Recognized Virtualization Leaders 2025

Sam Gupta has been a digital transformation thought leader for nearly two decades, with the primary focus on business systems. Sam is rated as the #1 thought leader in the ERP and CRM categories and #15 in the digital transformation category on Thinkers 360. He is also among the top 100 thought leaders across all categories. He has been part of large transformation initiatives for Fortune 500 corporations, but now spends his time consulting with SMEs as a Principal Consultant at ElevatIQ. Sam regularly speaks at industry conferences and contributes his experiences through many popular blogs and publications. He also hosts a podcast called WBSRocks and co-hosts a show with distinguished analyst Robert Kramer called Analysts Gone Wild--focused on the enterprise software industry.

Deepak Gupta is a serial entrepreneur specializing in AI, cybersecurity, and B2B SaaS scaling. As Co-founder and CEO of GrackerAI, he's building the world's first GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) Platform for cybersecurity companies. He also co-founded LogicBalls, a hallucination-free AI assistant for businesses and individuals. Previously, Deepak co-founded and served as CTO/CISO of LoginRadius, scaling it from the ground up to $8 million ARR while serving over 1 billion users globally through a Product-Led Growth strategy. His expertise in Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) at massive scale gives him unique insights into enterprise authentication, security architecture, and digital identity challenges. With 15+ years of experience in cybersecurity and digital identity, Deepak has authored multiple books on cybersecurity and data privacy, holds patents for DDoS defense systems and searchable encryption. His work has been featured in Forbes, FastCompany, CIO, VentureBeat, and other leading publications. Deepak holds an MS in Computer Forensics and Cybersecurity from Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago and has spoken at major industry conferences. He provides expert commentary on AI implementation, machine identity management, zero trust architecture, passwordless authentication, and the intersection of AI and cybersecurity.

𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐓 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧?Is your tech strategy aligned with your overall business vision?Are you too reliant on your IT vendor, or a tech middle manager?Do you need expert IT guidance, but can’t justify the cost of a full-time CIO?How we help midsize organizations solve these problems:At Innovation Vista, we specialize in providing tailored, strategic, and economical IT guidance specifically designed for midsize organizations. Our approach goes beyond simply keeping the lights on; we aim to transform your IT into a powerful driver of business results. By leveraging our network of over 400 hand-picked, top-flight consultants, we ensure you receive 100% of the expertise of a seasoned C-level IT leader at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire. Whether it’s leading digital transformation, optimizing current systems, or creating new revenue streams, our experts are equipped to help you innovate beyond efficiency and achieve your strategic objectives.Who is a good fit for our services?- Midsize businesses who have lost trust in their IT platform- Organizations with a stable tech infrastructure but seeking IT-driven growth and innovation- Companies without a need for a full-time CIO/CTO, but who nonetheless need high-level IT strategy - Businesses undergoing M&A or digital transformation requiring expert IT guidance- Organizations needing C-suite or Board-level IT advisory servicesOur results speak for themselves:- $1,400,000,000+ in new client revenue from IT & Analytics- $1,200,000,000 in IT-driven efficiencies & cost savings- 700+ C-suites/Boards advised by our consulting team+1 832.271.9100 · innovationvista.com · beyond@innovationvista.comPublication bio:Jeff Roberts, the founder of Innovation Vista, has over 30 years of IT leadership experience, including five tenures as a CIO. He has guided dozens of successful mergers, led multiple digital transformations, and turned around struggling IT departments into profit centers. His journey has been recognized with myriad awards, including nomination as Enterprise CIO of the Year. 19 of his former subordinates have advanced to C-level positions themselves. Since founding Innovation Vista in 2019, he's built a team of over 400 consultants that deliver C-level IT strategy and leadership services to midsize organizations, advising over 700 boards/C-suites, and powering over $2.6 billion in client results to date. For several years running, they have been named the #1 Provider of CIO Services in the U.S.

I’ve spent more than 20 years working in 3D visualization, building on my background in industrial design from HfG Offenbach. When I started Render Vision, I wanted it to stand on three simple but powerful principles: precision, attention to detail, and creative problem-solving. For me, great 3D rendering isn’t just about technical perfection - it’s about emotion. I love using small, almost invisible details - like how morning light filters through curtains or how atmosphere shapes the feeling of a space - to make people feel what they see. That idea grew into what I now call “emotional realism.” It’s become the heart of Render Vision’s work and what makes our images stand out in an industry that often focuses purely on the technical side. To make sure this approach runs through everything we do, I developed a shared visual language for the team. It helps every artist understand and create that same emotional depth - so together, we can tell stories through spaces that people don’t just look at, but truly connect with.

Sebastien Fenelon is the founder of InthraOS, a privacy-first operating system for agentic AI, and co-founder of Eclos.io and E-strateji, platforms that bridge AI innovation with practical business outcomes. Known as “The Practical Architect”, Sebastien translates complex AI, compliance, and edge-computing concepts into clear, actionable strategies for founders, investors, and enterprises. His work spans building local LLM systems, advising on data privacy architecture, and helping startups design AI products that are fast, secure, and regulation-ready. With roots in Haiti and a career spanning design, marketing, and full-stack engineering, he brings a rare mix of creativity and technical depth. His mission is simple: make AI trustworthy, practical, and deployable where it matters most.

For over 20 years, I've been on the front lines of cybersecurity, working with global organisations to help them answer critical questions like: "How effective are our security measures against a cyber attack?" My passion is empowering companies to identify and fortify their attack surface. I help leadership teams evaluate their security stack's effectiveness and build actionable roadmaps. Some of the topics I cover are Enterprise cybersecurity and strategy, culture and how it impacts cyber resilience. Emerging attacks and attacker innovation in ransomware and increasingly AI security risks. This passion for sharing actionable knowledge is why I also started writing my blog. It's my way of sharing ideas and providing insights for enterprise security defenders and educate the wider community. In my day-to-day role at Pentera, I lead a team of talented security engineers. We partner with leading organisations who are ready to embrace change. As a speaker and mentor, I enjoy challenging the norms, introducing disruptive technologies, and sharing best practices to raise the bar.

Tom Terronez is a hands-on leader in the dental technology industry, committed to helping practices reach their efficiency and IT security potential. Since founding two tech companies in the early 2000’s (Medix Dental and Terrostar Interactive Media), he has become a nationally respected and increasingly sought-after expert in his field. His mission to help practices mitigate risk, protect patients, and maximize overall success has allowed dentists all over the country to embrace a new type of technology partner. Tom’s philosophy is best likened to Benjamin Franklin’s sentiment, “An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure.” Accordingly, he enjoys regularly educating prominent dental universities, associations, and societies about proactively combating the critical cybersecurity threats that face time. His ability to explain these complex topics in an accessible and inclusive fashion has allowed him to connect with both novice and expert audiences alike. Still, Tom’s time in the classroom is not always spent leading; he has attended executive education programs at both Stanford and Dartmouth College.

David Vu is a technologist and AI innovation specialist with over a decade of experience building scalable real-world solutions across cloud infrastructure and software engineering. As the founder of FlowStarts LLC and a former engineer at Amazon AWS, David specializes in bridging the gap between deep technical execution and business strategy. He provides expert commentary on Generative AI implementation, DevSecOps, and digital transformation, helping organizations move beyond the hype to build practical result-driven automation. With a background spanning early-stage startups to enterprise platforms, David offers unique insights into how AI is reshaping human productivity and industry scalability. He is a frequent contributor to discussions on cloud security, AI-driven decision making, and the future of automated workflows.

Ganesh Ariyur is a global enterprise technology executive and a Top 100 Digital Adoption Leader for 2025. He is known for delivering more than $500M in measurable enterprise value through large-scale digital transformation, enterprise systems modernization, cloud strategy, artificial intelligence adoption, data governance, & enterprise architecture leadership. His work spans more than 90 countries across Fortune 500 organizations, private-equity owned companies, and highly regulated industries. Ganesh serves as the Global Head of Enterprise Technology Strategy and Transformation at Gainwell Technologies, a $3B healthcare technology organization. He directs modernization programs across SAP S/4HANA, Oracle Cloud ERP, PeopleSoft, cloud platforms on AWS and Azure, enterprise applications, reporting and analytics, generative AI, intelligent automation, enterprise architecture, IT governance, and cybersecurity, aligned with operating models. His programs have delivered multi-million-dollar cost savings. He has directed enterprise portfolios valued at more than $1B. He has unified 450-plus legacy systems, led technology programs supporting more than $30B in M&A value, and guided organizations through complex TSA exits and carve-outs. Ganesh brings deep expertise in artificial intelligence-enabled operating models, multi-ERP modernization including SAP S/4 HANA, Oracle Cloud, & Workday, cloud strategy and FinOps, enterprise architecture, data, infrastructure, cybersecurity improvement, data quality & analytics modernization, robotic process automation & intelligent automation, shared services/global business services, organizational design, and long-term value creation. His people-process-technology approach led to his being named a Global Top 100 Digital Adoption Leader. He is a Certified AI Business Transformation Practitioner & a Certified Technology Innovation Practitioner. He is also a member of the Forbes Technology Council. He was publicly recognized for global transformation leadership when he was featured on billboards across Germany during a major enterprise program at Bayer. Ganesh is known for partnering with boards, CEOs, CFOs, & private equity operating teams. He aligns technology strategy with growth objectives, cost discipline, compliance needs, & long-term enterprise value. Based in Atlanta, he is regarded as a CIO leader who turns complexity into clarity and who consistently converts technology investment into measurable business outcomes.

My path to security leadership came through offensive security testing, software engineering, and product management. I've written code, designed and built security products, created and sold managed security services, and served as both GM and CISO for organizations ranging from early-stage startups to multi-billion-dollar enterprises. That background shapes how I approach security: I understand the trade-offs engineering teams face, I know what's actually feasible to implement and operate, and I prioritize controls that reduce real risk over ones that just satisfy auditors. I stay hands-on with cloud architecture, application security, AI, and emerging threats. At IOmergent, my co-founder Brett Wilson and I work with growing companies that need real security leadership but aren't ready for a full-time CISO. We provide fractional CISO (vCISO) services, managed cloud security, and practical assessments that tell you where you actually stand. Our focus is on building security into engineering culture and operations, as well as with executive teams. We work extensively with SaaS companies, healthcare and fintech organizations, and AI startups navigating their first enterprise customers, dealing with incidents or near misses, or trying to figure out what "good enough" security actually looks like for their stage. If you're a founder or technical leader looking to mature your security posture, preparing for your first compliance audit, or navigating an incident and need experienced support, I'm always happy to connect. And if you just want to talk through a security challenge with someone who's been there, reach out.

Experienced professional with a deep background in technology across 20+ years fulfilling many IT functions, consulting, team leadership, and as a pre-sales engineer. This includes developing and executing sales strategies and technical campaigns, creating and delivering strategy and technical presentations to customer Business Owners, CISO’s, Architects, Managers, and Engineers. Designing and managing multi product and multi year strategic deployments, proof of concepts, delivering post-sales monitoring and follow-up, and working with Product Management on improvements and features.

Cybersecurity expert with over a decade and a half of deep-dive experience, I bring an unparalleled level of understanding and expertise in strategic Cybersecurity planning, effective risk control, and pioneering product innovation. My career reflects my role as a reliable authority for organizations of all sizes, as well as an effective liaison with different regulatory bodies.

Anisa Aven is a serial entrepreneur, AI strategist, and leadership transformation expert known for turning complexity into clarity and execution into impact. As the Co-Founder & CSO of Weeve AI and PeopleTransformation.ai, Anisa empowers organizations to drive measurable growth through scalable leadership and AI-enabled execution. With over 20 years leading enterprise coaching and development initiatives, her firm has supported Fortune 500s and global innovators including Microsoft, SpaceX, Costco, Universal Music, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. She’s built a network of 1,000+ consultants delivering programs in leadership acceleration, cultural transformation, and AI-powered performance enablement. At PeopleTransformation.ai, Anisa co-leads the creation of empathetic, conversational AI tools that integrate into the rhythm of work—boosting learning retention by 4x and accelerating issue resolution by 18x. Her work blends behavioral psychology with predictive analytics to help teams align faster, perform better, and lead smarter. Known for her dynamic, no-fluff approach, Anisa speaks globally on leadership, AI, and the future of work. Her keynotes—praised as “relevant,” “funny,” and “packed with usable strategies”—cover topics like AI-powered change, strategic thinking, and unlocking high-performance cultures. And because no transformation story is complete without a few plot twists—Anisa launched her first business before she could drive, voiced a femme-fatale in a post-apocalyptic video game, biked from Houston to Austin for charity, bombed once (gloriously) at LA’s Comedy Store, and still makes time to water ski with her kids and grandkids. Fearless, effective, and just the right amount of weird—she’s business transformation, with personality.

Nandor Katai is an IT Director and business owner with over 20 years of experience helping small and medium-sized businesses strengthen their technology infrastructure and cybersecurity posture. Through his company, iFeeltech IT Services, based in Miami, he provides hands-on solutions in network design, structured cabling, cloud management, and data protection. He is known for creating efficient, secure, and scalable IT environments using platforms such as Ubiquiti UniFi, Google Workspace, and Synology. Nandor’s work emphasizes clarity, reliability, and long-term results — helping businesses simplify their IT systems and focus on growth.

I’m Andrew Pomazkov, founder and CTO of VeritasLinks — an AI Perception Platform that shows exactly how LLM's (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and others) see and rank brands. For the past 25+ years I’ve been a senior software engineer and technical leader, building scalable enterprise systems, banking infrastructure, credit scoring engines, and AI-powered solutions for law firms, real estate agencies, and e-commerce businesses. Most recently I led the development of custom AI agents and a Shopify marketing automation plugins. Today my main focus is VeritasLinks. I created a system that goes far beyond traditional SEO and reveals the real "digital footprint" a brand leaves inside LLMs — complete with GEO reports, AI focus groups, VeritasScore, and actionable improvement plans. After seeing hundreds of real reports, I know exactly why most companies are nearly invisible to AI search and how to fix it. I'm always open to media comments, expert quotes, or conversations about AI visibility, GEO/AEO, LLM behavior, and the future of brand discovery in the age of artificial intelligence.

I help medical, dental and veterinary practitioners eliminate routine & mundane…

Hana Ben-Shabat is a leading expert on Generation Z and its impact on business. She is the founder of Gen Z Planet, a research, training, and advisory firm dedicated to Gen Z, and the author of Gen Z 360: Preparing for the Inevitable Change in Culture, Work, and Commerce. Before founding Gen Z Planet, Hana was a partner and board member at the global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney, where she co-led the firm’s Global Consumer Institute and advised clients worldwide on issues of corporate strategy and organizational effectiveness. Known for her insights and thought leadership on emerging trends, Hana is a regular commentator and has been cited by leading media outlets including CNBC, The New York Times, Bloomberg, Insider, the Associated Press, and Inc. Magazine. Expertise: Gen Z as consumers and employees · Gen Z workplace attitudes, hiring, and retention · Gen Z marketing and brand strategy · the creator economy · Gen Z financial behavior · multi-generational workforce dynamics · youth culture and values · Gen Z and AI · Gen Z and social media. Industries: Retail · Luxury · Beauty · Fashion

Victor Wainwright is a leading expert on the complexities surrounding the convergence of IT, Cyber, and physical security systems. His career spans over 25 years in the IT and operational securities industries, including Client Solutions Director and Field CTO at Dell, Enterprise Architect - Global at NetApp, as well as other Senior Consultant and Architectural roles, working both domestically and internationally. His current role is the Founder and Principal at Security 101 Rochester, a regional franchise of a nationally recognized security systems integration company. His rapidly growing franchise provides the design, engineering, installation, and service of specialized security systems and software, helping customers create resilient enterprises that protect their businesses, people, and profits.

A well-known, commercially focussed, technology executive, renowned for driving results by developing high performing teams who deliver business opportunities and value through technology investments. An inspirational leader, who creates clarity of vision and purpose for people and organisations, while driving a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and learning. Passionate about developing people to their full potential and seeing them make extraordinary things happen.

Results-oriented technology leader with over 9 years of experience in Infrastructure Security, Automation, Generative AI, and Software-Defined Operations. Demonstrated ability to lead high-performing teams, streamline enterprise support, and execute strategic initiatives that enhance organizational resilience and operational efficiency. A seasoned cybersecurity professional, experienced in vulnerability and patch management at scale, with a strong track record of driving measurable, data-driven impact through intelligent automation. Skilled in designing and implementing secure, scalable, and compliant infrastructure solutions that align with business and regulatory goals. Proven expertise in project and program management, particularly within Agile and Scrum frameworks, with a focus on cross-functional collaboration, risk mitigation, and continuous improvement. Recognized for combining technical depth with strategic vision to deliver transformative outcomes in complex enterprise environments.