ProMat Education

Paul Zikopoulos

In a rapidly transforming world, data has become the new competitive advantage. And according to future trends expert Paul Zikopoulos, “Every day we walk by solvable problems, leaving opportunities untapped.” The VP of Technology Unit Skills & Enablement at IBM, Zikopoulos discusses how working these “solvable problems” creates disruption in the marketplace and how golden signals of opportunity can be found within mountains of noise. At IBM, Paul leads from the front, owning accountability and strategic direction in a “tech years are like dog years” world for the entire IBM Technology Unit’s (all IBM software and hardware) sales, tech sales, and partner ecosystem learning journeys, and upskilling programs.

Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau for lectures, Paul is changing the way audiences are looking at their businesses in terms of potential sales, obstacles, potential for growth, and how they utilize technology, such as generative AI and cloud applications, to support their organizations. Paul shares future trends that are starting to happen in real-time and have multiple applications: from garbage cans that alert sanitation departments when they need collection – saving cities millions – to shampoo brands that are connecting weather forecasts with personal consumer profiles to suggest the right mix of hair products for the day. He easily discusses the next generation of technological change from the power of machine learning and voice-to-text, to the opportunities in reading digital body language and joining the Internet of Things trillion sensor economy, and more.

Incredibly energetic and easy to follow, Paul is the antithesis of what many people think of when they consider a big data expert. Using incredible visuals, including a hashtag aggregator that instantly creates examples of perfectly segmented consumers live on stage, Paul amazes audiences with the amount of information available to change the conversation about your industry. By sharing his insights on where big data comes from and the idea that “If you aren’t paying for it, you are being sold,” Paul breaks apart the roles of data collection and decision making for executives seeking the opportunities for disrupting their industry and leap-frogging the competition.

Paul is an award-winning tech thought leader and writer who has shared his expertise on AI and big data on the popular TV show, 60 Minutes, as well as in publications such as Technopedia and Analytics Week. He has published 21 books, including Cloud Without Compromise, The AI Ladder, and three ‘For Dummies’ titles, and more than 360 articles during his, as he calls it, accidental 28-year career as a data nerd — which he began with no prior coding experience. Among the leading voices in tech and big data, Paul has been named in dozens of global “Experts to Follow” & “Influencers” lists, including Analytics Insight’s “Top 100 Global AI & Big Data Influencers” and SAP’s “50 Big Data Twitter Influencers.” Currently, he is writing an O’Reilly book on Hybrid Cloud. An expert in harnessing the power of big data, Paul brings real world experience from his at time managing more than 1,400 professionals to help groups build influence and affect change in their organization.

Paul has taken an active role in bolstering Women in Technology, LGBT and general workplace inclusivity (completing an intensive D&I certificate at Cornell University), and Coding for Veterans. In addition to being the first and only male ever to be recognized as an IBM Canada “Women in Technology Ally of the Year” award winner, he is a seated board member for Switch (formerly known as Women 2.0), a global network and social platform for aspiring and current female founders of technology ventures who he became involved with after one of his tweets was mentioned on the TV show “The View.” He is also on the world-recognized Masters of Management Analytics and AI program boards at Canada’s prestigious Queen’s University.

Azeem Azhar

Azeem Azhar is considered one of the world’s most influential thinkers on the impact of technology on humanity. The founder of the 'Exponential View' newsletter and podcast, he is also a researcher, investor and entrepreneur. His invaluable insight and original perspective means he regularly advises politicians, business leaders and the public notably on the challenges and opportunities presented by AI and other emerging technologies.

Azeem’s first book “The Exponential Age: How Accelerating Technology is Transforming Business, Politics and Society” was met with widespread acclaim. He is a Visiting Fellow at the Oxford Martin School and an Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School.

He is the Co-Chair on the Global Future Council on Complex Risks at the World Economic Forum. His first TV series, Exponentially with Azeem Azhar, debuted in 2023. He has a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford University.

Deion Sanders

Deion “Prime Time" Sanders is “Coach Prime,” the head football coach at the University of Colorado.

From 2020-2022, as head coach, Sanders led Jackson State University to back-to-back SWAC Championships and won back-to-back SWAC Coach of the Year honors. During his time at JSU, the Tigers had a 27-6 record, including a perfect regular season in 2022. In 2021, he was named the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year.

Sanders is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a two-time Super Bowl champion and eight-time Pro Bowler . He played 14 years in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Commanders and Baltimore Ravens. He is the only person in professional sports history to play in the World Series and the Super Bowl.

Since retiring from professional sports, Sanders became an analyst for CBS SPORTS, and NFL NETWORK, and now offers his insights and opinions on the Pro Football Football Show on BARSTOOL SPORTS. He has produced and/or appeared in a variety of television shows, including TINY HOUSE NATION, GRANDFATHERED, MOESHA, RUNNING WILD WITH BEAR GRYLLS, LIP SYNC BATTLE, THE LEAGUE, 30 FOR 30: DEION'S DOUBLE PLAY, DEION'S FAMILY PLAYBOOK, and, most recently, COACH PRIME, a docuseries on Prime Video which follows Sanders and his college football journey.

Taylor Elyse Morrison

Taylor Elyse Morrison turned being bad at self-care—and being firmly convinced of every human’s potential—into a career. She’s the founder of Inner Workout, and the award-winning author of a book by the same name.

Recently named one of Fortune’s 10 Innovators Shaping the Future of Health, Taylor is tired of aspirational 'wellness as usual.' Instead, she makes well-being and personal development more accessible. You're just as likely to see Taylor facilitating a workshop at a Fortune 100 as you are to see her talking about TikTok and body image with a high school class.

Wherever she goes, Taylor's sure to use her coaching, mindfulness, and movement training to meet people where they're at and offer actionable steps towards creating a world without burnout.