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PROXY MEETING 1 ALPHA (DAY 1, TRACK 1, 3:45PM)
Transformational Task Force Lessons Learned
Vivian Tsaklanganos, Global Innovation Director, Colgate-Palmolive

Leveraging her expertise in driving large-scale initiatives, she’ll share practical insights on standardizing the innovation funnel (Discovery, Incubation, GTM-Test, and Scale), streamlining value chain processes, and achieving optimal resourcing. Participants will gain actionable strategies for balancing talent metrics and deploying resources effectively, ultimately enhancing their organizations’ ability to translate innovative ideas into successful market outcomes. Key discussion points include:

  • Standardizing the funnel
  • Optimizing value chain processes
  • Realizing optimal resourcing
  • Balancing talent metrics to match


PROXY MEETING 1 BETA (DAY 1, TRACK 1, 3:45PM)
AI as a Thinking Partner: Your Companion for Innovation and Creativity
Prapti Jha, Former Design Strategy & Research | Design Thinking & Innovation, Harvard

Generative AI has the potential to be one of the most powerful creative partners you could ever imagine. AI as a Thinking Partner is designed for professionals who want to make AI a practical part of their daily work. Imagine having a mentor, experienced friend, or colleague at your side, supporting you in ways that align with your unique goals. 

  • Focusing on how Human Intelligence guides and refines AI Outcomes
  • Breaking down AI concepts into simple, approachable terms
  • Demonstrating how AI can enhance creative thinking and decision-making. 
  • Using AI as more than just a task automation tool; it can be a collaborator that sparks new ideas, identifies patterns, and offers fresh perspectives on challenges. 
  • Learning how to use AI as a creative and strategic partner in innovation
  • Exploring the fundamentals of merging HI+AI to unlock Collective Intelligence in your everyday work

By the end, the most important takeaway is—You can do it!

PROXY MEETING 1 GAMMA (DAY 1, TRACK 1, 3:45PM)
Leveraging Your Personal Strengths for Success
Minh-Minh Garner, Trainer and Talent Alchemist, CliftonStrenghts

This discussion focuses on self-awareness, strategic application of strengths in diverse teams, and leveraging raw potential to transform into value and impact. She discusses a holistic approach, that considers both individual and collective dynamics.

  • Identifying core strengths: This includes recognizing individual talents and capabilities.
  • Strategic application: Understanding how to effectively use those strengths within organizational contexts
  • Interpersonal dynamics: Navigating and leveraging strengths in interactions with diverse personality types
  • Transformative storytelling: Crafting authentic narratives, that connect with others

PROXY MEETING 2 ALPHA (DAY 2, TRACK A, 2:45PM)
Unpacking Organizational AI In Real Time
Andre Magni, Data & AI Leader, Microsoft

The integration of AI presents unprecedented opportunities, but also significant hurdles, for both established corporates and agile startups. While corporate-startup collaborations have historically been challenging, the complexities of AI adoption have amplified these difficulties. 

  • Addressing these critical issues head-on, offering a strategic roadmap for leveraging AI as a binding agent to forge successful partnerships. This session is designed for corporate leaders seeking to tap into startup innovation and startups aiming to scale through corporate resources. 
  • Participants will explore how to overcome traditional collaboration hurdles – such as differing cultures, timelines, and priorities – by strategically utilizing AI’s transformative potential. The discussion will delve into practical strategies for aligning AI initiatives, fostering knowledge sharing, and building mutually beneficial ecosystems. 
  • Gain actionable insights on how to navigate the AI landscape to create powerful synergies, drive innovation, and achieve a competitive edge in the age of intelligent technologies.

PROXY MEETING 2 BETA (DAY 2, TRACK A, 2:45PM)
AI Impact: The Innovator’s Role In Protecting Against Cognitive Decay
Mohan Nair, Former Chief Innovation Officer, Cambria Health

What is AI’s impact on organizational human cognition? With extensive experience driving innovation, showcasing leadership in technology and healthcare, Mohan Nair is uniquely positioned to discuss this crucial topic. He explores how AI’s convenience fosters cognitive offloading, hindering critical thinking. Nair delves into the “editor not creator” paradigm, where reliance on machine information diminishes original thought. Nair proposes strategies to counteract these effects, emphasizing self-governance and mindful technology integration, crucial for maintaining cognitive health in the age of AI. Conversation points include:

  • AI obsession and the curse of convenience
  • Fashioning approaches based on machine information
  • Cognitive offloading
  • Editor not creator
  • Achieving self-governance

PROXY MEETING 2 GAMMA (DAY 2, TRACK A, 2:45PM)
Corporate Lessons For a Partnership Ecosystem For Growth From A Non-Profit
James Estrada, Innovation Lead, Assoc. Dir. of Innovation, Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Realize how a non-profit’s heart-driven mission translates into powerful business growth. Discover the delicate art of finding partners willing to share risks and build relationships that truly resonate. As brand integrity is paramount, James reveals how to protect your core while creating a ripple effect of value. Businesses that blend innovation with empathy are succeeding. This session addresses how to protect brand integrity while fostering collaborative value chains and innovative growth models. 

  • Bringing heart and a humanity-centered approach to digital health
  • Driving pilots and market research for business cases on investment
  • Finding the right partners who can benefit from taking on risk and enabling higher-touch interaction from any given collaboration
  • Protecting the brand and core business while delivering value for a value chain of partners
  • Finding growth for your organization through new and innovative business models

PROXY MEETING 3 ALPHA (DAY 2, TRACK C, 2:45PM)

Feasible Innovation: Realizing Value In An Ever-Changing World Of Relevance & Engagement
Arvind Balasundaram, Executive Director, Commercial Insights & Analytics, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 

Agile launch strategies that prioritize customer engagement are critical. This session explores how to achieve differentiation by focusing on cost-effective, learn-moment decisions, and ensuring future needs remain relevant. It emphasizes balancing risk and benefit and leveraging AI to frame unbiased questions. This is timely due to rapid market shifts and evolving customer expectations. Arvind Balasundaram, with his extensive experience in driving innovation and strategic growth, is uniquely positioned to guide participants in realizing tangible value through feasible innovation.

  • Diving into launch excellence to gain differentiation
  • Understating that a future customer job in a learn-moment decision is less costly
  • Realizing how to make a future need relevant and highly engaged for a physician or other end-target
  • Ensuring you don’t over-pronate on risks as opposed to benefits
  • Framing the right questions utilizing AI to avoid bias

PROXY MEETING 3 BETA (DAY 2, TRACK C, 2:45PM)
Unpacking Design Thinking
Harsh Wardhan, Innovation Manager, Google

Take a critical deep dive into the practical application of design thinking principles, specifically tailored for innovation experts and corporate changemakers. 

  • Participants will gain actionable insights into navigating the intricate interplay of desirability, feasibility, and viability, enabling them to make informed, impactful decisions. 
  • This session goes beyond theoretical frameworks, equipping attendees with tangible methods to simplify complex challenges, foster cross-functional team alignment around human-centered needs, and drive transformative innovation. 
  • By challenging ingrained assumptions and pushing the boundaries of conventional thinking, participants will learn to unlock new avenues for business value creation.

This is an essential opportunity for those seeking to refine their innovation toolkit and lead their organizations towards a future defined by strategic, human-centric solutions.


PROXY MEETING 3 GAMMA (DAY 2, TRACK C, 2:45PM)
Leveraging Your Personal Strengths for Success
Minh Minh Garner, Trainer and Talent Alchemist, CliftonStrenghts

This discussion focuses on self-awareness, strategic application of strengths in diverse teams, and leveraging raw potential to transform into value and impact. She discusses a holistic approach, that considers both individual and collective dynamics.

  • Identifying core strengths: This includes recognizing individual talents and capabilities.
  • Strategic application: Understanding how to effectively use those strengths within organizational contexts
  • Interpersonal dynamics: Navigating and leveraging strengths in interactions with diverse personality types
  • Transformative storytelling: Crafting authentic narratives, that connect with others