Elyas Achkar is Senior Vice President and Head of AI, and General Manager, GIA, at Globalization Partners (G-P), where he leads the development and application of AI to drive product innovation and business outcomes. His career has been defined by a consistent focus on translating advanced technology into practical solutions that create measurable value.
Elyas began his career working at the intersection of software, data, and decision-making, drawn to complex problem-solving and the challenge of turning emerging technologies into real-world advantage. Early roles combined system-building with helping organizations understand how to operationalize new capabilities.
A defining chapter in Elyas’s career was his work at Sentient Technologies, where he led initiatives in Evolutionary AI and helped design Sentient Ascent, later commercialized as Evolv.ai. This experience reinforced his belief that breakthrough technology only delivers value when paired with disciplined execution, strong product thinking, and a clear understanding of customer needs. It also shaped his view that innovation is iterative, requiring both scientific rigor and responsiveness to market feedback.
At G-P, Elyas applies these principles in a global employment and compliance context, where trust, governance, and usability are critical. He focuses on building AI systems that are reliable, scalable, and aligned with business priorities.
Elyas’s leadership reflects a pragmatic approach, centered on empowering teams, aligning innovation with outcomes, and ensuring AI solutions are both effective and trusted in real-world environments.
As a data and AI leader, which traits and skills do you think matter most, and which of those have been most influential for you in your current position?
“I believe the most effective data and AI leaders combine four qualities: strategic clarity, technical credibility, sound judgment, and the ability to mobilize people around change. The field moves quickly, but leadership in it is not just about understanding models or platforms. It is about knowing where AI can create real value, where it should be applied with caution, and how to align teams to deliver it responsibly.
“In practice, technical depth matters because it builds credibility and helps leaders separate signal from hype. But on its own, it is not enough. The most influential skill in my experience has been translation: the ability to connect technical possibilities to business priorities in a way that product, legal, operations, and executive stakeholders can act on. In highly regulated and high-trust environments, judgment becomes especially important. Leaders need to balance speed with governance, innovation with reliability, and ambition with real-world constraints.”
Reflecting on your career, what is one non-traditional piece of advice (outside of technical skills) you would give to an aspiring data or AI leader aiming for the C-suite?
“Learn to build trust before you try to build consensus. In data and AI, many aspiring leaders focus on being the smartest person in the room or having the best technical answer. But the path to the C-suite is much more about credibility, judgment, and the confidence others place in you when the stakes are high and the answers are not obvious.
“That means learning how to communicate clearly, stay calm under pressure, and make decisions that balance innovation with responsibility. It also means understanding the motivations of people outside your function (product, finance, legal, sales, and the CEO) and showing that you can help them succeed, not just advance your own agenda.”