AI for Good: Transforming Data Leadership

In the Feb 2025 edition of the Wipro CDAO Council podcast, Linda Avery reflected on her pioneering role as the first CDO at the Federal Reserve of New York during the 2008 financial crisis and later at Verizon. She emphasized how data democratization helped the Fed build resilience through a Control Data Sharing Framework, enabling informed, organization-wide decisions. At Verizon, she leveraged AI during COVID-19 to optimize remote scheduling for 32,000 agents and developed a market intelligence platform. Looking ahead, Linda envisions data monetization through marketplaces and the rise of Agentic AI ecosystems, where businesses can access AI capabilities without in-house development.

About the speaker

Linda Avery 

Linda Avery is the Co-founder and Principal at NavAlytix and formerly Verizon’s first Chief Data and Analytics Officer, where she led a team of nearly 1,000 and drove over $1.5B in annual value through data and AI. Previously, she was the first CDO at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs. She was named U.S. Chief Data Officer of the Year in 2019.

About the host

James Jeude

James Jeude is a member of the Data Analytics and AI Strategic Advisory practice and CDAO Council lead at Wipro. Prior to Wipro, he worked as a global practice leader with Cognizant, Ask.com, and Dun & Bradstreet. James's career has included leadership roles in sales, marketing, programming and product management in companies ranging from large data-intensive firms to text-mining companies and business consulting.