In today’s digital-first world, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into customer and employee experiences is not just a competitive advantage—it’s a necessity. Publicis Sapient stands at the forefront of this transformation, leveraging a unique blend of human-centered design, advanced AI capabilities, and visionary leadership to redefine how organizations engage with their customers and empower their employees. Through a holistic, measurable, and ethical approach, Publicis Sapient is helping businesses across industries unlock new value, drive innovation, and build lasting relevance.
Publicis Sapient’s leadership is a driving force behind its pioneering approach to AI-driven experience transformation. Under the guidance of CEO Nigel Vaz, a recognized authority in digital business transformation, the company has made strategic leadership appointments that reinforce its commitment to AI and experience innovation. The addition of leaders such as Jennifer Kilian as Co-Chief Experience Officer and Shubhradeep Guha as Global Chief Delivery Officer brings deep expertise in design, innovation, and large-scale AI-led delivery. Umesh Shiknis, as Global Chief Growth Officer, further amplifies the company’s ability to drive client success through AI-powered strategies and cross-industry innovation.
This leadership team is united by a clear vision: to keep people at the center of transformation while harnessing AI to drive innovation, efficiency, and measurable business impact. Their collective experience ensures that organizations not only adopt new technologies but do so in ways that are meaningful, ethical, and impactful for both customers and employees.
At the heart of Publicis Sapient’s approach is the SPEED model—Strategy, Product, Experience, Engineering, and Data & AI. This integrated framework ensures that every transformation initiative is grounded in strategic vision, rapid product development, human-centered experience design, robust engineering, and advanced data and AI capabilities. Experience and AI are not just components; they are the connective tissue that brings the SPEED model to life, enabling organizations to adapt, scale, and thrive in a rapidly changing environment.
As CEO Nigel Vaz explains, “We’re relentless about drawing the best from our SPEED capabilities in a creative way to provide our clients’ customers with leading experiences.” This philosophy is echoed by Co-Chief Experience Officer Jennifer Kilian, who notes, “The experience capability sits in the middle of our SPEED model and is at the heart of our digital business transformation value proposition.”
Publicis Sapient’s approach to AI-driven experience transformation is fundamentally human-centered. The company believes that technology should enhance—not replace—the human element in every interaction. This means designing AI solutions that keep people in the loop, foster emotional connections, and deliver meaningful outcomes for both customers and employees.
This philosophy is evident in the company’s work across industries. For example, Publicis Sapient partnered with Renault to create the award-winning Plug Inn platform—a peer-to-peer network that connects electric vehicle drivers to a vast network of home and business charging stations across France. This platform leverages AI to optimize the user experience and creates a new ecosystem of value for customers and partners alike. Similarly, the integration of Salesforce with WhatsApp enables brands to deliver personalized, real-time customer experiences at scale, harnessing AI and data to anticipate needs, streamline interactions, and build lasting loyalty.
On the employee side, Publicis Sapient uses AI to streamline processes, support change management, and foster a culture of continuous learning and inclusion. Proprietary tools like Marcel, an AI-powered personal assistant, and the Digital Transformation Index (DTI) help clients develop data-driven visions and roadmaps for digital excellence.
Publicis Sapient’s leadership in AI-driven experience transformation is widely recognized by industry analysts and clients alike. The company has been named a Leader in multiple IDC MarketScape reports for customer and employee experience improvement services. Clients consistently praise Publicis Sapient for its ability to combine creativity, design, and technology to drive measurable business value. Feedback highlights strengths in value creation, design excellence, and the quality of its people.
Recent client work includes:
Publicis Sapient’s engineering teams, including leaders with experience at Amazon and Tesco, drive the adoption of agile engineering models, modern product development practices, and breakthrough technologies. The company’s global delivery model, especially its deep investment in India’s talent ecosystem, ensures access to world-class engineering, data, and digital expertise. Strategic partnerships with technology providers like Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud further empower clients to accelerate IT modernization, automate processes, and deliver personalized experiences at scale.
As organizations worldwide embrace the era of AI, Publicis Sapient is uniquely positioned to guide them from imagination to realization. The company’s blend of design, technological prowess, and strategic vision enables clients to build and scale a new generation of digital products and services. With AI and experience at the core, Publicis Sapient is helping businesses become more relevant, efficient, and emotionally connected to the people they serve.
Ready to explore how AI-driven experience transformation can elevate your business? Connect with Publicis Sapient’s experts to start your journey.