As IDC’s Chief Product, Research & Delivery Officer, Meredith Whalen leads the company’s global product, research and data, and delivery organizations. Under her leadership, IDC delivers cutting-edge intelligence to the world’s leading technology vendors, enterprises, and investors as they navigate the evolving AI economy. Meredith sets the strategic direction for IDC’s global analyst community, shaping research methodologies and agendas that generate industry-leading data and actionable insights to drive high-impact business decisions.

With more than 20 years at IDC, Meredith has been a catalyst for some of the company’s most transformative initiatives. She founded IDC’s Industry Insights and Tech Buyer business units and pioneered the industry’s first comprehensive business use case taxonomy. She also led the creation of IDC’s DecisionScape methodology—a strategic framework that empowers organizations to better plan, implement, and optimize their technology investments.

A recognized thought leader and sought-after speaker, Meredith regularly delivers keynotes at major global technology events and advises senior executives on the trends shaping the future of business and technology.

Meredith holds a B.A. with honors from Wellesley College and an MBA with honors from Babson College’s F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business.

Zac Miller is Director of the IDC CIO Executive Council, a private community of senior technology executives. Council members draw on the collective experience of their peers and the insights of IDC analysts to shape strategy, leadership priorities, board engagement, and high-stakes decision-making.

With 25 years in the high-tech sector, Zac brings broad operational and leadership experience spanning product development, sales, marketing, international channel management, and customer service.

Before joining IDC, Zac spent 16 years building and leading a suite of information resources serving IT leaders across the U.S. and Canada. He has also held executive and leadership roles in the SaaS, education technology, training, and third-party logistics industries.

Alessandro Perilli is a Vice President leading the Agentic AI Platforms and Strategies research program. Alessandro’s core research coverage includes emerging AI technologies, global AI market trends, the state of enterprise AI, and sovereign AI.

Most recently, Alessandro founded Unstable Reality, an AI R&D lab in London, where he worked as Chief of Research, developing synthetic media generation solutions for creative studios, ad agencies, and large end-user organizations.

Among other projects, Alessandro published a weekly newsletter dedicated to tracking how AI is reshaping jobs, workforce productivity, and business operations.

Previously, Alessandro served as a senior leader at Red Hat, focused on business and product strategy. Across roles, Alessandro has also worked as an advisor to Fortune Global 2000 companies, helping IT decision makers translate emerging technology shifts into actionable and risk-informed strategies.

Throughout his career, Alessandro has often delivered keynotes at industry and vendor events, focusing on the state of the union and emerging trends in cybersecurity, virtualization, and cloud computing.

Rick Villars is IDC’s chief analyst guiding research on the future of the IT Industry. He coordinates all IDC research related to the impact of Cloud and the shift to digital business models across infrastructure, platforms, software, and services. He helps enterprises develop effective strategies for using their diverse portfolio of cloud investments and applications. He supplies early guidance on implications of critical innovations such as the shift to cloud-based control platforms for deploying/managing infrastructure, data, and code delivery as well as the emergence of AI as a critical IT workload and part of all IT products/services.

Phil Goodwin is Research Vice President within IDC’s enterprise infrastructure global research domain and part of the core infrastructure subdomain. As the global research lead for the infrastructure software platforms practice, he leads a team of analysts that provide detailed insights and analyses on evolving infrastructure software trends, vendor performance, and the impact of new technology adoption. Mr. Goodwin’s own research focuses on AI-ready data storage infrastructure, data logistics, on-premises and cloud-based data protection as-a-service, cyber protection and recovery, and recovery orchestration. He takes a holistic view of these markets, and covers risk analysis, service level requirements and cost/benefit calculations in his research. Mr. Goodwin also contributes regularly to IDC’s CIO advisory practice.

Mr. Goodwin brings more than 40 years of IT industry experience. He has covered the storage market since 1997 with a particular focus on data protection and data visibility. He has worked in product management roles in which he defined product requirements, assessed market size and potential, and formulated go-to-market strategies for numerous storage software products. Mr. Goodwin has also been an industry analyst at META Group, the founder of Diogenes Analytical Laboratories – an independent market assessment firm. Prior to IDC, he was with Cognizant Technology Solutions business consulting as a storage architect designing data protection systems for large scale IT organizations.

Tony Olvet is Group Vice President, Worldwide C-suite and Digital Business Research at IDC. His team’s global research focuses on the connection between business transformation and digital investments across enterprises. Tony’s analysis and insights help vendors, IT professionals, and business executives make fact-based decisions on technology strategy and digital business.

Tony has worked with clients across a variety of organizations including global IT manufacturers, enterprise software vendors, telecom service providers, financial institutions and public sector organizations. He has been quoted in major business and industry media including CIO Magazine, The Globe and Mail, CBC and The Financial Post.

He is also a frequent public speaker delivering keynote presentations at conferences, IDC webinars, and virtual events for clients. Tony is member of IDC Canada’s senior leadership team and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Nick Bonfiglio is a recognized enterprise data leader with 28 years across product, engineering, and enterprise software, redefining master data through Agentic MDM at Syncari.

Ashish Nadkarni leads IDC’s enterprise infrastructure global research domain. Ashish oversees five global research subdomains: core infrastructure, cloud infrastructure and services, network infrastructure and services, semiconductors and enabling technologies, and digital and datacenter infrastructure and services. Ashish’s coverage spans infrastructure software platforms, cloud and edge services, storage and converged systems, compute infrastructure, service provider trends, enterprise, emerging and performance intensive workloads (AI and HPC).

Ashish draws upon his experience working in the IT industry to take a long view on the lifecycle of infrastructure-related services, deployments, systems, platforms, and technologies. Examples of his research coverage include heterogeneous, accelerated, edge, analog and quantum computing, rackscale, composable/disaggregated architecture, memory, flash and other data persistence technologies, high-speed fabrics and interconnects, operating systems, and software-defined infrastructure.

Rafail Portnoy became the MTA’s Chief Technology Officer in January 2020, reporting to the Chairman. He is leading the transformation of the Information Technology Department, including major initiatives that will further consolidate, modernize, and standardize the MTA’s technology environment, systems and applications while enhancing cybersecurity posture. A robust, agile, and customer-focused IT Department is essential for supporting efficient service delivery and transformation throughout the MTA. 

Portnoy previously served as Senior Vice President of Technology at the Anti-Defamation League, Chief Information Officer at SUNY’s Global Institute of International Relations and Commerce, and Principal at IBM Global Services, among other roles. At these organizations he led technology innovations and associated cultural changes to achieve cost savings while enhancing product and service delivery.   

Portnoy is currently a member of the teaching faculty at NYU Tandon School of Computer Sciences and Engineering. He holds a Master of Science degree in Information Systems Engineering from Brooklyn Polytechnic (now NYU) and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Management Information Systems from Pace University. He resides in Rockland County, New York, with his wife and two children. 

Michelle Chiantera is a growth-focused revenue executive with a track record of scaling organizations across public, private equity, and high-growth environments. She specializes in aligning sales and marketing across direct and indirect channels, customer success, eCommerce, and global go-to-market strategies.

A data-driven leader, Michelle has a proven ability to drive large-scale go-to-market and business model transformations. She is known for building high-performing teams, delivering measurable business impact, and partnering closely with executive stakeholders. Her leadership style emphasizes clarity, accountability, and inclusivity.

Inna Bosenko is the VP of Marketing at dotCMS with 15 years of experience leading digital marketing in the B2B SaaS and technology space. Her work spans demand generation, brand, and ABM, with a focus on building scalable, conversion-driven strategies that deliver measurable growth. She has led cross-functional teams through major digital initiatives, including full-funnel programs, website transformations, and brand evolution. 

Soumil Deshmukh is a strategic technology executive with 25 years of experience driving digital transformation across retail and enterprise software. Currently CTO at Caribou Coffee and formerly VP of Technology at Sleep Number, he specializes in aligning technology investment with measurable business outcomes.

Matt has led the global marketing team for MagicOrange since 2023. He has spent 25+ years in various roles bringing products and services that solve mission critical problems to the attention of technology leaders. Prior to MagicOrange, Matt was the SVP of Portfolio Marketing for Mimecast, the CMO of Ataata, oversaw digital acquisition channels for American Express Prepaid division and was the Publisher and General Manager for TechCareers, a United Business Media publication and companion portal to InformationWeek, Network Computing, Dr. Dobbs Software Magazine and EETimes. He has also been involved in the ignition and growth of multiple early stage startups, including two that were acquired by public companies and one that was acquired by a venture backed private company.

Nijil Kuruvilla leads product marketing at Merge, the connective layer for production AI at companies like OpenAI, Dropbox, Drata, and Korn Ferry. His focus is the question every engineering and IT leader is thinking: how do you give AI agents access to real production systems without losing governance or control? Before Merge, Nijil led product marketing at Transfix and Sigma. He’s based in New York with his wife and their cockapoo, Roxy.

Patrick Conroy is the Chief Technology Officer at Convene Hospitality Group where he oversees everything from technology infrastructure to security and privacy, business systems, and digital product development. As a technology leader, he has spent the last 25 years building and growing technology organizations ranging from telecom to SaaS.

Lauren O’Connor is VP of Product Marketing at Strategy, where she focuses on translating enterprise data and AI concepts into outcomes that resonate with senior technology and business leaders. Before moving into product marketing, she spent seven years as a writer and led Strategy Education, experience that informs how she bridges technical depth and business clarity.

Annu is an accomplished Enterprise Risk Manager with over twenty-five years of experience in the financial services industry with extensive experience in management of large-scale global risk programs in Financial firms. Her areas of expertise are Technology Risk, Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, Regulatory Response for Technology and Business Process operationalization for the Enterprise.

In her current role she is the Head of Second Line for Technology, Cyber and Resiliency at Comerica Bank. Prior to this, she was the second line lead for technology and cyber risk for the commercial banking technology department at JPMorgan Chase Bank. In her previous role as the Head of Enterprise Risk at NASDAQ, Annu was responsible for setting the direction for Enterprise Risk Management function globally. She was also responsible for global leadership of Business Continuity, Security, Insurance, BWise GRC System governance and Sarbanes Oxley program for the Firm.

From 2012-2015, Annu was with Millennium Partners, an alternative investments firm with a global presence. Annu was the Global Head of Business Continuity, Operational Risk and Technology Risk Management.

Annu was with Morgan Stanley for almost 19 years until January 2012. She was the Chief Risk Officer for the Enterprise Infrastructure department within the Technology and Data division at Morgan Stanley. Annu has led the Technology Risk Regulatory Response team for Americas and EMEA regulatory exams, enquiries, and license applications, prior to which she was the Americas lead for Technology Disaster Recovery. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley Annu worked at Metlife Insurance as a Systems performance engineer.

Annu has an MBA from Baruch College C.U.N.Y and a BA in Computer Science from Queens College, C.U.N.Y. She lives in New York City. She is an active member of the Parents Council at Rensselaer Polytechnic University, NY. Her interests are reading fiction, hiking and cooking.

Steven Singer serves as Chief Information Officer and Chief Enterprise Officer of Julius Silvert Inc., a Philadelphia-based food distribution company with $110M in annual revenue, overseeing digital transformation, enterprise systems integration, and operational excellence across a nationwide logistics network.

With over 20 years of progressive IT leadership experience since 2004, Steven brings deep expertise in ERP modernization, supply chain technology, warehouse automation, and cloud infrastructure. His current focus centers on advancing Julius Silvert’s digital strategy through real-time analytics, API-first integration architecture, and scalable enterprise platforms including Azure, Dynamics 365, and specialized food-service logistics systems.

Beyond his corporate role, Steven serves as an Adjunct Professor at Rowan University, where he teaches information systems and IT strategy to undergraduate and graduate students, and actively mentors emerging IT talent across multiple organizations. He holds an MBA and Master’s degree in Information Systems from the University of Phoenix, along with professional certifications in Microsoft, VMware, Cisco, and CompTIA technologies.

Steven is based in New Jersey and has two pending patents in artificial intelligence and enterprise automation.

Jeremy is a BTP Solution Advisor and strategic advisor, blending deep SAP BTP product expertise with business acumen to guide customers from discovery through solution design, adoption, and ongoing optimization. A trusted partner to business and IT, Jeremy pinpoints high‑value use cases, shapes outcome‑driven roadmaps, and delivers compelling demos, workshops, feasibility assessments, and proof‑of‑concepts that accelerate time‑to‑value and clean‑core adoption across application development, integration, automation, analytics, and AI

Sam is responsible for leading and developing the Solutions and Managed Services business in the Americas, shaping the region’s portfolio strategy, and defining a clear go-to-market approach. He drives the growth and positioning of key solutions across the market, ensuring they meet customer expectations and deliver strong business value.

With a focus on innovation, customer outcomes, and commercial acceleration, Sam works closely with cross-functional teams to strengthen the organization’s presence in the Americas. He is recognized for his strategic mindset, ability to translate market needs into actionable plans, and commitment to building a high-performing, customer-centric solutions organization.

With over 17 years of experience at Dell, Vinny Scotto has become a cornerstone in the realm of Data Center technologies. Currently, as a key member of Dell’s AI Solutions team, Vinny is at the forefront of helping customers and partners accelerate their AI journeys. His expertise lies in transforming complex AI concepts into practical, cost-effective solutions that drive innovation and tangible business outcomes. Vinny’s journey with Dell has seen him excel in various roles, each contributing to his deep understanding of the data center landscape. His current focus on AI use cases and outcomes enables businesses to harness the power of AI, making it a reality that propels their growth and efficiency. Originally from the vibrant city of New York, Vinny now resides in New Jersey with his wife and two children. A passionate sports enthusiast and former collegiate football player, Vinny brings the same dedication and team spirit to his professional endeavors as he did on the field.

Jonathan Goldberg is a product and data leader at Syncari specializing in master data management and enterprise-scale data solutions. With a career spanning organizations like Target, Best Buy, Albertsons, Thomson Reuters, and Bluestem Brands, he has a proven track record of architecting data and product strategies that turn complex, siloed information into reliable, decision-ready assets.

Jonathan brings rare depth across the full MDM stack — from data modeling and governance to product architecture and operational execution — with a particular focus on helping enterprises unlock the value of their data at scale. At Syncari, he leads initiatives at the intersection of agentic AI and master data, pushing the boundaries of how organizations manage, trust, and activate their most critical data.

John Licata is an Innovation Officer at ServiceNow, where he drives the company’s long-term innovation vision, connecting current offerings with future-ready possibilities. With over 20 years of experience in research, strategy, and trading, John bridges the technical and business worlds. Known for his foresight in identifying and championing emerging trends, he focuses on quantum computing, 6G, finance, and the future of work.

Before joining ServiceNow, John was the Chief Innovation Foresight Strategist for SAP and the CEO of Blue Phoenix Inc., where he led research and strategy projects for clients like Dow Jones, Salomon Smith Barney, and Toyota.

John’s passion for digital transformation and his diverse experiences have made him a sought-after industry expert, frequently featured in media outlets such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and CNBC. He is based in New York and holds degrees from Saint Peter’s University and NYU’s Stern School of Business. He is also the author of “Lessons from Frankenstorm.”

Jeramy Kopacko, MSc, is a Field CISO for the Americas at Sophos and a cybersecurity leader who bridges the gap between technical risk and executive strategy. With nearly a decade at Sophos and a Master’s in Cybersecurity Engineering from George Mason University, he translates complex threat intelligence into actionable business outcomes for organizations across North America. His career spans help desk support, system administration, and Director of Technology roles in K-12, followed by consulting across diverse industries—experience that grounds his practical, business-focused approach. At Sophos, he has worked across solutions engineering, MDR, and incident response, contributing frontline insights that shape security strategy and threat intelligence. A frequent speaker and content creator, he shares expertise through webinars, seminars, media engagements, and his “Query Corner” blog, where he makes cybersecurity accessible to broader audiences.

Alaa serves as the Chief Data Scientist for the New York City Council, where he oversees the Data Operations and Web Development units. He leads both teams in delivering innovative and tailored solutions to meet the Council’s unique needs. Alaa holds a PhD in Physics, with a dissertation focused on spreading processes in networks. Prior to joining the Council, he conducted research at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where he explored the application of machine learning techniques for early anomaly detection in electrical grids.

Patrick Donohoe is a Product Engineering Lead at You.com, where he builds new APIs that extend the company’s core product suite and power agentic AI applications for enterprise customers. He cofounded Ascend Trading Technologies, a quantitative trading firm, and was previously a Forward Deployed Engineer at Gecko, where he applied AI and robotics to submarine manufacturing for the U.S. government. Patrick holds a degree in Computer Science from Caltech with a concentration in machine learning.