C3 Transform 2026

Stephen Ehikian is Chief Executive Officer of C3 AI. He is a seasoned technology executive in the enterprise software industry and public-sector leader. Mr. Ehikian successfully built and scaled RelateIQ and Airkit.ai — both acquired by Salesforce. RelateIQ underpins Salesforce Einstein, and Airkit.ai is now a core component of Salesforce Agentforce. He also served as President Trump's appointee as Acting Administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration, spearheading historic reforms in federal procurement and technology modernization, pioneering AI adoption, and unlocking billions in taxpayer savings. Mr. Ehikian received a bachelor's in mechanical engineering and economics from Yale University, and an MBA from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.

Ed Abbo has served as the Chief Technology Officer of C3 AI since July 2011. He previously served as the Chief Executive Officer from September 2009 to July 2011 and a member of the board of directors from August 2009 to November 2020. Prior to joining C3 AI, Mr. Abbo served as Senior Vice President of Engineering and Chief Technology Officer for Siebel Systems from July 1994 until it merged with Oracle Corporation in January 2006, and Senior Vice President of Oracle Corporation from January 2006 to July 2009. Mr. Abbo holds a BS in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University and an MS in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Jim Hagemann Snabe is the former co-CEO of SAP and currently serves as Chairman of A. P. Moller–Maersk, nominated Chairman of Siemens AG, and Vice Chairman of Allianz SE. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees at the World Economic Forum. With 25 years of experience in the IT industry, Mr. Snabe is focused on leadership around innovation, digitization, and societal progress. As co-CEO of SAP, together with Bill McDermott, he was instrumental in driving the strategic development of the company, doubling its value while playing a more responsible role in society. In 2013, Mr. Snabe and Mr. McDermott were ranked #2 on Glassdoor's list of the top fifty highest-rated CEOs, based on a 99 percent employee approval rating. He holds a master's degree in operational research from the Aarhus School of Business and was appointed Adjunct Professor at Copenhagen Business School in 2016 for his work on digital transformation and its impact on business and society.

General (Ret.) John Hyten served as the 11th Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retiring in November 2021 after a distinguished 40-year career in the United States Air Force. In this role, he was the nation's second highest-ranking military officer, responsible for supporting and overseeing joint military requirements for nearly 1.5 million service members and their families across the U.S. Armed Forces. Previously, Gen. Hyten led Air Force Space Command from 2014 to 2016 and U.S. Strategic Command from 2016 to 2019, and was deployed to Southwest Asia as Director of Space Forces for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. His numerous awards include multiple Distinguished Service and Meritorious Service Medals. He attended Harvard University on an Air Force ROTC scholarship, holds an MBA from Auburn University at Montgomery, and completed advanced professional military education and fellowships.

Dr. Nikhil Krishnan is Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Data Science at C3 AI and is responsible for Data Science and Generative AI. Prior to C3 AI, Dr. Krishnan was an Associate Principal at McKinsey & Company, where he was a leader in McKinsey's Advanced Industrials and Energy Practices. Dr. Krishnan was formerly an Assistant Professor at Columbia University. He also worked as a research scientist at Applied Materials, Inc. Dr. Krishnan earned a bachelor's degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, and MS and PhD degrees from the University of California at Berkeley in Mechanical Engineering.

Alan Murray is a business thought leader and media executive, most recently serving as CEO of Fortune Media for over five years where he oversaw all of the company's operations. He is the author of five books, including most recently Tomorrow's Capitalist: My Search for the Soul of Business. Prior to joining Fortune in 2015, Mr. Murray led the Pew Research Center. Before that, he was at the Wall Street Journal for many years, serving as Deputy Managing Editor, Executive Editor Online, Washington Bureau Chief, and author of the Political Capital and Business columns. He also served for a time as Washington bureau chief of CNBC, and co-host of the network's Capitol Report.

Ben Ellencweig is a senior partner with the firm's Stamford office and leads our QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey Practice in its alliances, acquisitions, and partnerships globally. Mr. Ellencweig advises clients on harnessing the power of AI to deliver growth and bottom-line impact across sectors. Mr. Ellencweig led the firm's acquisition of Iguazio, a machine learning operations (MLOps) platform, and spearheaded McKinsey's growing ecosystem of AI and generative AI partners. He serves on the McKinsey Technology Council, which gathers top global technology leaders to assess and track trends in business and technology. He is a recognized thought leader on AI and digital transformation and publishes articles and frequently speaks at global conferences. Before McKinsey, Mr. Ellencweig served for over a decade in various leadership and technology roles managing large-scale teams under extreme conditions in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Furthermore, he served as a liaison officer in its military attaché office in Washington, DC. Outside of work, Mr. Ellencweig enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. He resides in New York and is a general trustee on the board of the Central Park Conservancy.

Kevin McCarthy has served as a member of C3 AI's advisory board since June 2024. From January 2023 to October 2023, Mr. McCarthy served as the 55th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, leading the legislative agenda and representing the Republican majority in the House. Mr. McCarthy has had a distinguished career in public service. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2006, representing California's 22nd congressional district, and later the 23rd district, following redistricting. Over his tenure in Congress, Mr. McCarthy has held several key leadership positions, including House Majority Leader from 2014 to 2019, and House Minority Leader from 2019 to 2023.In addition to his legislative career, Mr. McCarthy has been actively involved in various public policy initiatives and has been a vocal advocate for technology and innovation in government. His leadership in Congress has been marked by efforts to promote economic growth, national security, and technological advancements. Mr. McCarthy holds a B.S. in Marketing from California State University, Bakersfield, and an M.B.A. from the same institution.

Debra Bauler is Chief Information and Digital Officer for Dow, a global materials science company. A member of Dow's Leadership Team, she oversees the company's global information technology and digital operations and leads its enterprise-wide digital transformation and data strategy across areas including artificial intelligence, data analytics, intelligent automation, and cybersecurity. With more than 30 years of large-scale IT leadership experience, Mrs. Bauler joined Dow in 2023 after spending more than 28 years at Cargill, where she held senior leadership roles including Vice President of IT and Global Group CIO. She is a strong advocate for inclusive leadership and talent development, serves as executive sponsor for initiatives advancing women in technology and STEM careers, and sits on the Board of Directors for the Midland Center for the Arts.

As a Vice President and Principal Analyst at Forrester, Mike Gualtieri's research focuses on AI technologies, platforms, and practices that enable technology professionals to deliver breakthrough applications and digital experiences. His coverage areas include AI and emerging technologies that make software faster, smarter, and transformative for global enterprises, and he advises business and technology leaders worldwide at the intersection of business strategy, AI, and digital transformation. Mr. Gualtieri has authored more than 130 research reports, received the Forrester Courage Award for making bold, impactful calls, and is a frequent, highly sought-after speaker at industry and corporate events. With more than 30 years of industry experience, he brings a practitioner's background designing and building mission-critical systems across sectors including e-commerce, banking, healthcare, manufacturing, and technology, and has even developed an AI-based autonomous robot arm simulator for NASA JPL. He holds a BS in computer science and management from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and earned three US patents as a student for an expert system used to train air traffic controllers worldwide.

Jason Sutton is Chief Information Officer (CIO) for Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of HII, located in Newport News, Virginia. Named to this position in 2021, Sutton is responsible for all aspects of the company's information technology program, including the establishment of IT priorities, strategies, and alignment to enterprise cybersecurity and IT goals. Prior to joining Newport News Shipbuilding in 2018 as Director of Digital Implementation, he served more than 24 years in the United States Air Force, holding various strategic and tactical leadership roles in cyberspace operations and IT. Before retiring in 2018 at the rank of colonel, Mr. Sutton served as Director of Communications and CIO for Air Combat Command, overseeing cyberspace and communications policy, resource advocacy, and program management supporting 94,000 active-duty and civilian personnel worldwide. He previously served as program director for Structural Fabrication and Assembly and earned degrees from the U.S. Air Force Academy, Regent University, and the Air War College.

MSgt William Haskell is a senior technical program manager and innovation portfolio product manager at Detachment 5, 72nd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Squadron, Chantilly, Virginia. He leads a team of software developers in the Xcelerator Lab and manages AI/ML projects with industry partners. He is responsible for advancing and transitioning multiple R&D initiatives to production, including the “Ask Francis” chatbot assistant. Originally from Garrison, New York, MSgt Haskell joined the U.S. Air Force in November 2009 and transferred to the U.S. Space Force in May 2022. After completing Network Intelligence training in 2010, he served as a network intelligence analyst at three duty stations and deployed five times. Before his current role, he was Section Chief of the Intelligence Discovery Cell in the Mission Integration Directorate at NRO. He lives with his wife, Taylor, and their two children, Hudson and Hayden.

Don Hairston is the General Manager of Austal USA Advanced Technologies, where he leads the company's expanding research, development, and additive manufacturing portfolio, including critical work with the U.S. Navy's Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence and the submarine industrial base. In this role, he oversees Austal's R&D, digital transformation, and automation strategies, while advancing supplier readiness and innovation in naval shipbuilding through Austal's partnership with ASTM International's Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence. Mr. Hairston brings more than 20 years of executive experience across the defense sector, having previously served as Vice President and General Manager of the C5 Systems Division at L3Harris Technologies, as well as in leadership roles at Textron, Cobham, and Northrop Grumman. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from Virginia Tech and completed the General Management Program at Harvard Business School, complementing his leadership with advisory roles across the defense industry.

James Clarke is a Chief Financial Officer with more than a decade of leadership experience across the shipbuilding and construction industries, working in complex, capital-intensive environments where execution and governance are critical. He is currently CFO at Seaspan Shipyards, where he supports the delivery of shipbuilding programs for Canada, and previously spent six years at SNC-Lavalin working on major construction and infrastructure projects. At SNC-Lavalin, Mr. Clarke supported projects spanning oil and gas, bridges, hospitals, and transit systems, giving him broad exposure to the challenges of delivering large, regulated, and mission-critical assets. He also has several years of experience in private equity–backed environments, partnering with executive teams, boards, and investors to align strategy, capital, and execution. Mr. Clarke has led significant enterprise transformation initiatives, including serving as executive champion for a major Oracle Cloud implementation. His perspective on artificial intelligence is shaped by early experience as an IT consultant during the dot-com era, instilling a healthy skepticism of hype, balanced by a deep fascination with the disciplined use of technology to drive real transformation and measurable business value.

Dan Hudson is a Senior Technology Director in HII's Mission Technologies division, bringing more than 20 years of expertise in human factors and reliability engineering, data science and advanced analytics, model-based engineering, and digital transformation. His work spans diverse industries and domains, including national security and defense, cybersecurity and intelligence, engineered systems safety, risk management, and healthcare. He joined HII in 2022 after leading data science and AI initiatives in the private sector supporting the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Intelligence Community. Mr. Hudson's career began with over two decades of federal service. He served as an enlisted Marine, Navy diver, and submarine warfare officer before becoming a reliability engineer and risk analyst for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. He holds a B.S. in aerospace engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy, an M.S. in predictive analytics from the University of Maryland, and a Ph.D. in data science and decision intelligence from Johns Hopkins University.

Lord Aamer Sarfraz is a Member of the House of Lords, the upper chamber of the United Kingdom Parliament. He serves on the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy and the AI in Weapon Systems Committee. A graduate of the Royal College of Defence Studies and the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme, Lord Sarfraz is the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy to Singapore and co-chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Sovereign Wealth Funds. His earlier career was in venture capital and sustainable agriculture. He is Patron of The Lord Sarfraz Foundation and serves on several voluntary boards, including Texas A&M, Boston University, and Panthera. He previously served as a Treasurer of the Conservative Party and, upon his appointment to the Lords, became its third youngest member.

Angus is a highly experienced logistics and supply chain professional with over 40-years experience in the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence, NATO and the energy sector. In the Ministry of Defence, he was the Head of Profession for Logistics, the Defence Supply Chain E2E Process Owner, and the Director of Global Logistics Operations. He was also the chief author and architect of the Defence Support Transformation Programme, leading to the delivery of a new Defence Support Operating Model, the creation of the Defence Support Group, and the creation of a digital transformation program across the Defence Support Enterprise. More recently, he has been the EMEA and APAC government account lead for a Fortune 100 Energy corporation and provides board advice to several leading private sector companies.

General Sir Gordon Messenger KCB DSO OBE DL* served as a Royal Marine from 1983 to 2019 in a career spanning operational command, capability development, public communications, and the strategic leadership of defense. He was the first Royal Marine to be promoted to four-star rank in 50 years and the first member of the naval service since the Korean War to receive a Bar to the Distinguished Service Order. His operational tours included Kosovo, Iraq, Lebanon, and Afghanistan, culminating in command of 3 Commando Brigade in Helmand from 2008 to 2009. Appointed Vice Chief of Defence Staff in 2016, he served as the Chief of Defence Staff's principal deputy for operations and capability oversight. Since retiring in 2019, he has built a public- and private-sector portfolio, including leadership roles across UK health, defense, and historic institutions.

Sandy Gupta is a Vice President at Microsoft, where he leads the company's global ecosystem of software companies across AI, data, industry verticals, applications, and infrastructure. In this role, Sandy focuses on co-building innovative, AI-driven solutions with strategic partners and bringing these offerings to market for joint customers, driving growth and innovation strategies across the ISV landscape through deep collaboration. Previously, Sandy served as Chief Industry and Innovation Officer for Microsoft Asia, based in Japan, where he led business and digital transformation initiatives across six markets—ANZ, GCR, India, Japan, Korea, and ASEAN. Since joining Microsoft in 2008, he has held senior leadership roles including Vice President of Microsoft's Worldwide Cross-Industry Organization and APAC COO. Sandy is an alumnus of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from Delhi College of Engineering, and lives in Seattle with his family.

Matthew Evans serves as the Deputy Program Manager for Ships within the Navy's Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) Program, an organization established in September 2024 to work on holistic data integration and relationships across the prime and supplier base that support shipbuilding and ship repair for multiple PEOs, programs, and platforms. Mr. Evans has served as a civilian in the Department of Defense with work experience in acquisition, contracting, and program management, as well as a Naval Officer onboard U.S. Navy surface combatants. Prior to his current assignment, he served as Director of the Shipbuilding Industrial Base Task Force, Principal Assistant Program Manager for the Ship-to-Shore Connector program, and Acquisition Director for the DDG 1000 program. Mr. Evans served onboard USS Fitzgerald, USS Paul Hamilton, and USS Thach, with a shore assignment with Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa. He is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, holds an MBA from the University of Maryland, College Park, is a member of the Acquisition Professional Community, holds DAWIA Level III certification in Program Management, and received the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award in 2013 and 2015.