(US and Canada) BNSF Railway, one of the largest freight railroad networks in the US, has named Anju Gupta as its Chief Data and AI Officer. Gupta began her role in June 2025 and will lead the company’s data and AI strategy, with a focus on enhancing safety, efficiency, and scalable growth.

In announcing the move, Gupta shared her excitement in a LinkedIn post, writing, “BNSF moves the goods that move the economy, and I’m honored to be part of their transformation to a freight mobility company.”

She added that she will be “leading efforts to unlock the power of data and AI across the business — building modern capabilities that drive safety, efficiency, and growth at scale.”

Gupta brings over 20 years of experience in data and analytics leadership across various industries, including financial services, mobility, and agriculture. Prior to joining BNSF, she was part of Northwestern Mutual’s Enterprise Executive Leadership group responsible for leading all AI activation within the company. She successfully led efforts to implement machine learning and deep learning solutions that supported straight-through processing and other advanced applications and deployed several Generative AI applications in production.

Earlier in her career, she held senior roles at Enterprise Holdings, overseeing data asset strategy and AI/ML insights, and in the agriculture sector at Syngenta and Monsanto. At Monsanto, she helped establish a startup ecosystem to drive AI adoption in agribusiness, work that earned her the Global 100 CIO Innovation Award. She has also been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who for her professional contributions.

Welcoming her to the team, Hari Govind, EVP at BNSF, noted that Gupta will lead innovation to drive real-time, data-informed decision-making. “Anju is set to lead innovation driving real-time, data-driven decision-making, and steering BNSF firmly into an AI company,” he said.

Gupta is known for her strategic vision and hands-on leadership, particularly in building scalable data and ethical AI strategies. Her appointment reflects BNSF’s commitment to advancing its digital capabilities and integrating AI into its core operations.