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The first Executive in Residence at the Wharton AI & Analytics Initiative (WAIAI) is Ajay Anand, Senior Vice President, Global Services, Strategy and Business Services at Johnson & Johnson. Anand will use his industry-leading experience to coach students and advise faculty in the fields of analytics and artificial intelligence.
Anand brings more than 26 years of transformational leadership, driving strategic impact across consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and telecommunications. A dynamic force in business and technology, he has led global initiatives that redefine industries.
The Wharton AI & Analytics Initiative (WAIAI) is launching an exclusive Executive in Residence program to bring industry-leading expertise into the heart of Wharton’s AI research and student initiatives. Each year, select executives from top organizations will work alongside faculty and students to bridge the gap between cutting-edge AI research and real-world industry challenges.
Anand is a leader in Global Services and co-chairs the Data Management Council and the J&J Enterprise Intelligent Automation Council. By focusing on employee experience, functional excellence, and efficiency across global functions, he and his team have implemented numerous reforms that have resulted in over US$3 billion in value creation and enhanced J&J’s capacity to adapt to business changes.
On the occasion, Anand said, “It is an honor to join the Wharton AI & Analytics Initiative as Executive in Residence. I am excited to collaborate with Wharton’s esteemed faculty, talented students, and industry leaders to explore the transformative potential of AI and analytics.”
As Executives in Residence, he will advise Wharton faculty, helping shape AI research to align with business needs; Mentor students, guiding future AI innovators in WAIAI-sponsored projects like the Wharton AI & Analytics Accelerator; Share insights at premier conferences, contributing as keynote speakers and expert panelists; Be featured thought leaders, appearing in Wharton-produced webinars, podcasts, and articles; and Judge high-stakes AI competitions, including WAIAI Hack-AI-thons and the Venture Lab Startup Challenge.
Anand has two master’s degrees: one in computer science from Gujarat University in India and one in business administration from Drexel University in Philadelphia.
