Artificial intelligence continues to reshape executive leadership, with more organizations appointing dedicated AI leaders. This month’s Chief AI Officer appointments reflect the growing importance of AI strategy, governance, and enterprise adoption.
Today, AI Leaders Council will highlight 10 CAIOs that accepted new roles in June 2026.
Vanguard Announces Mani Iyer as Chief AI and Technology Officer
Vanguard has appointed PayPal’s Mani Iyer as its new chief AI and technology officer. Iyer joins Vanguard from the payments giant, where he served as SVP and global head of infrastructure, data and AI technology and developer platforms for the past three years. Prior to that, he was executive vice president, CIO and head of enterprise data at Wells Fargo for over two years.
CrowdStrike Appoints Bartley Richardson as Chief AI and Autonomous Systems Officer
CrowdStrike announced the appointment of Dr. Bartley Richardson as Chief AI and Autonomous Systems Officer. Richardson now leads CrowdStrike’s AI strategy, advancing its structural data advantage into more autonomous, deterministic security outcomes – stopping breaches and accelerating the Company’s lead on the path to artificial general intelligence (AGI).
Marriott Vacations Worldwide Appoints Zac Cadi as VP, Global Technology and AI
Marriott Vacations Worldwide has appointed Zac Cadi as Vice President, Global Technology & AI. Before joining Marriott Vacations Worldwide, Cadi served as Head of AI Enablement at Hertz, where he led enterprise AI initiatives focused on accelerating AI adoption across operations, customer experience, and back-office functions.
Opendoor Appoints Vu Tran as First CAIO
Opendoor CEO, Kaz Nejatian, has welcomed Vu Tran to the iBuyer’s C-suite. Tran, a tech founder and engineer who most recently worked for Meta’s AI division, will be the company’s first chief AI officer. Tran’s appointment comes amid the company’s broader push into AI, a mission Nejatian has embraced since the iBuyer dubbed him the company’s “right leader for the AI era.”
Illinois Announces Kader Sakkaria as First CAIO
Kader Sakkaria joined the Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology as its first chief artificial intelligence officer. A longtime technologist, Sakkaria most recently served as head of global data technology at Arthur J. Gallagher. Prior to that, he held leadership roles at Ruffalo Noel Levitz and BMO Harris Bank and served as an innovation and technology commissioner for the City of Aurora in Illinois.
UNC Promotes Saif Khairat as CAIO
UNC revealed its next chief artificial intelligence officer is Saif Khairat, a current professor at the School of Nursing. Khairat will serve in the role as a secondary appointment, retaining his status as a professor.
Pooyan Asgari is Appointed as CAIO at MinterEllison
MinterEllison has appointed Pooyan Asgari as its Chief AI Officer. In this newly created role, Pooyan will lead the firm’s AI strategy and drive the responsible, effective integration of AI across the firm.
Deloitte UK Appoints Hayley McKelvey as First CAIO
Deloitte UK has appointed Hayley McKelvey as its first Chief AI Officer, a newly created role that places AI strategy at the heart of the firm’s leadership. McKelvey joins the Executive having served most recently as the firm’s Chief AI Officer for the UK’s Tax and Legal practices.
Sahil Sagar is Named Chief Information and AI Officer at Greystone
Greystone, a leading national commercial real estate finance company, is pleased to announce that Sahil Sagar has been named Chief Information and Artificial Intelligence Officer—a newly created role leading the firm’s technology organization and driving its artificial intelligence strategy
Harshad Rane is Promoted to Vice President, Head of AI, Global Operations at Manulife
Manulife has promoted Harshad Rane to Vice President, Head of AI, Global Operations. In this role, he will lead the company’s AI strategy and transformation agenda across its Global Operations organization, with a focus on scaling responsible AI and embedding AI into operational workflows.