Navigating Challenges and Solutions in Data Security with AI - with Dimitri Sirota of BigID
As enterprises double down on generative AI initiatives, the intersection of data security, privacy, and unstructured data is quickly becoming mission-critical. In this episode, Dimitri Sirota, Co-founder and CEO of BigID, joins the podcast to explore how AI transformation is reshaping enterprise data governance, security, and compliance—and why understanding your “crown jewel” data is essential to building trustworthy AI systems. Dimitri outlines the three major forces driving today’s enterprise data challenges: accelerated cloud migration, a rising tide of global data privacy regulations, and the explosion of generative AI tools that rely on sensitive, unstructured data. He explains how enterprises can gain visibility into their AI programs and the data fueling them, mitigate shadow AI risks, and prepare for the next wave of agentic systems by adopting zero-trust models and real-time monitoring strategies. This episode is sponsored by BigID. Learn how BigID helps enterprises govern AI, mitigate data risk, and stay compliant here.
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Scaling AI for Clinical Trials - with Damion Nero of Takeda
Today’s guest is Damion Nero, Head of Data Science at Takeda Pharmaceuticals. With over 15 years of experience applying AI, machine learning, and real-world data to drug development and precision medicine, Damion joins Emerj Managing Editor Matthew DeMello to explore the evolving role of AI in drug development and supply chain management. He breaks down how AI is currently streamlining administrative and regulatory tasks, improving efficiency across clinical trials, and saving valuable time for healthcare professionals. Damion also discusses why broader, transformative supply chain efficiencies are still on the horizon, as AI continues to evolve and scale in the pharmaceutical industry. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on Emerj’s flagship ‘AI in Business’ podcast!
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26:31
The Future of Adverse Event Detection in Healthcare and Life Sciences - with Marie Flanagan of IQVIA
Today’s guest is Marie Flanagan, Director of Product Management in Digital Projects and Solutions at IQVIA, who joins us to explore the overlooked intersection of AI and safety workflows in life sciences. As the industry experiences an explosion in the volume and diversity of data—from social media and call centers to audio and video files—Marie outlines the mounting challenges for pharmacovigilance and the opportunities AI is unlocking for healthcare and life sciences leaders. Marie discusses how advancements in voice-to-text transcription and automation are helping safety teams manage massive datasets, pinpoint potential risks, and reallocate human resources toward high-value activities like signaling and benefit-risk management. She also shares insights into where human expertise remains essential, particularly in interpreting complex clinical contexts that AI alone cannot fully capture. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on Emerj’s flagship ‘AI in Business’ podcast!
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How Financial Services Are Balancing Automation and Flexibility - with Akhil Khunger of Barclays
Today’s guest is Akhil Khunger, VP of Quantitative Analytics at Barclays. Akhil joins us to explore how financial institutions are modernizing stress testing, risk modeling, and strategic planning through AI. Throughout the episode, Akhil discusses the evolving architecture of financial models — specifically how modular, decoupled processes can speed up regulatory compliance and empower faster decision-making. He outlines how AI-powered code generation and user-friendly APIs are enabling more targeted scenario analysis without compromising performance across large, complex portfolios. Later, we highlight how global teams are leveraging AI to reduce dependency on legacy tech stacks and streamline business planning across jurisdictions. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the ‘AI in Business’ podcast! This episode is sponsored by Automation Anywhere. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1.
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Building Readiness for AI Agents in Healthcare Systems - with Raheel Retiwalla of Productive Edge
Today’s guest is Raheel Retiwalla, Chief Strategy Officer at Productive Edge — a digital transformation consultancy focused on healthcare. Productive Edge works with payers, providers, and health tech firms to leverage AI, data, and modern platforms to streamline operations, cut costs, and improve outcomes. With two decades of experience in digital transformation and AI strategy across regulated industries, Raheel joins Emerj Managing Editor Matthew DeMello on the show today to explore the emerging role of agentic AI in enterprise healthcare. He unpacks what agentic AI is, how it differs from traditional models, and why it’s set to change how healthcare leaders think about workflows, orchestration, and automation. This episode is sponsored by Productive Edge. Learn how brands work with Emerj and explore media options at emerj.com/ad1.
The AI in Business Podcast is for non-technical business leaders who need to find AI opportunities, align AI capabilities with strategy, and deliver ROI.
Each week, Emerj AI Research CEO Daniel Faggella and team interview top AI executives from Fortune 2000 firms and unicorn startups - uncovering trends, use-cases, and best practices for practical AI adoption.
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