Danielle Stein Fairhurst is a Microsoft MVP and the author of “Using Excel for Business and Financial Modelling” (3rd edition, 2019) and “Financial Modeling in Excel For Dummies” (2nd edition, 2022) She is a LinkedIn Learning Instructor and in 2022 she was awarded the “Lifetime Achievement Award” at the Financial Modelling Summit. Danielle founded the Financial Modellers’ Meetup groups which attracts participants from all over the world as well as a LinkedIn forum with over 180,000 members. An advocate for women in finance, she was on the Diversity Council for the ModelOff Financial Modeling World Championships and founded the Women in Financial Modelling online community. She is a Master Financial Modeler (FMI), holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM) and has taught management accounting subjects at the University of Sydney.

Danielle Stein Fairhurst is a Microsoft MVP and the author of “Using Excel for Business and Financial Modelling” (3rd edition, 2019) and “Financial Modeling in Excel For Dummies” (2nd edition, 2022) She is a LinkedIn Learning Instructor and in 2022 s... Show more

I work at the intersection of large-scale data engineering, cloud platforms, and applied AI. I currently build and lead modern data platforms at a major U.S. bank, where I design Lakehouse and streaming architectures that operate at multi-billion-record scale across cloud environments.
My background spans the full evolution of enterprise data systems, from mainframe and Teradata warehouses to cloud-native lakehouses built on Spark, Iceberg, Kafka, and Kubernetes. Over the past decade, my work has focused on building production-grade data platforms: high-throughput ingestion pipelines, real-time analytics systems, and ML-ready data infrastructure used by data scientists, analysts, and AI teams.
In addition to data engineering, I have deep experience in full-stack platform development using Java, Spring Boot, REST APIs, and modern front-end frameworks. This allows me to design data systems not just as pipelines, but as products — complete with APIs, services, governance layers, and developer tooling.
My current interests include open table formats (Apache Iceberg), lakehouse architecture, metadata-driven governance, and building scalable AI-ready data platforms. I enjoy sharing practical lessons from real production systems — what works, what breaks, and how to design data infrastructure that lasts.

I work at the intersection of large-scale data engineering, cloud platforms, and applied AI. I currently build and lead modern data platforms at a major U.S. bank, where I design Lakehouse and streaming architectures that operate at multi-billion-rec... Show more

With nearly a decade of experience across sectors such as e-commerce, healthcare, gaming, open-source, and cybersecurity, within both large enterprises and agile startups, Shivam brings a creative, solutions-driven approach to complex challenges. Committed to community engagement, he actively mentors early-career cybersecurity professionals, judges prestigious tech awards, peer-reviews academic research, and contributes to tech-for-good initiatives with nonprofit organizations. He currently leads cloud security efforts at JPMorganChase, driving robust solutions to support the firm’s ongoing growth.

With nearly a decade of experience across sectors such as e-commerce, healthcare, gaming, open-source, and cybersecurity, within both large enterprises and agile startups, Shivam brings a creative, solutions-driven approach to complex challenges. Com... Show more

James first worked in software delivery in the 1990s, when agile and lean were words used to describe gymnasts and pipelines were for carrying oil.

After working in a successful startup for 10 years James drifted into being an ex-software developer while learning about people, processes and systems thinking as a consultant at ThoughtWorks. Following a stint as Head of Platform in a Fintech and VP of Engineering in a Proptech startup, James went back to consultancy with Forrow where he is mainly working on Cyber Security and Post Quantum Cryptography while never drifting too far away from people, systems and delivery of useful outcomes.

James first worked in software delivery in the 1990s, when agile and lean were words used to describe gymnasts and pipelines were for carrying oil. After working in a successful startup for 10 years James drifted into being an ex-software develope... Show more

"Ram Brij is a Senior Engineering Manager with over 17 years of experience leading the design and delivery of secure, scalable, cloud-native systems within the financial services industry. He specializes in distributed systems, microservices architecture, payments infrastructure, fraud prevention platforms, and compliance-driven enterprise solutions.

Throughout his career, Ram has spearheaded the development and modernization of mission-critical platforms including credit card authorization systems, fraud detection services, secure API ecosystems, and high-throughput transaction processing infrastructures. His work also includes building EMVCo-certified Access Control Server (ACS) platforms for 3-D Secure authentication used in modern digital payment ecosystems.

Ram has extensive experience implementing modern engineering practices such as cloud-native development, CI/CD automation, continuous testing, observability-driven quality engineering, and platform engineering. He is particularly passionate about improving developer productivity, engineering reliability, and software delivery confidence through strong DevOps and quality engineering practices.

Recently, Ram spoke at STAR EAST 2026 and at Capital One’s internal engineering conference, where he shared insights on modern quality engineering, continuous delivery strategies, and the evolving role of AI in software testing.

Currently, Ram is actively focused on advancing Agentic AI contributions within quality engineering ecosystems — exploring how autonomous test agents can be designed, orchestrated, and integrated into CI/CD pipelines to improve testing intelligence, deployment confidence, and engineering productivity in modern software delivery environments.

He is also the inventor of a fluent-style log redaction wrapper currently under patent review, designed to strengthen secure logging practices without compromising developer ergonomics. In parallel, he is exploring a second patent focused on Integration Testing-as-a-Service (ITaaS) — a platform-driven approach for validating multi-service interactions across complex distributed architectures.

Ram is an active Senior Member of IEEE and a contributor to the broader technology community, volunteering as a reviewer for IEEE conferences and technical publications. His talks are known for blending deep technical insights with practical real-world implementation lessons, making him a compelling speaker for engineering, developer, quality engineering, DevOps, and architect audiences alike."

"Ram Brij is a Senior Engineering Manager with over 17 years of experience leading the design and delivery of secure, scalable, cloud-native systems within the financial services industry. He specializes in distributed systems, microservices architec... Show more

Rashi Agrawal is the Head of Agentic AI at Hinge Health, where she leads the strategic engineering of high-stakes AI systems within complex regulatory landscapes. By expertly navigating the rigorous requirements of clinical safety, HIPAA, and global regulations, she ensures that disruptive technology remains both secure and compliant. Focused on the pioneer side of generative technology, Rashi is architecting "state-of-the-art" frameworks for Agentic AI that move beyond simple automation to solve critical member problems and drive dramatic business growth.

Formerly the Head of AI at GoodLeap, a leading FinTech in Green Energy, Rashi spearheaded enterprise-wide AI transformation initiatives that optimized everything from complex loan processing to customer engagement while managing a complex cross functional global portfolio. With a unique blend of holistic vision and deep technical expertise, she has a proven track record of developing intelligent decision-making systems and risk assessment platforms that deliver measurable business value through Generative and Agentic AI.

Earlier in her career, Rashi led engineering teams at Yahoo, where she transformed early-stage technical challenges into massive growth engines for their multi billion-dollar advertising business. Her approach is defined by a commitment to technical innovation grounded in strategic business transformation, ensuring that AI serves as a competitive moat rather than just a technical layer.

Beyond the office, Rashi is a global explorer who has traveled to over 45 countries, bringing a diverse, international perspective to her leadership. She is an active thought leader in the Engineering Leadership and AI community. An Indian immigrant with a Master’s in Computer Science from San Jose State University, an alumna of Stanford Graduate School of Business Executive Education program, she is also the founder of Women In Tech AI (WIT AI), a community dedicated to empowering and elevating women leaders in the artificial intelligence space.

Rashi Agrawal is the Head of Agentic AI at Hinge Health, where she leads the strategic engineering of high-stakes AI systems within complex regulatory landscapes. By expertly navigating the rigorous requirements of clinical safety, HIPAA, and global ... Show more

Jaime is Principal Developer Advocate at Jack Henry where he leads the Developer Relations team working on open banking APIs. He is also a co-host of the More Than Just Code podcast. Jaime often enjoys a nice cup of coffee and conversation on various topics.

Jaime is Principal Developer Advocate at Jack Henry where he leads the Developer Relations team working on open banking APIs. He is also a co-host of the More Than Just Code podcast. Jaime often enjoys a nice cup of coffee and conversation on various... Show more

AI engineer with five years of experience building distributed, production-ready AI systems across crypto, wealth management, and institutional finance. Expert in real-time pipelines, agentic AI, and high-volume, low-latency systems.

AI engineer with five years of experience building distributed, production-ready AI systems across crypto, wealth management, and institutional finance. Expert in real-time pipelines, agentic AI, and high-volume, low-latency systems. Show more

René is a Product Architect at Backbase, where he builds the integration platform connecting banks to their core systems. Currently automating customer onboarding with AI agents, while fighting fires and enabling customer rollouts. He's been connecting systems that weren't designed to talk to each other for about 20 years. Prefers his fires on the BBQ.

René is a Product Architect at Backbase, where he builds the integration platform connecting banks to their core systems. Currently automating customer onboarding with AI agents, while fighting fires and enabling customer rollouts. He's been connecti... Show more

Priya Namasivayam is a Staff Platform Engineer at EarnIn, where she builds and operates cloud-native platform infrastructure at scale. She specializes in Kubernetes, service meshes, and GitOps-driven delivery, and led EarnIn's migration from AWS App Mesh to Linkerd—improving security, reliability, and developer experience.

She focuses on treating platform infrastructure like application code: modeling infrastructure tests as Kubernetes resources and gating Flux-driven changes with in-cluster validation using Testkube. Priya is passionate about simplifying complex systems and sharing practical patterns teams can adopt in production.

Priya Namasivayam is a Staff Platform Engineer at EarnIn, where she builds and operates cloud-native platform infrastructure at scale. She specializes in Kubernetes, service meshes, and GitOps-driven delivery, and led EarnIn's migration from AWS App ... Show more

Ravi Kiran Puvvada is a seasoned SAP S/4HANA Application Architect with over 17 years of extensive experience in SAP implementation, support, and solution delivery, specializing in Financial Accounting (FI), Controlling (CO), and Materials Management (MM) modules. He has a proven track record of leading and executing full lifecycle SAP projects, including multiple S/4HANA migrations and global rollouts across diverse industries such as Pharma & Life Sciences, Chemicals, Automotive, Broadcasting, and Engineering.
Ravi’s expertise spans SAP S/4HANA (versions 1909, 1709) and SAP ECC, with deep knowledge in cross-functional integration, ensuring seamless workflows and robust financial reporting. He excels in advanced configuration and testing of SAP FICO components, controlling areas, cost accounting, product costing, and financial statement compliance with US GAAP and IFRS standards.
Adept at leveraging the latest SAP technologies, including Fiori Apps and SAP Business Technology Platform, Ravi delivers scalable, customized solutions that enhance operational efficiency and decision-making. He has also been instrumental in integrating complex payment systems, automating workflows, and architecting secure, next-generation financial systems.
Ravi holds a Master of Computer Applications from Bangalore University and is certified in SAP Business Technology Platform, SAP Analytics Cloud, and various SAP S/4HANA Finance disciplines. He is an active fellow and member of several international professional organizations in computer science, engineering, and information systems.

Ravi Kiran Puvvada is a seasoned SAP S/4HANA Application Architect with over 17 years of extensive experience in SAP implementation, support, and solution delivery, specializing in Financial Accounting (FI), Controlling (CO), and Materials Management... Show more

Suryasivaji Killi is an AI and financial analytics professional with approximately four years of experience spanning predictive analytics, demand forecasting, credit risk modeling, financial analysis, and data engineering. He combines expertise in machine learning, business intelligence, and quantitative finance to develop data-driven solutions that improve operational efficiency, forecasting accuracy, and strategic decision-making.
Currently, Suryasivaji serves as a Data Engineer GenAI at GMH Holdings, where he architects AI-powered forecasting and analytics systems for a hospitality portfolio of more than 150 properties. His work includes developing machine learning-based demand forecasting models, real-time anomaly detection systems, and generative AI solutions that transform complex analytical outputs into actionable business insights. These initiatives have contributed to significant improvements in forecasting accuracy and decision-making speed.
In addition to his corporate role, he is the Founder and CEO of Next Stock Inc., an AI-driven logistics startup focused on neighborhood-level demand forecasting and intelligent inventory optimization for micro fulfillment and circular supply chains. He leads product strategy, forecasting engine development, inventory optimization design, and business growth initiatives aimed at improving supply chain efficiency and reducing operational waste.
Previously, Suryasivaji worked as a Financial Analyst at S4Cloud, where he developed predictive financial models, Monte Carlo simulation frameworks, and working capital optimization strategies that enhanced forecast reliability and improved capital efficiency. Earlier in his career, he served as a Credit Risk Analyst at KT Investments, building credit risk scoring models, stress testing frameworks, and portfolio risk monitoring systems for retail lending operations.
Suryasivaji holds a Master of Science in FinTech and Analytics from Stevens Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University. His technical expertise includes machine learning, time series forecasting, financial modeling, credit risk analytics, data engineering, and business intelligence technologies, including Python, SQL, Tableau, TensorFlow, PyTorch, and Scikit-learn.

Suryasivaji Killi is an AI and financial analytics professional with approximately four years of experience spanning predictive analytics, demand forecasting, credit risk modeling, financial analysis, and data engineering. He combines expertise in ma... Show more

Rambabu Bolineni is a Senior Software Engineer and Data Engineer with over 14 years of experience designing and delivering enterprise-scale data solutions across financial services, banking, insurance, and healthcare domains. Based in Hartford, Connecticut, he has built a strong reputation for modernizing legacy systems, implementing scalable data architectures, and ensuring regulatory compliance in highly controlled environments. His expertise spans Python, AWS, Snowflake, Airflow, and enterprise ETL frameworks, enabling him to develop efficient, reliable, and auditable data pipelines that support critical business operations.
Throughout his career, Rambabu has demonstrated deep proficiency in building and optimizing data platforms that process high volumes of complex data. At LPL Financial, he played a key role in developing a Commission Transformation Platform, where he designed scalable ETL pipelines, implemented intricate business logic for compensation systems, and ensured compliance with FINRA and SEC regulations. He has consistently focused on improving data quality, automating validation processes, and enhancing transparency through robust monitoring and governance frameworks. His work reflects a strong ability to translate complex business requirements into technical solutions that drive operational efficiency.
Prior to this, Rambabu contributed to healthcare and banking projects at organizations such as Sharecare, Santander Bank, and Citibank. He developed HIPAA-compliant data pipelines, supported FDIC regulatory initiatives, and built large-scale data integration systems for enterprise reporting. His experience includes working with diverse datasets such as biometric health data, depositor records, and financial transactions, where accuracy, compliance, and performance are critical. He is also experienced in collaborating with cross-functional teams, including compliance, risk, and business stakeholders, to deliver reliable and scalable data solutions.
Rambabu holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science/Engineering and brings a strong foundation in data engineering principles, combined with hands-on expertise in modern cloud technologies. He is recognized for his analytical approach, problem-solving skills, and commitment to building high-quality, production-ready data systems.

Rambabu Bolineni is a Senior Software Engineer and Data Engineer with over 14 years of experience designing and delivering enterprise-scale data solutions across financial services, banking, insurance, and healthcare domains. Based in Hartford, Conne... Show more

Vinny Carpenter is a Vice President of Engineering in Infrastructure and Cloud Services (ICS), leading the Cloud and DevOps Engineering organization at Northwestern Mutual (NM).

Vinny has over 30 years of experience and substantial success in directing enterprise-wide software development, engineering, and architecture efforts in education, manufacturing, financial services, and investment management industries. I have worked for large global multinationals to small entrepreneurial companies.

In his current role, Vinny is lucky to work with an excellent, results-oriented team and plays the role of a practitioner, mentor, advisor, or influencer based on the need and the situation.

Vinny Carpenter is a Vice President of Engineering in Infrastructure and Cloud Services (ICS), leading the Cloud and DevOps Engineering organization at Northwestern Mutual (NM). Vinny has over 30 years of experience and substantial success in dire... Show more

My name is Jordi Coll Marin and I was born in a city called Olot. I am from Spain and I currently live in The Netherlands. I joined Just Eat Takeaway.com on March 2021. As an experienced Android developer, I have worked on a wide range of projects, from small-scale applications to large and complex system integrations. Nowadays and after almost 5 years working in the company, I lead a backend team in the Fintech department at Just Eat Takeaway.com.

I am passionate about sports and I highly recommend incorporating physical activity into your weekly routine. It can truly make a significant difference in various aspects of your life!

My name is Jordi Coll Marin and I was born in a city called Olot. I am from Spain and I currently live in The Netherlands. I joined Just Eat Takeaway.com on March 2021. As an experienced Android developer, I have worked on a wide range of projects, f... Show more

For 25+ years, my mission has been clear: to protect organizations from increasingly complex threats. Spanning law enforcement, defense, consulting, and the financial sector, my career is built on turning uncertainty into strategic advantage.

As a proven outlier in the intelligence field, I empower boards and executive leadership to make confident decisions. Over the past decade, my core focus has been at the intersection of intelligence, corporate security, and financial crime prevention.

For 25+ years, my mission has been clear: to protect organizations from increasingly complex threats. Spanning law enforcement, defense, consulting, and the financial sector, my career is built on turning uncertainty into strategic advantage. As a... Show more

Riddhi Bhure is a Cloud Administrator at Trust Fintech Ltd, specializing in cloud infrastructure and AWS technologies. She works on managing and optimizing cloud environments, ensuring reliable, secure, and scalable systems that support modern financial technology operations.
With growing expertise in Amazon Web Services (AWS), Riddhi is passionate about cloud computing, infrastructure management, and exploring innovative solutions that improve system performance and efficiency. She actively engages in learning and discussions around AWS and cloud technologies while contributing to the evolving landscape of fintech and cloud-based solutions.

Riddhi Bhure is a Cloud Administrator at Trust Fintech Ltd, specializing in cloud infrastructure and AWS technologies. She works on managing and optimizing cloud environments, ensuring reliable, secure, and scalable systems that support modern financ... Show more

As a Digitalisation Expert within the Finance sector, my background spans over 6 years of dedicated experience in data analysis and visualization. Specializing in the development of user-friendly, visually engaging dashboards, my focus lies in enabling businesses to derive data-informed decisions. Proficiency extends to the utilization of essential tools like Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Power BI, and SQL, integral to my role in executing BI projects while adhering to agile and scrum methodologies. Proficiently operating both autonomously and as part of collaborative teams, my aim is to ensure optimal efficiency in project outcomes.

As a Digitalisation Expert within the Finance sector, my background spans over 6 years of dedicated experience in data analysis and visualization. Specializing in the development of user-friendly, visually engaging dashboards, my focus lies in enabli... Show more

Shiva Kalyan Reddy is a Senior Software Engineer with experience building and modernizing enterprise web and mobile applications, particularly in financial-services environments. His work spans full-stack development, API architecture, cloud platforms, enterprise modernization, and generative AI. He has hands-on experience with LLM APIs, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), vector databases, semantic search, prompt engineering, real-time AI applications, and AI-assisted software development. He is especially interested in production readiness, secure data handling, scalability, maintainability, and ensuring that engineering teams understand and take ownership of the systems they build and operate.

Shiva Kalyan Reddy is a Senior Software Engineer with experience building and modernizing enterprise web and mobile applications, particularly in financial-services environments. His work spans full-stack development, API architecture, cloud platform... Show more

Teresa is a public speaker, Google Developer Expert (GDE), mentor, and software engineer who is passionate about front-end development and Cloud technology. She has been working with many talented developers to craft various apps and projects throughout the years, and she likes to explore the world of multi-platform, the fun of continuous delivery, and seeing through the product from development to release. 

Teresa is a public speaker, Google Developer Expert (GDE), mentor, and software engineer who is passionate about front-end development and Cloud technology. She has been working with many talented developers to craft various apps and projects through... Show more

Khang Toh is Head of Engineering, Digital Operations, SRE and Cloud Infrastructure at Bank Jago / DKatalis, where he leads cloud, reliability, developer experience, and AI-enabled digital operations for a digital bank serving more than 16 million customers. He has over 20 years of experience across software engineering, architecture, mobile, cloud infrastructure, startup leadership, and digital banking, with more than 15 years leading technical teams in the US and Singapore. Khang started developing for mobile in 2009, founded the Singapore Android Developers Meetup in 2013, serves as Conference Chair for droidcon Singapore, and is the Developers Circle Lead for Facebook in Singapore. His current work focuses on how AI can transform enterprise engineering, SRE, cloud operations, and developer productivity.

Khang Toh is Head of Engineering, Digital Operations, SRE and Cloud Infrastructure at Bank Jago / DKatalis, where he leads cloud, reliability, developer experience, and AI-enabled digital operations for a digital bank serving more than 16 million cus... Show more

Itunuoluwa builds data, ML and AI-powered solutions that drive business value. She trained first as a geologist, then pivoted to data science at Deloitte, completed an M.Sc. in Data Science at the University of Calgary, and is now working as a technology consultant at BDO Canada. Her work includes applied ML, data engineering, and LLM deployment with hands-on experience for clients across energy, telecoms, finance, and manufacturing industries.

Itunuoluwa builds data, ML and AI-powered solutions that drive business value. She trained first as a geologist, then pivoted to data science at Deloitte, completed an M.Sc. in Data Science at the University of Calgary, and is now working as a techno... Show more

Lars Reichert ist Leiter des Bereichs Vertriebsmanagement-Lösungen bei der Finanz Informatik, dem zentralen IT-Dienstleister der Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe. Er und sein Team verantworten Anwendungen zur Unterstützung der Vertriebsplanung, Kostenrechnung sowie Vor- und Nachkalkulation im Kundengeschäft der Sparkassen. Darüber hinaus betreut sein Bereich das zentrale Data Warehouse für alle vertriebsrelevanten Daten. Seit der Übernahme dieser Rolle Ende 2023 treibt er die Modernisierung der Anwendungsarchitektur voran – mit dem Ziel, zentrale Mainframe-Systeme in skalierbare, dezentrale Komponenten zu überführen.

Lars Reichert ist Leiter des Bereichs Vertriebsmanagement-Lösungen bei der Finanz Informatik, dem zentralen IT-Dienstleister der Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe. Er und sein Team verantworten Anwendungen zur Unterstützung der Vertriebsplanung, Kostenrechnung... Show more

Jack has been involved in crypto since back in 2011! A nerdy interest and involvement in internet communities brought him around Blockchain and Crypto very early on, and at a young age.

Since 2017, Jack has been involved in the chain. Primarily advising projects on all roles of Bizdev beside finance. From Communities to Command Line, Jack has been around to see it all happen.

Jack's problem solving traits brought him to Cardano. Where he is helping to design a project bringing Neural Net AI Liquidity Investing to the chain. His project VyFinance, was the first DeFi application on Cardano - with NFT and Token Staking.

Besides helping rebrand VyFinance and bring it to Cardano, Jack works on other projects across chains, helping where he can. Jack made the LOA/BOA (soTOKEN) standard for Base chain. Jack's company Praxis Dynamics has made business strategies (with and without AI) for: Real Estate, Concierge, Lead Gen (end-to-end), and Law - Having made strategies for many Fortune 500 companies. Praxis Dynamics also owns Loquela, a settings-heavy keyboard app aiming to have more features than any other.

Jack has been involved in crypto since back in 2011! A nerdy interest and involvement in internet communities brought him around Blockchain and Crypto very early on, and at a young age. Since 2017, Jack has been involved in the chain. Primarily a... Show more

Most businesses are stuck at "we have ChatGPT accounts but nobody really uses them." James Harmon fixes that.

He has spent 30+ years training developers and building software for Facebook, Microsoft, eBay, and Foot Locker, and is the author of "Claude Code: The Unofficial Guide." He now helps organizations move from AI curiosity to AI competency, building agent harnesses for teams in regulated environments and writing production MCP servers.

He runs the Naperville AI Enthusiasts meetup and speaks on practical AI adoption, including for the Illinois CPA Society. He is also a CPA.

Most businesses are stuck at "we have ChatGPT accounts but nobody really uses them." James Harmon fixes that. He has spent 30+ years training developers and building software for Facebook, Microsoft, eBay, and Foot Locker, and is the author of "Cl... Show more

Akash Chandra, Founder & CEO of InsightAI (FintechAI), brings over 10+ years of experience in industrial AI with a focus on financial analytics. An alumnus of IIT Kanpur and the University of Texas at Austin, Akash is recognized for his expertise in fintech, large data pipelines, and AI-based fraud detection. As a public speaker on AI/ML and Graph Databases, he has contributed significantly to the field. Akash has shown his leadership in startup environments using his innovative approach to leveraging advanced AI technologies.

Akash Chandra, Founder & CEO of InsightAI (FintechAI), brings over 10+ years of experience in industrial AI with a focus on financial analytics. An alumnus of IIT Kanpur and the University of Texas at Austin, Akash is recognized for his expertise in ... Show more

As a Certified SAP Cloud Technology leader with over 18 years of experience, I lead global SAP delivery at Gen Re, where I oversee high-availability SAP environments on Microsoft Azure Cloud. My role involves managing SAP installations, migrations, disaster recovery, and upgrades, while collaborating with cross-functional technical teams and business CIOs to optimize SAP workloads and support organizational goals.

With expertise in SAP Cloud architecture, digital transformation, and leadership, I am dedicated to creating scalable, innovative solutions that deliver measurable business outcomes. By leveraging platforms like Azure and SAP's AI Core, I aim to empower organizations with cutting-edge enterprise solutions. Through my work, I strive to advance operational excellence and drive meaningful impact.

As a Certified SAP Cloud Technology leader with over 18 years of experience, I lead global SAP delivery at Gen Re, where I oversee high-availability SAP environments on Microsoft Azure Cloud. My role involves managing SAP installations, migrations, d... Show more

With a seven-year career building and leading technical teams in the payments industry, I've seen firsthand how compliance can be a bottleneck to growth. As the Backend Engineering Lead at Mono, I have contributed as an engineering leader on building the open finance and identity infrastructure that powers of African digital businesses. This experience led me to building Tewo, an open-source, AI-native compliance co-pilot. Tewo is built on a single premise: to help businesses close enterprise deals faster. It achieves this by using AI to automate the most complex parts of compliance, including control setup, evidence gathering, and vetting system architecture, turning a major business hurdle into a competitive advantage.

With a seven-year career building and leading technical teams in the payments industry, I've seen firsthand how compliance can be a bottleneck to growth. As the Backend Engineering Lead at Mono, I have contributed as an engineering leader on building... Show more

Hernan Huwyler is a Global Risk Management Executive and the Academic Director at IE Law and Business School (Executive Education). With a dual background as an MBA and CPA, Hernan specializes in the intersection of Law, Technology, and Quantitative Risk.

He focuses on "translating" complex regulatory frameworks (EU AI Act, GDPR, ISO 42001) into actionable architectures for engineering and business teams. Unlike traditional compliance officers, Hernan advocates for data-driven risk management, moving beyond "heatmaps" to utilize Monte Carlo simulations, convolution models, and Python-based risk quantification.

Hernan has led Risk, Control, and Audit functions for major multinational corporations across Europe and the Americas. He writes and speaks extensively on Adversarial AI, Algorithmic Auditing, and the financial quantification of Cyber Risk. Past keynote venues include Risk Awareness Conferences (>2,000 risk managers), IIA and ISACA Summits, ProcureCom Europe, IKN Madrid, IE University, and closed-door sessions for international organizations and national regulators. Hernan’s talks consistently rank in the top 5% of conference feedback scores because he makes complex security requirements, business needs and regulations feel like a competitive advantage.

Speaking Topics:

AI Governance: Implementing ISO 42001 and navigating the EU AI Act.
Risk Quantification: Why "Impact x Probability" fails and how to use convolution models.
Adversarial AI: Balancing transparency with security to prevent data poisoning.
AI ROI: Risk-adjusted financial modeling for Generative AI deployments.

Ready-to-Submit Talk Proposals:

Session 1: The Technical/Quant Talk

Title: Kill the Heatmap: Quantifying AI Risk with Python & Monte Carlo Simulations
Abstract: Most organizations manage AI risk using colorful 5x5 "heatmaps." This is mathematically flawed and dangerous for high-stakes AI deployment. In this talk, we will ditch the gut-check methodology. I will demonstrate how to use convolution and Monte Carlo simulations to model the "tail risk" of AI hallucinations and regulatory fines. You will leave with a method to calculate the actual financial exposure of your models—no expensive GRC software required, just math and logic.

Session 2: The Governance/Security Talk

Title: The Transparency Trap: How to Audit AI Without Creating Vulnerabilities
Abstract: New standards like ISO/IEC 12792 demand AI transparency, but in the age of Adversarial Machine Learning, "oversharing" is a security vector. If you reveal your full architecture and training sources, you invite data poisoning and model inversion attacks. This session outlines a "Tiered Disclosure Architecture." We will discuss how to route specific data to auditors, regulators, and users differently, ensuring compliance with the EU AI Act without handing the keys to bad actors.

Session 3: The Business/Strategy Talk

Title: The Real Cost of Intelligence: A Risk-Adjusted Framework for AI ROI
Abstract: Companies are deploying Generative AI based on productivity hype, but they are ignoring the "OpEx Iceberg"—model drift, inference costs, and liability reserves. This talk presents a financial framework for calculating the true ROI of AI. We will cover how to factor in the "Risk Delta" (new risks vs. automated risks), calculate the Levelized Cost of AI (LCOAI), and determine when to build vs. buy based on process uniqueness. A session for leaders who need to justify the cloud bill to the CFO.

Hernan Huwyler is a Global Risk Management Executive and the Academic Director at IE Law and Business School (Executive Education). With a dual background as an MBA and CPA, Hernan specializes in the intersection of Law, Technology, and Quantitative ... Show more

Albert Njane is a Senior Software Engineer, AI Entrepreneur, and technology speaker with over eight years of experience building scalable software solutions and digital products. He specializes in Java, Python, distributed systems, cloud-native architectures, and enterprise APIs.

Albert is passionate about Agentic AI and the emerging ecosystem around AI agents, Model Context Protocol (MCP), and intelligent automation. His work focuses on bridging traditional software engineering with next-generation AI systems, helping organizations build secure, scalable, and production-ready applications.

He has extensive experience designing high-availability microservices, fintech platforms, and payment integrations, including mobile money and enterprise APIs. Beyond engineering, Albert is an entrepreneur dedicated to leveraging AI and technology to solve real-world problems and create impactful businesses.

Albert actively shares his knowledge through mentoring, technical content, and community engagements, with a mission to empower developers to build the future of AI-powered applications.

Albert Njane is a Senior Software Engineer, AI Entrepreneur, and technology speaker with over eight years of experience building scalable software solutions and digital products. He specializes in Java, Python, distributed systems, cloud-native archi... Show more