CDO Vision Dubai and The Vision Awards
CDO Vision Dubai, the second city in the 22-city AI world series, celebrated data and AI leaders building resilient, enterprise-scale AI systems across the region.
The Vision Awards are presented at each city of the CDO Vision Global AI Series, spanning 22 cities worldwide. As CDO Vision continues globally, the awards will recognize leaders who are shaping the future of enterprise data and AI through thoughtful leadership, disciplined execution, and measurable impact.
CDO Vision is a global leadership platform that brings together senior data, analytics, and AI leaders to examine how enterprises are building, governing, and scaling data and AI capabilities. Through curated discussions and peer exchange, CDO Vision focuses on the real operating challenges of enterprise AI transformation, moving beyond experimentation to sustained impact.
CDO Vision Dubai took place on February 12th, marking the second edition of the CDO Vision AI World Series, a 22-city initiative spanning major global enterprise hubs.
The Vision Awards recognize senior data, analytics, and AI leaders who are shaping how AI is being built, adopted, and governed within their local enterprise ecosystems. Rather than focusing on theoretical innovation, the awards spotlight leaders driving real-world AI execution across industries, institutions, and cities.
At each CDO Vision city, recipients are selected for the role they play in advancing AI maturity within their region, setting standards for responsible deployment, building shared talent and capability, and influencing how organizations move from isolated pilots to enterprise-scale systems.
At CDO Vision Dubai, recognized leaders highlight how AI is reshaping some of the Middle East’s most complex organizations. Across finance, healthcare, government, telecom, and energy, they are operationalizing AI at scale, modernizing enterprise data systems, and designing governance models that enable agility without compromising oversight.
Vision Awards Recipients
David Millán, Chief Data & AI Officer at Department of Culture and Tourism at Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) is a board-level advisor with global experience leading AI, analytics and digital transformations across tourism, consumer goods, telecoms and financial services, and an active academic contributor in data, AI and Big Data education.
Dr. Ghanashyama Mahanty
Dr. Ghanashyama Mahanty, Head of Data Science for MENA at Visa has over two decades of leadership in banking, payments, and AI-driven transformation. He has built multiple global Data and AI Capability Centers and led numerous transformational initiatives that have delivered significant value to the organizations he has served. A recognized innovator with 15+ patents and 25+ publications, Dr. Mahanty advises leading banks and merchants across the MENA region on data and Generative AI strategy, data monetization, development of data labs, responsible AI, and digital transformation.
Gopi Maren, Chief Specialist, Data & AI Governance Office at RTA, Dubai, is a highly experienced Data AI Governance & Privacy Strategist with over 15 years of expertise in designing and implementing robust data strategies. Based in Abu Dhabi, Gopi is at the forefront of navigating the complex intersection of artificial intelligence, data ethics, and regulatory compliance
Kevin Neogy, Group Head of Digital Transformation, AI & Robotics at The Kanoo Group is a compelling figure for anyone looking to network within the intersection of entrepreneurship and large-scale IT transformation, particularly in the Middle East. With a background as a successful entrepreneur, Kevin seamlessly transitioned into an intrapreneurial role, demonstrating a unique ability to drive innovation and strategic growth within established organizations.
Manish Vaidya, Head of AI, Data & AI Department | Strategic Affairs at Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, is a results-driven leader in Data Science and Analytics, based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. With a passion for leveraging data to drive strategic decisions and optimize operations, Manish's expertise lies in transforming complex datasets into actionable insights.
Osama Morad, AI and Data Science Consultant at Reef Luxury Developments is an AI & Data Science leader with 17 years’ technology expertise leading AI transformations, driving innovation, and delivering data-driven growth across real estate, edtech, and enterprise sectors.
Prakash Logaiya, Group Head of Data & AI at Al-Futtaim is known for his strategic vision and proven track record in driving technological innovation and data-driven transformations. He currently holds a leadership position at Al-Futtaim, a prominent organization, where he likely champions initiatives that leverage data and technology to achieve business objectives.
Dr. Saurabh Pramanick
Dr. Saurabh Pramanick, Data Governance Officer at Bank Muscat is a visionary leader with 18 years of experience across Data Governance, Generative AI, Data Architecture, Cloud Platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP, Oracle), Data Science, and Regulatory Reporting. Saurabh has a proven track record in driving digital transformation, implementing enterprise data strategies, and leading cross-functional teams across banking, consulting, and tech sectors.
Sri Lakshmi, Group CIO at Switz Group is a seasoned professional, brings 21 years of banking experience with deep expertise in data, analytics, and AI, driving transformative initiatives in the FMCG baking sector. A patent holder and award-winning data leader, she is known for delivering high-impact ROI and innovation across technology operations.
Victor Adewusi, Group Chief Data Officer at Access Holdings Plc is a certified Chief Data Officer and digital transformation leader with two decades of global experience driving enterprise data and AI strategy across banking and financial services, building data offices in 20+ countries, and delivering high-impact monetization initiatives generating over $250M in revenue.