast! This episode is sponsored by MSTRO. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.

As enterprises double down on generative AI initiatives, the intersection of data security, privacy, and unstructured data is quickly becoming mission-critical. In this episode, Dimitri Sirota, Co-founder and CEO of BigID, s the podcast to explore how AI transformation is reshaping enterprise data governance, security, and compliance—and why understanding your “crown jewel” data is essential to building trustworthy AI systems. Dimitri outlines the three major forces driving today’s enterprise data challenges: accelerated cloud migration, a rising tide of global data privacy regulations, and the explosion of generative AI tools that rely on sensitive, unstructured data. He explains how enterprises can gain visibility into their AI programs and the data fueling them, mitigate shadow AI risks, and prepare for the next wave of agentic systems by adopting zero-trust models and real-time monitoring strategies. This episode is sponsored by BigID. Learn how BigID helps enterprises govern AI, mitigate data risk, and stay compliant here.

Today’s guest is Damion Nero, Head of Data Science at Takeda Pharmaceuticals. With over 15 years of experience applying AI, machine learning, and real-world data to drug development and precision medicine, Damion s Emerj Managing Editor Matthew DeMello to explore the evolving role of AI in drug development and supply chain management. He breaks down how AI is currently streamlining istrative and regulatory tasks, improving efficiency across clinical trials, and saving valuable time for healthcare professionals. Damion also discusses why broader, transformative supply chain efficiencies are still on the horizon, as AI continues to evolve and scale in the pharmaceutical industry. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on Emerj’s flagship ‘AI in Business’ podcast!

Today’s guest is Marie Flanagan, Director of Product Management in Digital Projects and Solutions at IQVIA, who s us to explore the overlooked intersection of AI and safety workflows in life sciences. As the industry experiences an explosion in the volume and diversity of data—from social media and call centers to audio and video files—Marie outlines the mounting challenges for pharmacovigilance and the opportunities AI is unlocking for healthcare and life sciences leaders. Marie discusses how advancements in voice-to-text transcription and automation are helping safety teams manage massive datasets, pinpoint potential risks, and reallocate human resources toward high-value activities like signaling and benefit-risk management. She also shares insights into where human expertise remains essential, particularly in interpreting complex clinical contexts that AI alone cannot fully capture. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on Emerj’s flagship ‘AI in Business’ podcast!