Each week, CDO Magazine curates a high-level overview of executive appointments and leadership transitions shaping the global data, AI, and analytics ecosystem. This roundup offers a quick-read snapshot of how leadership talent is transitioning across organizations as they evolve data and AI strategies to support digital transformation, data management, enterprise innovation, security, and AI-driven decision-making.

This briefing tracks leadership movements involving Chief Data Officers, Chief Artificial Intelligence Officers, Chief Data and Analytics Officers, Chief Information Officers, Chief Information Security Officers, and senior executives responsible for data, analytics, security, and digital strategy across industries.

For the week of June 8, highlighted in this edition, we feature key leadership updates at Mars Snacking, Omnicell, and TD Bank Group, alongside several other notable appointments recently spotlighted on CDO Magazine.

This week’s featured moves:

Semperis: John Podboy, Chief Information Security Officer

Identity-focused cyber defense platform Semperis has appointed John Podboy as Chief Information Security Officer. Podboy transitions from First Citizens Bank, where he was Senior Vice President and Executive Director leading a global team of over 200 security professionals. At Semperis, he will leverage more than 15 years of infrastructure and access management experience to protect hybrid enterprise environments amid a complex threat landscape.

Salas O’Brien: Wade Claggett, SVP, Data & AI

Built environment consultancy Salas O’Brien has appointed Wade Claggett as Senior Vice President, Data and AI. With over 20 years of digital transformation experience, Claggett will scale a disciplined approach to automation and emerging tech. His focus centers on eliminating repetitive engineering workflows so the firm’s technical teams can safely accelerate complex projects across critical infrastructure, healthcare, and higher education.

Mars Snacking: Sinead Finnegan, Global Head of Data, Analytics & AI Governance & Strategy

Mars has named Sinead Finnegan as Global Head of Data, Analytics & AI Governance & Strategy for Mars Snacking. Finnegan joins the iconic brand following nearly a decade at Kellogg Company, where she served as Senior Global Director of Data Governance, Ethics & Responsible AI. In her new role, she will design enterprise-wide operating models to increase AI data trust and facilitate reliable decision-making at scale.

Omnicell: Michael McNeil, SVP, Chief Information Security Officer

Omnicell has promoted Michael McNeil to Senior Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer. McNeil, who previously served as Global CISO at McKesson and held senior security roles at Philips Healthcare and Medtronic, will now oversee Omnicell’s global cybersecurity strategy across its cloud products, information systems, and operational technology to embed a security-first corporate culture.

TD Bank Group: Sarita Bakst, Global Board Member (CDO Magazine)

CDO Magazine is pleased to welcome Sarita Bakst, Senior Vice President and Chief Data Officer at TD Bank Group, to our Global Board. Bakst leads TD’s enterprise data strategy to build the data foundations required for advanced analytical and agentic AI use cases. A veteran of data transformation roles at JPMorganChase and Bank of America, she specializes in driving decision velocity through data-as-a-product architectures.

TalkTalk: Phil Pegram, Head of Insights, Analytics and Market Research

UK-based telecom provider TalkTalk has appointed Phil Pegram as Head of Insights, Analytics and Market Research. Pegram, a British Army intelligence veteran and former Insights Director at dentsu, will focus on aligning attitudinal and behavioral data. His mandate is to close the gap between customer sentiment and real-world actions to directly inform commercial and operational strategies.