As I work in business development, my focus is on clients and collaborations, so I wanted to broaden my perspective on the business value that AI delivers. Within Yonder, I am surrounded by colleagues who are passionate and knowledgeable about AI, but I wanted to meet new people and find out firsthand what the outside world is thinking. So, I picked an international AI conference, TechEx Global in London this February, to actually learn, listen, and meet new people.
TechEx was buzzing with energy
AI is hot, and the event at Olympia London was buzzing with energy. What I valued the most were the conversations. I met new people from some startups, vendors, and large enterprises, a nice mixture of different companies, which made our discussions diverse and insightful. The main topics were the practical adoption of AI and understanding where AI actually works in the company’s context. Plus, I had some interesting discussions about what the companies were learning along the way: from the real AI implementation challenges to automation initiatives in large enterprises and more.
Making AI and Big Data work
The panel discussion on ‘Making AI & Big Data Work in the Real World’, which focused on aligning data strategy with business goals, was very inspiring. Stefano Biondi, Head of Data Science at Generali Real Estate, said that data in an enterprise setting often becomes the real differentiator. Yet he also stressed that organisations should focus on building what truly differentiates them, supported by strong processes, and making sure there is a clear benefit behind any AI initiative. That resonated with me because, in many conversations we have at Yonder, the real question is how do we use AI in a way that is reliable, practical, and sustainable in the long run?
Clarity of intent, governance, and culture
Konstantina Kapetanidi, VP and Head of Data Science at Visa Europe, shared an interesting perspective: how Visa approaches AI adoption in a thoughtful, structured way. She reframed the AI conversation brilliantly, sharing strong use cases and practical ways to scale. I particularly liked the ACTOR framework. Visa’s approach demonstrated how clarity of intent, governance, and culture are just as critical as the technology itself. This is a great example of how large organisations can advance AI maturity in a practical and impactful way. ‘Experimentation got us here. Frameworks will take us further.’
Shoppers’ perception of AI
The talk by Mohsen Ghasempour, Chief AI Officer at Kingfisher, in which he shared how shoppers’ perception of AI has evolved in recent years, was also very interesting. The Kingfisher AI journey began around 4 years ago and continues to develop today, with an increasing focus on AI platforms and agentic AI. What struck me most was how the organisation is pioneering AI to improve both customer experience and day-to-day operations.
Meeting new people, gaining new insights
I also had many informal conversations during the event, which were just as valuable. Several enterprises and vendors shared examples of how they’re streamlining workflows through focused AI initiatives rather than massive transformations.
For me, attending events helps me see AI from the clients’ perspective and gather new ideas for possible solutions. At Yonder, we work with a range of clients, including large enterprises that are actively exploring where AI fits best, whether in their products, internal processes, or AI-first engineering workflows. Seeing how other organisations approach similar challenges helps us have broader conversations to help them make the best choice in where to apply AI first.
Meeting new people and gaining new inspiration
TechEx Global’s insights were a great lesson: applying AI successfully is very much about people, collaboration, and clear business goals. I’m glad I had the chance to attend, and I’m curious to see how these ideas and conversations evolve over the next few years. It all comes down to focus, prioritisation, and measurable impact.
By Claudiu Tamas,
Business Development
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