Arun Shastri
Background and experience
Arun is a global leader in ZS’s AI practice area. Throughout his career, he has led AI implementations and guides the development of AI-powered products that provide value to B2B and B2C clients. His work helps companies build lasting competitive advantages. He has collaborated with some of the world’s leading businesses in technology, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, financial services and travel and transportation.
Arun is also a thought leader who writes about how AI is making an impact on the world of business. A regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, Arun’s articles have also appeared in Forbes, Information Week and others. Arun has also hosted podcasts on AI and customer experience.
Arun was with ZS from 1995-2010, during which he helped clients across industries on a broad range of commercial effectiveness issues. He also opened ZS’s Boston office in 2001. Before rejoining ZS in 2015, he was the chief strategy officer at IntraFi, a fintech company focused on providing innovative asset and liability solutions to banks.
Arun is a coauthor of “The Harvard Business Review Sales Management Handbook,” a guide to digital competencies and how to implement AI into the sales ecosystem. As a lecturer for Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management executive education program, Arun teaches digital transformation and AI applications in sales for the B2B Sales Force Strategy and Effectiveness in the Digital Age program.
Education
Ph.D. in decision sciences, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University