CDO Magazine Dallas Leadership Dinner Puts Back-Office AI Uses Upfront

CDO Magazine’s Dallas Leadership Dinner on November 7 brought together data, analytics, and AI executives from industries such as finance, healthcare, and manufacturing to weigh the “practical uses of AI in back office operations."

The event provided the platform to exchange insights, best practices, and experience in leveraging strategic business tactics to drive success. Key discussions centered on streamlining administrative tasks, improving data processing efficiency, and enhancing decision-making through AI-powered analytics.

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Sharing her experience, Latha Subramanian, GM Financial SVP, Global Head, Data Analytics, says: “It was amazing to meet all the data leaders at the CDO Magazine event in Dallas-Fort Worth today. Even the rough weather did not dampen the spirits of the attendees. Several great ideas were exchanged on GenAI use cases enhancing operational efficiencies in the workplace and identifying the right talent to empower the GenAI Center of Excellence. Overall, there was enthusiasm in the room around industry best practices on GenAI and ML. CDO Magazine events are always well organized and executed, and I am glad to see the Dallas data community coming together.”

Zul Sidi, Managing Director, Data & Analytics, Retail, Preferred & Wealth Management at Bank of America, adds that the dinner was “an amazing event where thought leaders across diverse industries shared best practices and how they are solving critical business challenges leveraging data, insights and innovation!”

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According to Priya Reddy, Reprise Financial VP, Enterprise Data Management, “The CDO Magazine Leadership Dinner was an exceptional gathering. Steve and the team created a welcoming atmosphere, and their passion for advancing data and AI leadership was evident.” Reddy elaborates with her takeaways:

1. Data-driven AI strategy and MLOps: The event highlighted the importance of MLOps in enhancing efficiency within enterprises. MLOps is becoming essential for scalable, repeatable AI and ML initiatives, especially in financial services where data reliability and operational stability are paramount.

2. Effective budget management for cloud-based AI: There was a significant focus on the need for better budget tracking for cloud-based AI workloads. As companies increase their AI/ML use on cloud platforms, categorizing budget allocations becomes crucial. This not only aids in financial transparency but also allows CIOs to optimize resources and reduce unnecessary compute costs, leading to better cost efficiency.

3. Risk management and governance: The discussions also emphasized the critical need for robust risk management frameworks around AI use cases in financial services. From cybersecurity to regulatory compliance, managing these risks ensures that AI initiatives align with enterprise governance standards and support business resilience.

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Steve Bangsund, CDO Magazine Sr. Director of Programs, says: “The CDO Magazine Dallas Leadership Dinner was an evening of great conversation, networking and discussions around AI and the back office. This is an outstanding group of CDO leaders that enjoy discussing top-of-mind issues and solutions to help each other. Dallas has a strong network of data, AI and analytics leaders, and those that were there tonight are committed to see it grow! We are grateful to all of our Board members and partners. Thank you for a memorable evening!”

Summing up the event, Rob DuPont, ThoughtSpot Senior Solutions Engineer, says: “The evening was an engaging exploration of AI’s pivotal role in modern business. Conversations with data industry leaders highlighted the immense potential value as well as current challenges brought on by scale, knowledge, and process changes.”

Special thanks to ThoughtSpot for making the CDO Magazine Executive Boardroom Dinner such a resounding success.

Latha Subramanian and Zul Sidi are Co-Chairs of the Dallas Executive Board. Priya Reddy, Sidi, and Subramanian are members of the CDO Magazine Global Editorial Board.

Executives attending the Dallas CDO Magazine Leadership Dinner included: 

Venit Bhanawat, McKesson Global Vice President, Data Analytics & Digital Platforms; Rajasoorian Gnanasuriya Bahavan, Rexel Integration Delivery Manager; Darren Pedroza, Western Alliance Bank Senior Director, Head of Enterprise Data & Analytics; Arjun Puri, Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation Director Cloud Data Engineering & Analytics; Phanii Pydimarri, Health Care Service Corporation Data & Analytics Transformation Leader; Priya Reddy, Reprise Financial VP, Enterprise Data Management; Arjun Saladi, McKesson Sr Director; Adonis Salazar, Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope Director, Business Analytics; Hemal Shah, Southwest Airlines Sr. Manager; Zulfikar Sidi, Bank of America Managing Director, Data & Analytics, Retail, Preferred & Wealth Management; Latha Subramanian, GM Financial SVP, Global Head, Data Analytics; Amir Tabei, DMA CIO; Rob DuPont, ThoughtSpot Senior Solutions Engineer; Nathan Knuuttila, ThoughtSpot Revenue Executive; Devin McPherson, ThoughtSpot Customer Success Manager; Erin Miller, Logic Pursuits Business Development Executive; Sam Ahlbrand, Incorta Enterprise Account Manager; Steve Bangsund, CDO Magazine Senior Director of Programs.