Ayesha Khanna

Ayesha Khanna Speaker Biography

Artificial Intelligence, Smart Cities and Fintech Expert

Dr. Ayesha Khanna is the Co-Founder and CEO of Addo, a global artificial intelligence (AI) solutions firm headquartered in Singapore. Ayesha was named one of Southeast Asia’s groundbreaking female entrepreneurs by Forbes magazine and is a strategic advisor on artificial intelligence, smart cities, and the metaverse to leading corporations and governments worldwide. Ayesha is a highly regarded speaker on AI and disruptive technologies, provides high-level government and board briefings, and was a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Councils, a community of international experts who provide thought leadership on the impact and governance of emerging technologies.

Education

Ayesha has a BA (honors) in Economics from Harvard University, an MS in Operations Research from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in Information Systems (focused on digital innovation in smart cities) from the London School of Economics.

Board Experience

Ayesha serves on the board of Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI), a global leader in smart buildings, creating safe, healthy, and sustainable spaces with the world’s largest portfolio of building technology, software, and service solutions. She is a member of the Governance Committee. Ayesha previously served on the board of AVEVA, a global leader in industrial software, which was part of the FTSE100, before its acquisition by Schneider Electric. She was a member of the Renumeration Committee. She serves on the board of NEOM Tonomous, responsible for formulating the vision and delivery of the technology infrastructure (which includes AI, robotics, blockchain, and metaverse) for NEOM, the $500 billion smart city under development in Saudi Arabia. She is the Chairwoman of the Investment Committee. Ayesha serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of L’Oreal, the world’s largest beauty company, where she advises on new technologies and disruptive innovations. She also serves on the Consumer Committee of the Board for Mercy, one of the largest healthcare providers in the United States, and named to Fortune magazine’s most innovative companies of 2023, and advises on how to modernize and improve consumer journeys and clinical outcomes with data and AI.

Press and Recognition

Ayesha has been globally recognised for her work in artificial intelligence and her thought leadership on the impact of technology disruptions on the future of work and smart cities. ZDF (Germany’s largest TV channel) featured Ayesha in a documentary on twelve “Leading Women” around the world (2019). She has been named one of Singapore’s leading women in tech (Singapore Computer Society). She has been profiled for her work in artificial intelligence in leading publications around the world, including Neue Zürcher Zeitung (Switzerland), Focus Magazin (Germany), Corriere della Sera (Italy), Dagens Næringsliv (Norway), Lëtzebuerger Journal (Luxembourg), Computer Sweden (Sweden), Information Age (Nordics), Peak (Singapore), and In The Black (Australia).

Singapore Government

Ayesha has served on several Singapore government boards, including: Infocomm Media Development Authority, a statutory board under the Ministry of Communications and Information, develops and regulates its world-class technology sector to drive the country’s digital economy and power its Smart Nation vision. Health Promotion Board, a statutory board under the Ministry of Health, is Singapore’s primary driver for national health promotion and disease prevention programs. Ngee Ann Polytechnic, a statutory board under the Ministry of Education, has 15,000 students and 44 full-time diploma courses offered through 9 academic schools. Sport Singapore is a statutory board under the Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth tasked with developing a holistic sports culture for the nation. Ayesha was also a steering committee member of the Singapore Ministry of Education and developed the country’s Skills Future program. This innovative national program aligns education with economic demand, career guidance, and lifelong learning to prepare citizens for the fourth industrial revolution.

Philanthropy

Ayesha is a passionate advocate of diversity and inclusion. She is the Founder of 21st Century Girls, a charity that delivers girls free coding and artificial intelligence classes. In collaboration with major companies like Google, PayPal, Visa, and Infocomm Media Authority, 21st Century Girls is focused on educating girls in tech.