Archives: Speakers

Dr. Scott Zoldi is chief analytics officer at FICO, responsible for artificial intelligence and analytic innovation across FICO’s product and technology solutions. Dr. Zoldi is a named inventor on 140+ active patents and pending patent applications, with more than 100 granted. Scott is an industry leader in the responsible use of AI, Generative AI (GenAI), and Agentic AI, as well as an outspoken proponent of AI governance and regulation. His groundbreaking work in focused language models (FLMs) for GenAI and a patented use of blockchain technology for AI model development governance has helped propel Scott to AI visionary status. His recent awards include Constellation Research Award AI150, Tech Leadership Award from Banking Tech Awards, Tech Influencer Highly Commendable Award from DataIQ Data & AI Awards, San Diego Business Journal – Leaders of Influence in Technology (2025); Tech Leadership – Software & Services Provider from Fintech Futures, MachineCon AI100 Award, Innovator Award from American Banker (2024); Global Finance Innovator Award (FICO) (2023); and Corinium Future Thinking Award (2022). An enthusiastic member of the southern California tech community, Scott serves on the Boards of Directors of Software San Diego and the San Diego Cyber Center of Excellence. He received his Ph.D. degree in theoretical and computational physics from Duke University, and his work has been published in The Harvard Business Review and numerous scientific journals.

When not at his office or on a plane, Scott can often be found in his Ford Bronco, exploring the desert around San Diego with his family. To hear more of his views follow Scott on LinkedIn and BlueSky @ScottZoldi.

Dr Ryan Lemand is a seasoned finance professional with a diverse and extensive career as an Investment Manager and a Financial Regulator. He has deep experience in Fixed Income, Credit, Quantitative Asset Allocation and Risk Management, having managed significant portfolios of institutional assets in Paris, London and New York.

As a Senior Advisor to the UAE’s Federal Government, Dr Ryan worked principally on financial regulatory subjects where he both led and contributed to key initiatives that developed many of the core Financial Regulations in the UAE, including Regulations on Collective Investment Schemes, Financial Analysis and Consultancy Services, Market Making and others topics.

He was also principally responsible for leading the Funds and Investment Management team that handled the licensing and approvals for local and foreign mutual funds and investment managers. In addition, he advised on a variety of subjects relevant to the UAE’s macroeconomic policy.

Dr Ryan has a proven track record in green field projects and in growing and scaling companies, as demonstrated by his founding of the Wealth and Asset Management arm for the Abu Dhabi based ADSS Group, which grew to become one of the largest asset managers in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).

As a former Regulator, he is also well versed in advising on regulatory matters that range from obtaining financial services permissions to assisting in solving complex regulatory issues.

I focus on AI projects that enhance customer understanding and improve customer experience. I have worked on international projects, including 12 years at Intesa Sanpaolo’s International Bank Division, implementing and scaling machine learning across various banks and markets. I believe success comes from aligning AI initiatives with well-defined strategic objectives, a strong operating model and clearly measurable results. With a technical background, I understand both AI technology and its practical applications.