# TIME's first tech executives of the year

> TIME recognizes 50 leaders shaping the future of AI, cybersecurity, and digital innovation across industries.
- Title: TIME's first tech executives of the year · TIME | Shortify
- Summary: TIME recognizes 50 leaders shaping the future of AI, cybersecurity, and digital innovation across industries. The most influential tech executives today are…
- Keywords: time magazine, executives of the year, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital innovation, technology leadership, cto, chief information officer, digital transformation, enterprise technology, TIME's, first
- Source: TIME — https://time.com/article/2026/09/22/how-we-chose-executives-of-the-year-tech-data
- Author: Avery Stone
- Published: 2026-09-22T13:01:05+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: time magazine, executives of the year, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital innovation, technology leadership, cto, chief information officer, digital transformation, enterprise technology
## TIME honors 50 tech leaders
TIME is publishing its first-ever Executives of the Year: Tech & Data list, recognizing 50 leaders shaping the future of technology, AI, cybersecurity, and digital innovation across industries.
## AI and cybersecurity pioneers
Bartley Richardson at CrowdStrike is heading a new AI research lab for autonomous cybersecurity systems, while Vijaye Raji at OpenAI oversees technical teams powering ChatGPT and Codex.
## Modernizing legacy systems
Monica Caldas at Liberty Mutual is rewiring the century-old insurance company for the intelligence era, while Ogi Redzic at Caterpillar has rebuilt the equipment manufacturer around data to address customer labor and safety issues.

> the intelligence era
## New roles for new times
Kathleen Grace became Lionsgate's first-ever chief AI officer in February, while Delta's Amala Duggirala joined in January as chief digital and technology officer overseeing the airline's combined digital and technology organizations.
## Global innovation beyond the US
Suthen Thomas Paradatheth at Singapore-based Grab transformed the ride-sharing platform into a superapp processing millions of transactions daily, while Felix Ike at Nigerian fintech Moniepoint established a leading African financial platform.
## Using AI smartly, not hype
At Paris-based Back Market, a global marketplace for refurbished electronics, CTO Dawn Baker applies an environmental mission to the company's use of computing power, avoiding unnecessary AI deployment.

> We have to make sure we're not using more than we need.
## Key takeaway

The most influential tech executives today are those who anticipate what's next while managing massive organizational transformations.