Data is the constraint: Why leadership, not algorithms, determines AI success

Most AI initiatives fail not because of technology limitations, but because organisations struggle to rethink how they operate in an AI-first world.  

Success requires more than data ownership and governance, it demands leaders who can rethink the enterprise from an AI-first perspective, redesigning network operations, customer experience, product development, and decision-making processes to unlock new levels of agility, efficiency, and growth.  

In this session, telecom leaders will explore how to overcome organisational inertia, align people and processes around AI-driven transformation, and create the conditions for AI to deliver measurable business value at scale. 

• Why leadership, governance, and organisational alignment are becoming greater barriers to AI success than data or technology 
• How leading operators are reimagining workflows, customer care, product development, and business processes through an AI-first lens 
• The practical steps required to build an operating model that enables AI-driven decision-making, innovation, and business transformation at scale

11:00 - 11:10
Presentation
Nathan Bell, Partner - Digital Practice, Kearney

11:10 - 11:35
Fireside chat
Dr. Rainer Deutschmann, Group Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer, Axiata Group Berhad
Nathan Bell, Partner - Digital Practice, Kearney

11:35 - 11:40
Presentation - Data is the constraint: Why leadership, not algorithms, determines AI success

• As AI models become increasingly commoditised, competitive advantage shifts to an organisation's ability to unify data, break down silos, and create the foundations for AI to deliver measurable business outcomes
• Explore how AI-first organisations align data, products, and customer experiences across the enterprise to move beyond isolated use cases and create compounding business value
• Learn how leading digital organisations are using AI to drive customer engagement, improve retention, accelerate innovation, and create new growth opportunities through organisation-wide transformation rather than technology deployment alone

Vasanth Raju, Head of AI Product, Rakuten Group, Inc

11:40 - 12:00
Fireside chat - Beyond the algorithm: Why people are your AI strategy

Manish Prasad, Client Director – CMI Nordics, Tata Consultancy Services
Sujatha Gopal, CTO, Communications, Media & Information Services, Tata Consultancy Services
Jen Hawes-Hewitt, Global Head of Growth & Strategy, Google 
Astrid Kyhl, VP AI & Digital Innovation, TDC NET