Ananthanarayanan Nilakantan

About Ananthanarayanan Nilakantan

I’m a results-driven technology and data leader with over 20 years of experience driving transformation across financial services and capital markets. My passion lies in bridging strategic vision and practical execution—leading teams to build data-driven, AI-enabled organizations that deliver measurable business value.Currently, I serve as Senior Manager, Data Quality and Product Management at TIAA, where I lead enterprise data strategy, governance, and AI innovation. I’ve developed multi-year product roadmaps that strengthen data integrity, regulatory compliance, and digital agility. My work includes building scalable data governance frameworks using Collibra, PySpark, and Snowflake Cortex, and integrating Agentic AI and Amazon Q to enhance productivity, data classification, and automation.Previously at Raymond James and Wells Fargo, I led multimillion-dollar modernization programs—replacing legacy systems with SaaS platforms, operationalizing AI and ML models, and optimizing enterprise reporting and analytics. I’ve managed budgets exceeding $50M, built high-performing cross-functional teams, and driven initiatives that improved efficiency, compliance, and customer experience.I believe that innovation happens where technology meets business purpose. Whether it’s deploying AI models for smarter decision-making, building secure data ecosystems, or aligning teams around transformation goals, my focus remains on creating sustainable value.Education & Credentials:MBA, Wake Forest UniversityGraduate Certificate, Data Science & Business Analytics – UNC CharlottePMP | SAFe Practitioner | CISA

Experience

1. Senior Manager - Data Governance & Quality

   TIAA

   Oct 2022 — Present

   As a Data & AI Governance Manager, I played a pivotal role in enabling the enterprise’s Data & AI First Strategy by establishing a trusted and secure data ecosystem. I led efforts to implement Policy Enforcement, data posture management and data loss prevention (DLP) using platforms like Ping Authorization, Securiti.ai, ensuring sensitive data is discovered, classified, and protected across hybrid environments. By integrating Collibra as the enterprise data governance platform, I enforced data cataloging, lineage, and stewardship practices to deliver high-quality, trusted data for AI model development and business insights.Aligned with the NIST Risk Management Frameworks the role included strengthening AI governance practices with a risk-based approach and ensuring compliance with global regulations including the EU AI Act. I also contributed to operationalizing the Trust, Risk, and Security Management framework to manage AI lifecycle risks—promoting explainability, fairness, and resilience in AI adoption.This role bridged the gap between data governance and AI enablement by embedding security, compliance, and trust into every stage of the data lifecycle—fueling responsible AI innovation across the enterprise.

Education

• University of North Carolina at Charlotte

  Data Science and Business Analytics

• Wake Forest University School of Business

  Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)

  2013 — 2015