Speakers
JOHN K. THOMPSON
SVP, AI Products and Services, The Hackett Group
John is an international technology executive with over 38 years of experience in the fields of data, advanced analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI).
John is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Michigan's School of Information (UMSI), where he teaches classes based on his books and on subjects such as AI, Entrepreneurship, and Product Management.
John currently serves as the SVP, AI Products and Services at The Hackett Group.
John was the global head of AI at EY. His role was to actively lead the design, development, implementation, and use of innovative AI solutions, including Generative AI, Traditional/Classical AI, and Causal AI, across all of EY Service Lines and functions and for EY's clients. The team is comprised of an Applied AI Research group, a product development organization, and an AI Consulting Practice.
Before EY, he was responsible for the AI and advanced analytics team at CSL Behring. In this leading biopharmaceutical company, he led a team that developed and deployed over 25 analytical applications in 4 years. John was an Executive Partner at Gartner, where he was a management consultant to market-leading companies in the areas of digital transformation, data monetization, and advanced analytics. Before Gartner, John was responsible for the advanced analytics business unit of the Dell Software Group.
John’s most recent book, The Path to AGI (Technics Publications, 2025), examines the most practical and pragmatic path to developing Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). The book focuses on the long-term evolutionary path of Artificial Intelligence (AI). In the field of technology, we have developed a substantial body of knowledge, tools, techniques, methodologies, approaches, and more in the broader field of AI over the last 70 years.
Other books by John:
Causal Artificial Intelligence with Judith Hurwitz (Wiley, 2023)
Data for All (Manning, 2023)
Building Analytics Teams (Packt, 2020)
Analytics: How to win with Intelligence with Shawn Rogers (Technics Publications, 2017)
EVENT:
HDW2025: Helsinki Data Week Opening Event [LIVE] (Monday, October 28)
JOE REIS
founder, joe reis media
Joe Reis is a “recovering data scientist” and co-author of the best-selling book, Fundamentals of Data Engineering (O’Reilly, 2022). He’s a business-minded data nerd who’s worked in the data industry for 20 years, with responsibilities ranging from statistical modeling, forecasting, machine learning, data engineering, data architecture, and almost everything else.
Joe keynotes major data conferences worldwide, advises and invests in next-generation data product companies, and hosts the popular data podcasts The Monday Morning Data Chat and The Joe Reis Show. In his spare time, he’s writing new books and thinking of ideas to push the data industry to the next level.
EVENT:
HDW2025: Helsinki Data Week Opening Event [LIVE] (TUESDAY, October 28)
maija hovila
Chief Data & AI Strategist, Futurice
As the Chief Data and AI Strategist at Futurice, Maija Hovila helps various companies re-factor their competitiveness through data and (generative) AI. Maija has extensive international experience in data, analytics, AI, and strategy across consulting, large multinationals, and start-ups in the B2C and B2B sectors.
Maija joined Futurice from the role of Chief Analytics Officer at KONE. Her responsibilities included leading KONE’s analytics and data strategy, building data capabilities and organization, leading priority use cases, developing data assets, and driving data culture creation. Before KONE, Maija worked at Unilever in London in leadership roles developing analytics and insights at the forefront of Unilever’s global digital and data transformation.
Two Master’s degrees in business and engineering (MBA from Cambridge University and M.Sc. from Aalto University) and living in six countries have given Maija plenty of learning opportunities and broad perspectives.
In her spare time, Maija is an avid athlete. She has represented Finland in the World Championships in Ironman triathlon and cycling, as well as the Youth Olympics in alpine skiing.
EVENT:
HDW2025: Helsinki Data Week Opening Event [LIVE] (Monday, October 28)
TIANKAI FENG
Director, data & ai strategy, thoughtworks
Tiankai is a data leader by day, a musician by night, and an optimist at heart. He is the author of Humanizing Data Strategy (Technics Publications, 2024) and is currently working as the Director for Data & AI Strategy at Thoughtworks.
With 12+ years of experience in Data Analytics, Data Governance, and Data Strategy, he found a passion for the human aspect of data: how to collaborate, communicate, and be creative around data. He is passionate about making data more understandable, approachable, and fun through unconventional methods like music and memes.
EVENT:
HDW2025: Helsinki Data Week Opening Event [LIVE] (TUESDAY, October 28)
katariina kari
Senior Ontologist, Inter IKEA
Katariina Kari is an expert in semantic web technologies and enterprise knowledge graphs. She has collaborated with major retail brands, including IKEA and Zalando, to build enterprise-level knowledge graphs that power search, recommendations, and enhanced customer experiences.
Recognized as one of the world’s top talents with hands-on expertise in semantic technologies, Katariina is a frequent speaker at industry events and serves as co-chair of Connected Data London, a leading conference in the field. Her work bridges deep technical skill with a creative, human-centered approach to technology.
Holding both a Master of Science and a Master of Music, Katariina proudly identifies as a musically-inclined art-loving, tech-savvy nerd. Before her current career in AI and data, she ran her own consultancy from 2012 to 2016, advising classical music organizations and artists on digital outreach strategies. Outside of work, she finds joy in baking sourdough rye bread, playing the cello, and swimming.
EVENT:
HDW2025: Helsinki Data Week Opening Event [LIVE] (Monday, October 28)
hannes mühleisen
co-founder & ceo, duckdb labs
Hannes Mühleisen is a creator of the DuckDB database management system and Co-founder and CEO of DuckDB Labs. His main interest is analytical data processing.
Hannes is a senior researcher at The Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) in Amsterdam.
Hannes is also Professor of Data Engineering at Radboud University Nijmegen.
EVENT:
HDW2025 Helsinki Data Week Opening Event [LIVE] (TUESDAY, October 28)
vin vashishta
FOUNDER & AI ADVISOR, V-SQUARED
Vin Vashishta is an award-winning AI thought leader, best-selling author of ‘From Data to Profit,’ and founder of one of the first data and AI consulting firms (V Squared AI, 2012). He has been a LinkedIn Top Voice in AI since 2017, a Gartner Ambassador, and an Onalytica Top 10 Thought Leader in data and AI since 2016.
He defined data and AI organizations as value creators for enterprises, literally ‘writing the book’ on data and AI strategy. V-Squared has helped Global 2K, SMB, and startup clients generate over $3.7 billion. Over 7000 students have taken his Data and AI Strategy, Product Management, and Executive Leadership classes.
EVENT:
HDW2025: Helsinki Data Week Opening Event [LIVE] (Monday, October 28)
Veronika durgin
VP of Data, Saks Global
With over 20 years spanning the entire data landscape, Veronika Durgin has seen it all—from database trenches to C-suite boardrooms. She has built and scaled data teams across various industries, mastering every layer of the data stack and understanding how it all connects to drive real business value.
Veronika’s superpower? Seeing the big picture. While others get lost in technical details or chase AI shiny objects, she understands how data quality, governance, engineering, and AI enablement work together as a unified ecosystem. Her approach is refreshingly practical: strong foundations aren’t glamorous, but they’re what separate lasting success from expensive failures.
A passionate advocate for “data as a team sport,” Veronika breaks down silos between technical teams and business stakeholders. She’s dedicated to building cultures where innovation thrives—grounded in reality, not hype.