Speakers

Associate Vice President, IDC

<p>Deepika manages and leads the research programs in big data and analytics (BDA), artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and Web3.</p> <p>Deepika is a seasoned data and AI professional and brings extensive knowledge about the impact of data engineering, big data cloud platforms, and data science across critical sectors. She has extensive experience in software delivery as well as sales leadership and management. She also has over 20 years of experience in IT services, including leadership roles, at Capgemini, Infosys, and Accenture, and has strong industry expertise in the telecommunications and retail industries. More so, Deepika has an entrepreneurial spirit and has previously founded her own online retail fashion business.</p> <p>Deepika holds a master’s degree in communication systems engineering from the University of Kent in United Kingdom and a bachelor’s degree in electronics and communications from the University of Madras, India.</p>

Deepika Giri

Associate Vice President, IDC

Deepika manages and leads the research programs in big data and analytics (BDA), artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and Web3.

Deepika is a seasoned data and AI professional and brings extensive knowledge about the impact of data engineering, big data cloud platforms, and data science across critical sectors. She has extensive experience in software delivery as well as sales leadership and management. She also has over 20 years of experience in IT services, including leadership roles, at Capgemini, Infosys, and Accenture, and has strong industry expertise in the telecommunications and retail industries. More so, Deepika has an entrepreneurial spirit and has previously founded her own online retail fashion business.

Deepika holds a master’s degree in communication systems engineering from the University of Kent in United Kingdom and a bachelor’s degree in electronics and communications from the University of Madras, India.

EVOLVE26 Singapore Moderator

Paul is the host of The AI Forecast: Data and AI in the Cloud Era podcast. He is also the founder and director of Denting the Universe, a business consulting company that helps organizations put a positive dent in their performance, productivity, and predictability. Paul is passionate about enabling businesses and people to reveal their inner power by clarifying missions, marshaling resources, and communicating stories.

Paul Muller

EVOLVE26 Singapore Moderator

Paul is the host of The AI Forecast: Data and AI in the Cloud Era podcast. He is also the founder and director of Denting the Universe, a business consulting company that helps organizations put a positive dent in their performance, productivity, and predictability. Paul is passionate about enabling businesses and people to reveal their inner power by clarifying missions, marshaling resources, and communicating stories.

VP, Principal Analyst, Forrester

Noel covers AI data fabrics, data management, modern data and AI platforms, data architecture, large-scale databases, data lakes and lakehouse architectures, translytical systems, data integration patterns, cloud and hybrid cloud ecosystems, and data platform security. His current focus is on emerging markets, next-generation data architectures, cloud and multicloud strategies, and AI-ready data for analytics and modern use cases.

Noel Yuhanna

VP, Principal Analyst, Forrester

Noel covers AI data fabrics, data management, modern data and AI platforms, data architecture, large-scale databases, data lakes and lakehouse architectures, translytical systems, data integration patterns, cloud and hybrid cloud ecosystems, and data platform security. His current focus is on emerging markets, next-generation data architectures, cloud and multicloud strategies, and AI-ready data for analytics and modern use cases.

Lead Data Engineer, IDFC First Bank

Tushar Garg

Lead Data Engineer, IDFC First Bank

Data Engagement Lead, BoS

Carol Lim the data engagement lead at a Bank of Singapore, bringing over 20 years of experience in data management, analytics, and AI-driven innovation across the banking and technology sectors. In her current role, she leads enterprise-wide data strategy, modern data platforms and self-service analytics capabilities — enabling the organization to harness data as a strategic asset. She has been instrumental in driving monetized data use cases and championing AI and analytics innovation, mentoring teams to deliver measurable business impact at scale. Her career spans diverse functions including operations, IT risk, and information security, giving her a uniquely holistic view of how data and AI intersect with enterprise resilience and risk.

Carol Lim

Data Engagement Lead, BoS

Carol Lim the data engagement lead at a Bank of Singapore, bringing over 20 years of experience in data management, analytics, and AI-driven innovation across the banking and technology sectors. In her current role, she leads enterprise-wide data strategy, modern data platforms and self-service analytics capabilities — enabling the organization to harness data as a strategic asset. She has been instrumental in driving monetized data use cases and championing AI and analytics innovation, mentoring teams to deliver measurable business impact at scale. Her career spans diverse functions including operations, IT risk, and information security, giving her a uniquely holistic view of how data and AI intersect with enterprise resilience and risk.

Chief Commercial Officer, PCSS

Cynthia Lim

Chief Commercial Officer, PCSS

System Architect, Exxon

Completed my engineering in 2013 from Electronics and Communication, then started by career as in one of the service-based company for Microsoft as an on-call engineer supporting Lync online application, then moved on to a new role in 2014 where i started to support Platform for SAS (Statistical and Analytical Software), Anaconda and R. I got a strong background from these analytical tools and joined Exxon in 2020 as Anaconda Platform engineer, later moved into Big Data Platform team as Platform engineer supporting Cloudera Data science workbench, in 2023 i become system Architect for the Big Data Platform. I began my professional journey after completing my engineering in Electronics and Communication in 2013, starting as an On-call Engineer supporting Microsoft’s Lync Online platform. Early in my career, I transitioned into working with analytics platforms such as SAS, Anaconda, and R, which helped me build a strong foundation in data and platform engineering. During this time, I also completed my Master’s in Human Resource Management (HRM) through a twinning program. In 2020, I joined ExxonMobil as an Anaconda Platform Engineer and later moved into the Big Data Platform team, where I supported Cloudera Data Science Workbench. Today, as a System Architect for the Big Data Platform, I focus on enabling enterprise-scale data platforms with a focus on distributed data processing, cluster performance tuning, and seamless integration of data pipelines into enterprise data ecosystems, driving innovation in analytics and engineering.

Monika Thulasi

System Architect, Exxon

Completed my engineering in 2013 from Electronics and Communication, then started by career as in one of the service-based company for Microsoft as an on-call engineer supporting Lync online application, then moved on to a new role in 2014 where i started to support Platform for SAS (Statistical and Analytical Software), Anaconda and R. I got a strong background from these analytical tools and joined Exxon in 2020 as Anaconda Platform engineer, later moved into Big Data Platform team as Platform engineer supporting Cloudera Data science workbench, in 2023 i become system Architect for the Big Data Platform. I began my professional journey after completing my engineering in Electronics and Communication in 2013, starting as an On-call Engineer supporting Microsoft’s Lync Online platform. Early in my career, I transitioned into working with analytics platforms such as SAS, Anaconda, and R, which helped me build a strong foundation in data and platform engineering. During this time, I also completed my Master’s in Human Resource Management (HRM) through a twinning program. In 2020, I joined ExxonMobil as an Anaconda Platform Engineer and later moved into the Big Data Platform team, where I supported Cloudera Data Science Workbench. Today, as a System Architect for the Big Data Platform, I focus on enabling enterprise-scale data platforms with a focus on distributed data processing, cluster performance tuning, and seamless integration of data pipelines into enterprise data ecosystems, driving innovation in analytics and engineering.

VP Head of Data Architecture & Platforms, Maybank

Haseeb Qureshi is a Transformation Leader at Maybank in Kuala Lumpur, where they have spent over five years driving strategic, enterprise-wide data initiatives. By blending Agile methodologies with deep data management acumen, focusing on revolutionizing data workflows to heighten operational efficiency while ensuring strict adherence to complex regulatory standards like BCBS 239. A champion of data excellence, they have successfully spearheaded the deployment of advanced client analytics and credit risk models. These initiatives have not only bolstered internal productivity but have also helped cement Maybank's position as a frontrunner in integrating Agile practices within the banking sector. Through their leadership, Haseeb Qureshi continues to push the boundaries of Enterprise Data Management and innovation.

Haseeb Qureshi

VP Head of Data Architecture & Platforms, Maybank

Haseeb Qureshi is a Transformation Leader at Maybank in Kuala Lumpur, where they have spent over five years driving strategic, enterprise-wide data initiatives. By blending Agile methodologies with deep data management acumen, focusing on revolutionizing data workflows to heighten operational efficiency while ensuring strict adherence to complex regulatory standards like BCBS 239. A champion of data excellence, they have successfully spearheaded the deployment of advanced client analytics and credit risk models. These initiatives have not only bolstered internal productivity but have also helped cement Maybank's position as a frontrunner in integrating Agile practices within the banking sector. Through their leadership, Haseeb Qureshi continues to push the boundaries of Enterprise Data Management and innovation.

Chief Data Officer, Bombay Stock Exchange

Sushil Ostwal currently serves as the Chief Data Officer at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the oldest and largest stock exchange in the world. With over 21 years of experience spanning data strategy, data science, and artificial intelligence, they are a proven leader in building robust AI and data practices from the ground up. At the BSE, Sushil Ostwal leads a team of 40 professionals to design and manage a petabyte-scale data warehouse platform. Their visionary work drives the adoption of advanced analytics across the organization, encompassing data governance, data protection, and the development of innovative data products for the Indian and global financial ecosystems. Passionate about leveraging cutting-edge technology and strategic vendor partnerships, they are actively building out Generative AI infrastructure and AWS-backed use cases to unlock data-driven insights and deliver measurable business outcomes.

Sushil Ostwal

Chief Data Officer, Bombay Stock Exchange

Sushil Ostwal currently serves as the Chief Data Officer at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the oldest and largest stock exchange in the world. With over 21 years of experience spanning data strategy, data science, and artificial intelligence, they are a proven leader in building robust AI and data practices from the ground up. At the BSE, Sushil Ostwal leads a team of 40 professionals to design and manage a petabyte-scale data warehouse platform. Their visionary work drives the adoption of advanced analytics across the organization, encompassing data governance, data protection, and the development of innovative data products for the Indian and global financial ecosystems. Passionate about leveraging cutting-edge technology and strategic vendor partnerships, they are actively building out Generative AI infrastructure and AWS-backed use cases to unlock data-driven insights and deliver measurable business outcomes.

Vice President, IT, Axis Bank

Amol Kawale

Vice President, IT, Axis Bank

CDAO, Head of Data Analytics & AI, CIMB Indonesia

With over 20 years of experience in financial industry, focusing in Data Analytics & AI space, Billie Setiawan is leading Data Analytics & AI initiatives in CIMB Niaga, champions the bank's data-driven initiatives and enterprise AI roadmap, as part of key strategic focus of CIMB Niaga. he leads the strategic roadmap for enterprise AI adoption and data literacy, actively transforming the bank’s operational mindset into one that is inherently data & AI first. With over two decades of experience, Billie has a proven track record of shifting corporate cultures and driving analytics adoption at scale, having previously served as the Data Management & Analytics Division Head at Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI), as well as holding key leadership roles at Bank Mandiri, Bank Danamon, and Citibank.

Billie Setiawan

CDAO, Head of Data Analytics & AI, CIMB Indonesia

With over 20 years of experience in financial industry, focusing in Data Analytics & AI space, Billie Setiawan is leading Data Analytics & AI initiatives in CIMB Niaga, champions the bank's data-driven initiatives and enterprise AI roadmap, as part of key strategic focus of CIMB Niaga. he leads the strategic roadmap for enterprise AI adoption and data literacy, actively transforming the bank’s operational mindset into one that is inherently data & AI first. With over two decades of experience, Billie has a proven track record of shifting corporate cultures and driving analytics adoption at scale, having previously served as the Data Management & Analytics Division Head at Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI), as well as holding key leadership roles at Bank Mandiri, Bank Danamon, and Citibank.

Sr. Vice President-II & Head Data, Axis Bank

Sanjay Kumar is the Sr. Vice president and Head of Data at Axis Bank. He is an accomplished technology leader with 25+ years of IT leadership. He leads the bank’s Enterprise Data Platform, Data Lakehouse ecosystem, Data for AI, Data for Risk, Single View of Customer, Enterprise Data Quality, Recommendation and Personalization system . He is responsible for delivering the complete, consistent accurate and trusted data for various downstream consumption. He having extensive working experience in large and complex data transformation program and has been working with global organizations implementing projects with Banking & Financial Services.  He was instrumental in Citi Bank retail portfolio acquisition and merger with Axis Bank. Prior to this role, Sanjay held significant positions at IBM, providing technical leadership for major banking accounts and spearheading data transformation initiatives.

Sanjay Kumar

Sr. Vice President-II & Head Data, Axis Bank

Sanjay Kumar is the Sr. Vice president and Head of Data at Axis Bank. He is an accomplished technology leader with 25+ years of IT leadership. He leads the bank’s Enterprise Data Platform, Data Lakehouse ecosystem, Data for AI, Data for Risk, Single View of Customer, Enterprise Data Quality, Recommendation and Personalization system . He is responsible for delivering the complete, consistent accurate and trusted data for various downstream consumption. He having extensive working experience in large and complex data transformation program and has been working with global organizations implementing projects with Banking & Financial Services.  He was instrumental in Citi Bank retail portfolio acquisition and merger with Axis Bank. Prior to this role, Sanjay held significant positions at IBM, providing technical leadership for major banking accounts and spearheading data transformation initiatives.

Vice President, Head of Analytics Engineering, Group Data & Analytics, RHB Bank Berhad

Mohd Marzuq Ikram Mohd Helmi is the Vice President and Head of Analytics Engineering within Group Data & Analytics at RHB Bank. With over 20 years of experience in software engineering, enterprise data platforms, and analytics, he leads the development of the bank's analytics engineering capabilities, transforming raw data into trusted, reusable data products that power business intelligence, advanced analytics, and AI initiatives across the organization.

Throughout his career, Ikram has successfully delivered enterprise-scale solutions spanning modern data platforms, regulatory reporting, digital repositories, and real-time analytics. His expertise includes architecting and implementing scalable big data platforms, data pipelines, and streaming solutions that enable secure, governed, and high-performance data access across the enterprise.

As part of RHB's digital transformation journey, Ikram is focused on building modern, cloud-ready data platforms and engineering best practices that accelerate innovation, improve operational efficiency, and create sustainable business value through data.

Mohd Marzuq Ikram

Vice President, Head of Analytics Engineering, Group Data & Analytics, RHB Bank Berhad

Mohd Marzuq Ikram Mohd Helmi is the Vice President and Head of Analytics Engineering within Group Data & Analytics at RHB Bank. With over 20 years of experience in software engineering, enterprise data platforms, and analytics, he leads the development of the bank's analytics engineering capabilities, transforming raw data into trusted, reusable data products that power business intelligence, advanced analytics, and AI initiatives across the organization.

Throughout his career, Ikram has successfully delivered enterprise-scale solutions spanning modern data platforms, regulatory reporting, digital repositories, and real-time analytics. His expertise includes architecting and implementing scalable big data platforms, data pipelines, and streaming solutions that enable secure, governed, and high-performance data access across the enterprise.

As part of RHB's digital transformation journey, Ikram is focused on building modern, cloud-ready data platforms and engineering best practices that accelerate innovation, improve operational efficiency, and create sustainable business value through data.

VP & Head of Data - Analytics, BI, Data Science & Data Platform, PhonePe

Achal Ananth leads the Analytics and Data Platform teams at PhonePe. Joining in 2017, he has pioneered the growth of the Analytics function, overseeing the tracking of product and business performance and steering both tactical initiatives and strategic decisions within the organization. Achal's responsibilities also encompass the Data Platform, a pivotal component that drives business analytics, supports machine learning workloads, and serves as a robust infrastructure for operational and business data storage, amounting to multi-petabyte scale.

With over 15 years of experience in Analytics, Data Science, and Data Engineering, Achal has a proven track record in leveraging data to propel business expansion. He excels in designing data workflows that enhance accessibility and utilization across organizations. As one of PhonePe's early team members, Achal played a pivotal role in establishing the Analytics function, which has grown to a team of 100 members under his leadership. His career spans roles in esteemed consulting firms like MuSigma and Affine, as well as at prominent product companies including Flipkart prior to joining PhonePe.

Achal Ananth

VP & Head of Data - Analytics, BI, Data Science & Data Platform, PhonePe

Achal Ananth leads the Analytics and Data Platform teams at PhonePe. Joining in 2017, he has pioneered the growth of the Analytics function, overseeing the tracking of product and business performance and steering both tactical initiatives and strategic decisions within the organization. Achal's responsibilities also encompass the Data Platform, a pivotal component that drives business analytics, supports machine learning workloads, and serves as a robust infrastructure for operational and business data storage, amounting to multi-petabyte scale.

With over 15 years of experience in Analytics, Data Science, and Data Engineering, Achal has a proven track record in leveraging data to propel business expansion. He excels in designing data workflows that enhance accessibility and utilization across organizations. As one of PhonePe's early team members, Achal played a pivotal role in establishing the Analytics function, which has grown to a team of 100 members under his leadership. His career spans roles in esteemed consulting firms like MuSigma and Affine, as well as at prominent product companies including Flipkart prior to joining PhonePe.

Senior Business Development Manager - Databases, Compute and Enterprise AI Division, AMD

Shiva is Senior Product Marketing Manager at AMD, working to drive adoption of AMD server CPU product (EPYC) in the Database and Analytics market. Entering his 25th year at AMD, he has held various roles in the GPU and CPU divisions, starting out as performance engineer for various compute-heavy applications like video, Image processing, analytics and machine learning and transitioning to a business/marketing role in 2020. Shiva holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering, and has an MBA from Santa Clara University. Outside of work, he enjoys playing/watching sports (volleyball, badminton) and listens to a lot of music.

Shiva Gurumurthy

Senior Business Development Manager - Databases, Compute and Enterprise AI Division, AMD

Shiva is Senior Product Marketing Manager at AMD, working to drive adoption of AMD server CPU product (EPYC) in the Database and Analytics market. Entering his 25th year at AMD, he has held various roles in the GPU and CPU divisions, starting out as performance engineer for various compute-heavy applications like video, Image processing, analytics and machine learning and transitioning to a business/marketing role in 2020. Shiva holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering, and has an MBA from Santa Clara University. Outside of work, he enjoys playing/watching sports (volleyball, badminton) and listens to a lot of music.

Senior Director, Channel and Alliances, Protegrity

Frank Thomas is Senior Director of Channel & Alliances at Protegrity, where he builds strategic partnerships that help enterprise customers scale AI and data initiatives. He brings 15+ years of experience in channel strategy, co-sell programs, partner enablement and international team leadership.

Frank Thomas

Senior Director, Channel and Alliances, Protegrity

Frank Thomas is Senior Director of Channel & Alliances at Protegrity, where he builds strategic partnerships that help enterprise customers scale AI and data initiatives. He brings 15+ years of experience in channel strategy, co-sell programs, partner enablement and international team leadership.

Head of Strategic ISV Alliances at VAST Data

Itamar Ankorion is Head of Strategic ISV Alliances at VAST Data, responsible for building and managing strategic and value-adding technology partnerships for the VAST Data Platform and AI Operating System. Prior to this role, Itamar was the SVP Strategic Alliances at Qlik and CMO at Attunity. Itamar has over 20 years of experience in business development, alliances, marketing, and product management in the data and analytics enterprise software market.

Itamar Ankorion

Head of Strategic ISV Alliances at VAST Data

Itamar Ankorion is Head of Strategic ISV Alliances at VAST Data, responsible for building and managing strategic and value-adding technology partnerships for the VAST Data Platform and AI Operating System. Prior to this role, Itamar was the SVP Strategic Alliances at Qlik and CMO at Attunity. Itamar has over 20 years of experience in business development, alliances, marketing, and product management in the data and analytics enterprise software market.

Sr Director, Industry AI Solutions, Cloudera

Jake Bengtson is the Senior Director of Applied AI Solutions at Cloudera, where he leads the global organization responsible for helping enterprise customers identify, validate, and deploy production AI solutions. His team specializes in sovereign AI, private AI, and enterprise AI deployments for some of the world’s largest organizations. Prior to Cloudera, Jake was VP of AI Solutions at Striim and has held AI leadership and architecture roles at ExxonMobil and Farmers Edge. He has spent his career helping enterprises operationalize AI and data platforms, with deep expertise in applied AI strategy, machine learning, and large-scale enterprise deployments.

Jacob Bengston

Sr Director, Industry AI Solutions, Cloudera

Jake Bengtson is the Senior Director of Applied AI Solutions at Cloudera, where he leads the global organization responsible for helping enterprise customers identify, validate, and deploy production AI solutions. His team specializes in sovereign AI, private AI, and enterprise AI deployments for some of the world’s largest organizations. Prior to Cloudera, Jake was VP of AI Solutions at Striim and has held AI leadership and architecture roles at ExxonMobil and Farmers Edge. He has spent his career helping enterprises operationalize AI and data platforms, with deep expertise in applied AI strategy, machine learning, and large-scale enterprise deployments.

Managing Director & Head of Advanced AI, Southeast Asia

Dr. David Hardoon

Managing Director & Head of Advanced AI, Southeast Asia

EVP, Group Head, Platforms & Operations, Axis Bank

Rajesh Nair

EVP, Group Head, Platforms & Operations, Axis Bank

Enterprise Architect, ExxonMobil

Anvesh Koripella

Enterprise Architect, ExxonMobil

Senior Director of Corporate Strategy, Cloudera

Jeremy Reams is Senior Director of Corporate Strategy at Cloudera, where he leads cross-functional initiatives driving enterprise data transformation, modern data mesh architecture, and scalable private AI deployment. With extensive leadership experience across corporate growth strategy, strategic partnerships, and emerging technology integration—including collaborative frameworks with global partners like NVIDIA, VAST Data, and AWS —he specializes in bridging complex technical innovation with measurable business value. A recognized speaker on enterprise data interoperability, data governance, and AI infrastructure, Jeremy brings practical, high-impact perspectives on how modern organizations can leverage open architectures to accelerate digital transformation and scale innovation.Previously, Jeremy worked on IBM's strategy & corporate development team and holds an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Jeremy Reams

Senior Director of Corporate Strategy, Cloudera

Jeremy Reams is Senior Director of Corporate Strategy at Cloudera, where he leads cross-functional initiatives driving enterprise data transformation, modern data mesh architecture, and scalable private AI deployment. With extensive leadership experience across corporate growth strategy, strategic partnerships, and emerging technology integration—including collaborative frameworks with global partners like NVIDIA, VAST Data, and AWS —he specializes in bridging complex technical innovation with measurable business value. A recognized speaker on enterprise data interoperability, data governance, and AI infrastructure, Jeremy brings practical, high-impact perspectives on how modern organizations can leverage open architectures to accelerate digital transformation and scale innovation.Previously, Jeremy worked on IBM's strategy & corporate development team and holds an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Director, Product Marketing, Cloudera

Dennis leads Cloudera’s product marketing activities with all of its partners. He started his career as an AI application developer (in Lisp) during the first wave of AI and has held various roles, both technical and business, at leading data management companies such as Akamai, Netezza, IBM, and EnterpriseDB. He holds a BSEE degree from Stanford University.

Dennis Duckworth

Director, Product Marketing, Cloudera

Dennis leads Cloudera’s product marketing activities with all of its partners. He started his career as an AI application developer (in Lisp) during the first wave of AI and has held various roles, both technical and business, at leading data management companies such as Akamai, Netezza, IBM, and EnterpriseDB. He holds a BSEE degree from Stanford University.