Senior Leadership Team
Joti Balani
Founder & Managing Director
Joti Balani is the Founder and Managing Director of Freshriver.ai, a dual Boutique Advisory and AI Platform focused on Strategy, Executive, Board and Delivery of Enterprise Business Outcomes leveraging PLLM, Generative AI, Enterprise AI-enabled Workflow Automation and Data Transformation with Foundational/large Language Models for Fortune 500 and Mid market clients. With over 25 years experience in technology & design, she has led AI and Automation projects for Fortune 500 enterprises including Citi, Lowe's, and Cigna. Recognized Conversational AI leader, awarded the NJ 2025 Innovate100 and Columbia University SPS AI Advisor. Founder of the AI Transformers Leadership Council with 100+ Enterprise Executive members. Infrastructure Masons NYC Chapter member driving sustainable AI.
Raj Sakthi
Head of AI & Automation
Raj Sakthi is the Head of AI and Automation at Freshriver.ai bringing his extensive experiences from JPMorgan Chase, Atos and Amelia.ai as Automation leader. He is a thought and innovation leader with 30+ years of experience in Automation, AI/ML, Architecture and infrastructure management. Extensive background in designing automation strategy for technology and business infrastructure, assembling talented teams to meet and exceed project expectations. Raj was previously the Head of AIOPS Excellence at Amelia, a conversational AI platform leader for the last decade. Raj built a team of tier 1 operators to assess and deliver AIOPS capabilities to leading clients. Prior to joining Amelia, Raj served as Head of Automation in Atos since 2012 and helped design the framework for Architecture and IT Services for a large financial customer of Atos. He also helped the Solutions Engineering division to achieve their full potential. Prior to joining Atos, Raj served as the Global Head of Infrastructure Architecture and Operations for the investment banking division of JP Morgan Chase managing operations and teams in several countries. With his team of consummate professionals, Raj designed and implemented high performance Ultra-Low-Latency trading platform for Equities which was designed to be highly available and self-healing. Raj holds a dual degree in Engineering (Electrical, Electronics and Computer Science) and his higher education consists of Masters in System Software from BITS, Pilani.
Steven Paul, CDir FIoD
Head of AI Governance & Trust
Steven brings over two decades of executive P&L leadership, including C-level roles at HSBC, SVB, Lloyds, Accenture, BMO, and Handelsbanken....A recognised board strategist and transformation leader, he builds team of teams and blends strategic foresight with AI, governance, and organisational strategy to help boards and executive teams unlock value through advanced implementation....At Freshriver, Steven leads on AI Governance and Trust - specialising in design and deployment, and at the intersection of AI strategy, transformation, and governance across Board, Executive, and Operational levels. His work ensures leadership alignment, oversight structures, and execution models are future-fit for the AI era....As a NED and Chartered Director (CDir, Fellow IoD), Steven advises boards on AI oversight, governance structures, transformation agendas, and C-suite readiness. He has built and scaled six ventures across four continents, delivered EBITDA uplifts of up to 25%, and authored 90+ blueprints on enterprise AI and leadership....Steven is also a published author, podcast host, and strategic advisor to government, trade, and private equity forums.
Tom Knapp
Head of AI in Financial Services
Tom brings extensive financial technology expertise to his role, with previous positions including Chief Information Officer/Chief Administrative Officer at Waterstone Mortgage and Senior Vice President of Product Management at Fiserv and VP/CIO at both ProVantage and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin. His experience provides deep insights into financial data systems and technical requirements essential for private language model integration with existing systems. His combination of technical and operational leadership and hands-on implementation experience enables him to create rigorous testing protocols and operational training programs that ensure PLLMs meet technical specifications and performance benchmarks. He has led initiatives to support mortgage loan originate and loan servicing including business intelligence, eClosing, point of sale, risk management, IT audit, and technology infrastructure. Tom's background in mortgage technology and administration strengthens his ability to design practical user training that connects AI capabilities with day-to-day financial operations and technical workflows.
Laura Thomae
Head of AI Risk & Compliance
Laura Thomae brings decades of technology and business innovation experience with deep expertise in Risk Transformation and Resource Management. Previous positions include risk management Managing Director roles at both Bank of New York (BNY) and Citi. Most recently at BNY she led the Transformation Strategy and Resource Management Teams across Risk and Compliance. At both institutions Laura successfully incorporated innovative technology to achieve positive restructuring, financial saves and regulatory remediation, enabling business growth. Prior to Citi Laura worked in the AI Lab at S.W.I.F.T. and as an AI Engineer at Harris Corporation. Early in her career Laura authored/co-authored multiple papers on AI, was a past co-chair for AI Financial Conference and led panel discussions at AI on Wall Street. More recently she hosted workshops on machine learning and presented on robotics for several Women in Technology events. She has a Masters in Computer Science with an emphasis in artificial intelligence from University of Florida, a MBA from Florida Institute of Technology with an emphasis on AI management, and a BS in Computer Science/Mathematics from Florida State University.
Swati Gupta
Strategic AI Advisor, PE, Capital Markets & Financial Services
Swati Gupta brings over two decades of Financial Services technology leadership experience, with deep expertise in Asset Management and Retirement sectors. At Ascensus, as the Divisional CIO led the largest IT division with over 400 engineers leading platform modernization, integration, and bespoke solutions achieving 200% growth in Retirement participants and 22% growth in revenue. Also led the IT for the largest 529 College Savings platform with 60% of States and their participant market share in the US. As Head of Development for a SaaS provider in the Fintech space for Private Wealth advisors she drove innovation and integration for large investment banks in the US. With over a decade of experience in the Asset Management space and Hedge Fund industry, Swati led the portfolio of technology solutions spanning trading, portfolio management, fund accounting, and reporting. Swati's keen insights, know how and solution engineering is key to drive AI adoption within Financial Institutions with data protection and privacy standards at the forefront.
Dhiraj Kumar
Strategic Security & Compliance AI Architect (US)
Dhiraj Kumar is a distinguished security and compliance expert specializing in AI system architecture and healthcare data protection. He is an experienced cybersecurity and risk management professional with deep proficiency in developing and implementing regulatory compliance frameworks, including NIST 800-53/800-171, PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, HITRUST, ISO 27001, and SOX 404. As a lead PCI QSA, has led the design of scalable, sustainable controls that translate complex cybersecurity requirements into practical risk-reducing strategies. Proven track record in establishing enterprise-wide continuous compliance programs and conducting IT and network security audits for highly regulated industries. At Freshriver, he leads the security architecture for Private LLM implementations, focusing on privacy-preserving AI solutions for sensitive data processing. His expertise spans healthcare data security, AI system architecture, and GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) frameworks. Dhiraj has consistently delivered secure, compliant AI solutions in healthcare settings, ensuring protection of sensitive medical data while enabling efficient processing. His approach combines cutting-edge AI security architecture with strict compliance adherence, making him vital for implementations requiring highest levels of data protection and regulatory compliance.
Tom Brown
Strategic AI in Telecom & Data Centers (US)
Tom Brown brings over 30 years of executive leadership experience in the telecom and data center sectors to his role at Freshriver. As a former President and CEO of Hudson Interxchange and senior leader at Windstream's Wholesale Business Unit, Tom has consistently driven revenue growth and strategic transformation across start-up, turnaround, and high-growth environments. His deep expertise in the data communications industry—particularly in data center operations, broadband markets, and cloud infrastructure—enables him to identify high-impact AI implementation opportunities that deliver measurable business outcomes. Tom excels at aligning technological innovation with strategic business objectives, creating tailored AI solutions that address the unique challenges of telecom and data center operations. At Freshriver, Tom guides enterprise clients through the secure adoption of private LLM solutions that protect proprietary data while enabling competitive advantage. His combination of technical knowledge and business acumen helps organizations navigate the complexities of AI transformation while maintaining compliance and operational excellence. Tom's proven track record in strategic market development and customer relationship management makes him an invaluable partner for organizations seeking to leverage Freshriver's enterprise-grade AI solutions within their secure environments.
Edward Diaz
Data, Healthcare Technology & Infrastructure Lead (Qatar)
Edward Diaz brings over three decades of Qatar-based technology leadership experience, with deep expertise in healthcare and government sectors. As a 35-year resident of Qatar, he has led major digital transformation initiatives across three generations of the nation's development. At Mannai Corporation's IT Solutions Network Division, he spearheaded system integration and infrastructure solutions achieving 80% market share across ministries, oil & gas, airport, healthcare, and education sectors. As Data Analyst at Sidra Medicine (2017-2021), he drove healthcare data initiatives and systems integration. Currently leading Freshriver's infrastructure and networking initiatives, Edward combines deep Qatar market understanding with healthcare technology expertise, ensuring solutions align with local requirements and cultural nuances. His experience spans Cisco-certified networking, healthcare data systems, and regulatory compliance, making him instrumental in implementing secure, culturally-aligned healthcare technology solutions.
Travis Brown
Strategic AI in Telecom Consultant (US)
Travis Brown brings over 20 years of telecommunications industry leadership to his role at Freshriver, where he specializes in AI-driven transformation for telecom enterprises. His entrepreneurial approach and pragmatic decision-making enable clients to successfully navigate the evolving AI landscape. Travis specializes in helping telecom organizations leverage Freshriver's private LLM solutions to create secure, compliant, and business-focused AI implementations that protect proprietary data while delivering measurable ROI. At Freshriver, Travis guides clients through our three core offerings: AI Transformation Acceleration Programs for C-suite education and roadmap development; Strategic assessments to identify mission-critical enterprise use cases; End-to-end implementation of secure, private LLM solutions within client environments. Travis's telecommunications expertise combined with Freshriver's enterprise-grade AI solutions creates a powerful partnership for telecom organizations seeking competitive advantage through responsible AI adoption.
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