Avanade has appointed Ben Beath as Chief AI Officer to lead the company’s AI strategy and accelerate the practical adoption of artificial intelligence across its business and client organizations.
The appointment of Ben Beath is aimed at helping Avanade and its clients move beyond AI adoption and realize the full value of their investments in the technology.
In his new role, Beath will focus on helping organizations embed AI into their operations and create value through its use.
Ben Beath will also drive AI fluency and capability across Avanade, accelerating the use of intelligent tools and agentic systems across its teams and service delivery.
Ben Beath, Chief AI Officer, Avanade, said: “The AI conversation continues to shift incredibly quickly and has moved past debate of whether or not to invest.
Today’s topic centers around how organizations can realize the full value of that investment. Key differentiation is being delivered by those that are moving past tools and rethinking how work gets done, how decisions are made, and how they serve their customers.
“At Avanade, we need to lead through our own use of AI. My focus is on learning what delivers results in our business and bringing that experience to clients as they navigate their own transformation. That’s how we can help turn AI investment into measurable business value.”
Chris Howarth, Chief Executive Officer, Avanade, said: “Ben has spent his career helping organizations embrace new technologies and translate innovation into business outcomes.
His combination of entrepreneurial experience, deep understanding of AI and track record of leading transformation will be invaluable as we accelerate our own use of AI and help clients navigate this next phase of change.
“AI presents an enormous opportunity for organizations, but realizing that potential requires more than technology alone. Ben will play an important role in helping Avanade and our clients adopt AI at scale, responsibly and with confidence.”
Ben Beath: Role at Avanade
Ben Beath has been with Avanade since 2018 and most recently served as AI Acceleration Lead and co-lead of its AI Transformation Office.
In those roles, he worked with enterprise clients to navigate the disruptive potential of AI and understand where the technology can materially change how they operate.
Beath joined Avanade following its acquisition of Loud&Clear, the digital agency he co-founded in 2009 and grew into Australia’s largest independent digital agency.
The acquisition established Avanade’s first Digital Innovation Studio in Asia Pacific. Ben Beath subsequently expanded the studio across Singapore, Japan and Brazil.
In 2022, Beath relocated to New York to lead Avanade’s Digital Experiences business across the Northeast before moving into his AI-focused leadership roles.
Ben Beath: Entrepreneurial Background
Alongside Loud&Clear, Ben Beath has co-founded five startups, including PlayHQ, one of Australia’s largest community sports platforms, and FanHub, which was acquired by Genius Sports in 2021.
With his experience in digital transformation, entrepreneurship and AI, Ben Beath will help lead Avanade’s AI vision as the company continues to deepen its role within the Microsoft ecosystem and support organizations in adopting AI at scale.
Founded in 2000 by Accenture and Microsoft, Avanade operates across 26 countries with more than 60,000 professionals worldwide.
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