Speakers

Benedetto Conversano is a senior business leader with extensive experience in digital transformation across various industries. He is currently the Chief Information Officer at Diageo, a global leader in alcoholic beverages, where AI is top priority in his agenda.

Prior to joining Diageo, Benedetto was the Senior Vice President and Chief Digital & Information Officer at Avon, where he led the digital transformation of the direct selling beauty business. His career also includes serving as the Group Chief Information Officer at Jer'nimo Martins, a Portuguese-based international retailer, where he built their first online business. Between 2010 and 2015, Benedetto was Chief Enterprise Architect at IKEA where he was responsible for the implementation of the first e-commerce platform of the Swedish giant.

Earlier in his career, he spent 15 years at Procter & Gamble, where he held several executive roles, including Global Business Intelligence and Global Business Services.

Benedetto is currently an active member of the Digital Advisory Board at Mars Petcare, contributing with his expertise to enhance digital capabilities in the pet care industry. He previously served as a Non-Executive Director at Satellite Applications Catapult, a UK-based innovation and technology company dedicated to accelerating the growth of the satellite applications sector. His past board memberships also include Greenspring Associates Venture Capital and IKEA Food, reflecting his diverse experience in guiding organizations through digital innovation and transformation.

Benedetto holds a Master's degree in Electronic Engineering from the Polytechnic of Bari, where he developed his first satellite application software decoding Synthetic Aperture Radar signals.

Benedetto built his first AI systems when he was at high school, developing software for computer games. In his free times he loves sport, music, books and cooking.