2021’s Top 10 Thought Leaders
To Follow in 2022
You may be asking yourself, what are “Thought Leaders?”
“Thought Leader” is an expression used to define an individual who is an expert in a particular field, area, or topic and is passionate about sharing their knowledge to help others. These are people who have an acute understanding of a subject and can offer a certain level of insight that is both new and refreshing. There are a multitude of benefits to following thought leaders but one major one is that they consistently stay ahead of current and projected trends; consistently evolving to innovate within their field. In a survey evaluating the value of B2B thought leadership, studies found that in a sample of over 500 C-suite executives across the world, 70% of them read up on thought leaderships in order to get an edge over their competition.
Every year, Thinkers360 generates a list of Thought Leaders to keep an eye out for due to their growing presence and innovation. Here are 10 people who topped the tech charts in 2021 that you should follow as we head into the new year.
1. Marsha Collier
Marsha Collier is President of The Collier Company, Inc., as well as an author, consumer technology radio personality and educator specializing in technology, social media and ecommerce. She has worked with brands such as Ogilvy, Huawei, IBM, NASA, Pitney Bowes, American Express, FedEx, Linksys, Belkin, WEMO, Lenovo, Dish Network, Endicia, Gogo and many more. Marsha’s areas of expertise include: Customer Experience, Sales and Entrepreneurship, among others.
“How you market your business may be your first impression to a prospective customer. This is your opportunity to entice them with empathy and transparency.” Marsha Collier, President of The Collier Company, Inc.
Read her full profile here
2. Dr. Mazlan Abbas
Dr. Mazlan Abbas is the co-founder and CEO of FAVORIOT, an IoT Startup that specializes in IoT solutions for Hajj/Umrah and Elderly Care. He is frequently invited to speak at University lectures, has been a keynote speaker for a multitude of conferences and was featured at Tedx. His areas of expertise include: IoT, emerging technologies and HealthTech, among others.
“Diversify your revenue streams. You can be an IoT vendor, provider or partner, generating new revenues as you deliver more value to your customers.” Dr. Mazlan Abbas, CEO FAVORIOT
Read his full profile here
3. Dr. Sunil Kumar Vuppala
Dr. Sunil Kumar Vuppala is Director of Global Artificial Intelligence Accelerator (GAIA) – AI Enabled New Initiatives & Cross Unit Capabilities at Ericsson. Along with over 17+ years of Industrial and Research experience in AI, Machine learning, Deep learning, Analytics, Optimization, IoT, and Automation, Dr. Vuppala is also an inventor with 30+ patents and has won a number of awards. His areas of expertise include: IoT, emerging technologies and HealthTech, among others.
Read his full profile here
4. Greg Verdino
Greg Verdino is the Co-Creator of Adapt Manifesto, a partner at VERDINO & CO, as well as a Digital Transformation Expert Keynote Speaker. Greg credits his unique perspective to having worked nearly 30 years at the forefront of change; during which time he has advised hundreds of organizations including more than 50 of the Fortune 500. His areas of expertise include: emerging technologies, marketing and digital disruption, among others.
“We think about change in an incremental fashion, but in reality, change happens at an exponential rate” Greg Verdino, CEO, speaker, author and advisor.
Read his full profile here
5. Sameer Paradkar
Sameer Paradkar is a software architect with more than 20 years of experience and proven track record on large scale transformation / modernization engagements and large complex deals. Sameer is recognized as a distinguished expert in Microservices architecture, component based architecture, event driven architecture, message driven architecture, domain driven design, Design Patterns and UML-OOAD. Sameer was a finalist at UK’s Digital Person of the Year for Computing in 2020 and was awarded the Best Enterprise Architecture Books of All Time title by Book Authority that same year. His areas of expertise include: emerging technology, design thinking and Cloud, among others.
“The architect is the bridge between the technology and the business team, and hence, he/she must understand all aspects of the technology stack.” Sameer Paradkar, Software Information Technology Architect
Read his full profile here
6. Michael O’Farrell
Michael is Founder & CEO of onVIVA Broadcasting Corporation, a live video network that allows content creators, influencers and event producers to price, schedule, promote and sell live broadcasts, video-on-demand, audio-on-demand and digital content to audiences of any size. Michael has been a notable technology pioneer and is considered a leading industry expert. Since the early 1990s, Michael has chaired international forums; co-authored digital industry best practices, guidelines, and research articles; and led corporate development initiatives focused on the next wave of opportunities to service over 6 billion mobile internet users worldwide. In addition to advising, authoring, consulting and speaking, other areas of expertise include: emerging technology, quantum computing and cyber security, among others.
Read his full profile here
7. Ramy AlDamati
Ramy AlDamati is a Cybersecurity & Blockchain expert with 17 years of experience in the field with a strong focus on smart and resource-efficient systems. He is currently the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) of AlBrza as well as Chief Technology Officer at GloryThink Group and is involved in several research collaborations with international Blockchain & Financial Entities. Ramy’s extensive experience is displayed in his many organizations that are dedicated to cryptocurrency, cybersecurity, digital disruption and more. He also won the InfoSecurity Ambassador of the Year award in 2018. Ramy’s areas of expertise include: emerging technology, blockchain and Edtech, among others.
Read his full profile here
8. Kamales Lardi
Kamales Lardi is a bold and strategic thinker in digital and business transformation. She combines over 21 years of deep cross-industry experience with the latest digital and technology solutions. She is currently the CEO of Lardi & Partner Consulting which was recently awarded Digital Business Transformation Firm of the Year. Kamales is also a Chair on Forbes Business Council for Women Executives and has been a keynote speaker at a number of lectures and events. Kamales has often been recognized as one of the top leading women in Fintech. Her areas of expertise include: blockchain, digital disruption and leadership, among others.
“Technology is not a silver bullet solution, a clear value proposition should drive any transformation effort.” Kamales Lardi, CEO Lardi & Partner Consulting
Read her full profile here
9. Jair Ribeiro
Jair Ribeiro is passionate and enthusiastic about artificial intelligence with a focus on people’s interactions with technology. He has over 15 years of experience in Cloud computing, project management, product management, and product design, and has worked for global enterprise companies like HP, IBM, and the Volvo Group. Currently, Jair is an Artificial Intelligence Strategist for Kimberly-Clark Corporation with a passion for online learning, teaching, and improving the learner experience. His areas of expertise include: autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence and big data, among others.
“Artificial intelligence is a type of technology that mimics the human thought, empowering machines to act on their own and to perform functions similar to human intelligence, such as the ability to perceive, learn, reason, and act.” Jair Ribeiro, Artificial Intelligence Strategist at Kimberly-Clark
Read his full profile here
10 Evelyn Ngatia
Evelyn is the Founder & CEO of TechaWatt Ltd, which offers training and advisory on 4IR as well as the Founder of the 4IR Academy, an EdTech platform which offers Strategic 4IR Skills. She is a Board Member for the Women in Tech Commission at the European Technology Chamber and was recently awarded with UK’s InspiringFifty recognition. Evelyn has over 15 years of broad sector expertise in oil & gas, corporate banking, power, infrastructure and manufacturing that allows her to enable individuals, businesses and governments to thrive in the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR). Her areas of expertise include: emerging technology, Edtech and digital transformation.
“The world is fast-changing and businesses and people must adapt if they are to remain relevant going forward.” Evelyn Ngatia
Read her full profile here
As our technological ecosystems continue to evolve, how do you plan on staying astride? Check back with www.acsgbl.com for more information on the latest news, tips, guides and more.