Ben Trounson

I help Fortune 500 organizations build unshakeable stakeholder trust through strategic communications that turn complexity into clarity. As a VP of Global Corporate Communications with 20+ years of experience, I specialize in guiding companies through the reputation opportunities and challenges that come with transformation, crisis, and growth.

My career spans leadership roles at technology, energy, and pharmaceutical giants including Tata Consultancy Services, National Grid, Verizon, and Bristol Myers Squibb. At TCS, I helped transform the company's reputation from a lesser-known IT services provider into a globally recognized digital transformation partner for Fortune 500 clients, contributing to brand value growth from $5B to $14B over my seven-year tenure. This transformation required rebuilding narratives, executive
positioning, and stakeholder relationships across multiple markets.

I've built and led global communications teams ranging from 20 to 50+ members across North America, EMEA, APAC, and LATAM regions. My approach focuses on three core elements: authentic narrative development that aligns with business strategy, internal capability building that empowers teams to execute consistently, and external relationship management that builds lasting credibility with key stakeholders including media, investors, regulators, and employees.

Whether navigating CEO transitions, major acquisitions, regulatory scrutiny, or market repositioning, I ensure corporate communications delivers measurable impact on reputation and business outcomes.

Vice President of Communications, Verizon Business

Over a month into my new role at Arizona Public Service - APS, and I'm embracing life as an Arizonan.

A few early impressions:
- A welcoming and thriving culture across the company.
- The CX & Communications team: incredible passion for serving customers across AZ .
- Climbing Piestewa Peak; what a view of Phoenix and the valley!
- Seeing firsthand the growth in AZ and the key enabling role of APS.

And I clearly need to work on my local look! Perhaps slowly work my way in with some cowboy boots. 😀

VP, Global Corporate Communications | Reputation & Stakeholder Trust Builder | 20+ Years Transforming Fortune 500 Narratives | Former Verizon, National Grid, TCS | $5B-$14B Brand Value Growth

Bhushan Sethi

Bhushan is a Partner within PwC's consulting business focused on Financial Services and Tech/AI led Transformation. He is an inspiring global leader, pragmatic strategist and results oriented practitioner with a demonstrable track record of delivering sustainable growth and productivity through designing and implementing new operating models, workforce strategies, and optimizing returns on Digital and AI-led transformation.

For over 25 years, he has worked at the intersection of strategy, workforce and policy – delivering value for clients, building world class consulting practices and being a sought-after award-winning writer, speaker, educator and media voice on the future of work and AI. In 2025 he was recognized among the "Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business".

Bhushan currently works with Financial Institutions, Tech firms and global multinationals to deliver enterprise transformation that enables sustainable business, customer, financial, workforce and regulatory outcomes. His experiences span front office (Lines of Business, Sales, Product) and enabling functions (Strategy, Tech & Ops, Finance, Risk, Compliance, HR). 

He serves as the lead PwC client partner role for a major US based financial institution, where he drives strategic account growth and manages the end-to-end client relationship, delivery and quality.  He is widely respected for his ability to build sustainable relationships, inspire stakeholders at every level, and deliver collective business outcomes.

Within PwC, Bhushan has established and led multiple practices including Global People and Organization co-lead (6 years), US Financial Services People & Organization lead (10 years) and Global workforce strategy lead (8 years). His reputation for coaching extends beyond client work—mentoring professionals and volunteering expertise wherever emerging leaders need guidance.

Bhushan strategically reinvests his expertise through extensive publishing, speaking, and mentoring. He is a trusted voice on future of work, globalization, and AI, delivering podcasts, broadcast media appearances and presentations to diverse global audiences. His insights have been featured in WSJ, Bloomberg, CNBC, and Forbes, and he has been recognized as LinkedIn Top Voice and ranked #81 on the "2023 Power List of top 200 Leadership voices."

He actively contributes to World Economic Forum councils and G20/T20 Future of Work task forces, authoring policy briefs on productivity, skills and jobs. He is an Adjunct Professor at NYU Stern, where he teaches a strategy consulting class to MBA students.

Partner, Joint Global Leader, People & Organization

Feeling deeply proud, patriotic and privileged to be at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi over the next few days.  Looking fwd to connecting with clients, colleagues and collaborators. 

I’ll admit it upfront — I am completely biased when it comes to India. I define myself as Indian, even though I was born in London and spent almost half my life in New York. India is my heritage and identity, in every sense that matters. 🇮🇳

So why does this summit matter — beyond the pomp and ceremony, heavy security and traffic issues that some media and influencers (international and Indian) have not so subtly pointed out.  

Because India is arguably the world’s greatest test case for scaling AI in service of the majority. 1.4 billion people with digital identities via Aadhaar. A massive base of digitally savvy consumers. A deep pool of English-speaking engineering talent. The question isn’t whether India belongs in this global conversation, it’s how we lead it.

Yes, as I’ve written about previously, we have real challenges. Corruption. Infrastructure gaps. Inclusion — across gender, caste and religion. Wealth inequality. We don’t manufacture leading chips. We haven’t built global foundational models. I say all of this not as a critic, but as a champion. 

Acknowledging our frailties isn’t weakness — it’s the price of competing honestly on a global stage.
And compete we must. Whether through chip partnerships, co-investing in data centers that deliver much needed energy - for homes and compute power, or building focused smaller models for agriculture, education and healthcare.  

India has a path. We need to walk it with pride, partnerships and clear eyes.

The previous global AI summits were held in the UK, France and South Korea. That this one is in Delhi is not just symbolic — it’s a statement. The world is descending on India.  

During today’s sessions I was struck by the energy of the audience.  My naked eye test guesses it wasn’t the usual global summit crew of business elites.  Of course we have C suite speakers/panelists and ministers and world leaders - but the audience, like India, skewed young.  I met enthusiastic students and early talent that worked in tech or were running their own start ups.  The energy and vibe was one of responsible impatience and a “can do” attitude.  

My appeal to every Indian: tell our story with pride. Fight our long battles on inclusion and infrastructure. And let’s do both together — because while other nations are tearing themselves apart with polarization, this is our moment to unite and compete as one.

We are Tech and AI warriors on a global stage. Let’s act like it.  As for me, as someone who has been travelling regularly to Delhi since the age of 3 - I’m totally here for it.  More insights/reflections coming over the next couple of days #jaihind
#AIImpactSummit #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #ResponsibleAI #PeoplePlanetProgress #India #AI

Partner, PwC US Consulting | Adjunct Professor, NYU Stern School of Business | Global Thought Leader | 2025 Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business awardee

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At last weeks India AI Impact Summit 2026, I was honored to moderate a panel to discuss the why, what and how of establishing global AI standards.  

Our discussion focused on a critical reality: AI deployment is often hindered not by technical limits, but by a lack of trust. Robust standards are the "unlock" needed to move past these deficits and deliver business value.  

A sincere thank you to my esteemed panelists:

- Industry: Amanda Craig Deckard, Microsoft, Joslyn Barnhart, Google DeepMind, Esther Tetruashvily, OpenAI, and Etienne Chaponniere, Qualcomm.

- Policy & Standards: Rebecca Weiss, MLCommons  Wan Sie LEE, IMDA, Chris Meserole, Frontier Model Forum and Kshitij Bathla, Bureau of Indian Standards

Thanks to both Andrew Gruen, MLCommons and Ilana Golbin Blumenfeld, PwC for the opportunity. 
 
Check out the link below to access the full live recording: https://lnkd.in/ekZfA_Fz

We discussed a range of topics including how we got here, types of standards, lessons learned and the work ahead.  My key take aways:

- Regardless of how AI regulations may or may not evolve - there is alignment on the need for global standards to establish trust across various stakeholders 
- Common frameworks, agreed taxonomy, measurement and reporting is critical
- Like with any strategy - the hard work is in the execution. 
- Safety is a Team Effort: One of the most powerful insights for me was that safety isn't a competitive secret, it’s a collective necessity. We discussed how leaders must work together to "raise the floor" for everyone, ensuring that even small startups can use these trusted standards to grow safely.

Session Description: As AI capabilities advance, many markets face deployment barriers not from technical limitations but from reliability concerns and broader trust deficits. Robust standards, backed by rigorous evaluation, can unlock market potential. This panel convened leaders from AI standards and governance organizations alongside industry and policy executives to examine how effective standards enable economic growth, market confidence, and responsible governance. 

#aiimpactaummit2026 #articialintelligence #atandards #riskmanagement #aisummit

Reflections on the India AI Impact Summit 2026.  Back in snowy New York after a few days in Delhi, one thing is clear: the summit was a microcosm of the global AI landscape.

Against the backdrop of global summits I’ve joined from Buenos Airies to Riyadh, what the organizers achieved was genuinely impressive. Hosting 70,000+ daily participants with such intentional inclusion of youth and startups is a major feat of execution.

Beyond the logistics, here are the five key themes I took away:
1️⃣ Storytelling remains currency. It is how funding and excitement are generated.

2️⃣ The capital is real. From HCL and Foxconn’s chip manufacturing in Uttar Pradesh to healthcare, to data centers, the money is flowing.

3️⃣ Uncertainty is the only constant. Winners and losers are not yet decided, especially regarding labor impacts and foundational models.

4️⃣ Hype meets polarization. Opinion is split on India's superpower status. Durable value is still being debated.

5️⃣ Geopolitics are shifting. Watch how nations like Brazil and France are recalibrating their tech partnerships with India.

The missing piece? While the energy was high, we must address the "key person risk" in leadership (political and business) and the lack of female representation on the main stages.

I have broken down these themes and what needs to happen before Geneva 2027 in my latest substack (link in comments) 

#AI #IndiaAIImpactSummit #Leadership #FutureOfWork #aiimpactsummit2026

From the floor of the expo at last weeks India AI Impact Summit 2026

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