In a world where digital transformation is no longer a luxury but a necessity, Publicis Sapient stands at the forefront of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the very fabric of customer and employee experience. Through visionary leadership, strategic appointments, and a relentless focus on human-centered, AI-powered innovation, Publicis Sapient is redefining what it means to deliver value in the digital age.
Publicis Sapient’s leadership team is the driving force behind its pioneering approach to experience transformation. CEO Nigel Vaz, a recognized authority in digital business transformation, has consistently championed the holistic integration of technology, data, and human insight. Under his guidance, the company has attracted top talent and made strategic leadership appointments that reinforce its commitment to AI and experience innovation.
Recent additions to the leadership team, such as Jennifer Kilian as Co-Chief Experience Officer and Shubhradeep Guha as Global Chief Delivery Officer, underscore this commitment. Kilian brings deep expertise in design, innovation, and end-to-end experience transformation, while Guha’s background in delivering AI-led solutions at scale ensures that Publicis Sapient’s global delivery model remains agile and effective. Umesh Shiknis, the newly appointed Global Chief Growth Officer, further amplifies the company’s ability to drive client success through AI-powered strategies and cross-industry innovation.
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 not only leverages AI to optimize the user experience but also creates a new ecosystem of value for customers and partners alike.
Similarly, Publicis Sapient’s integration of Salesforce with WhatsApp enables brands to deliver personalized, real-time customer experiences at scale. By harnessing AI and data, organizations can anticipate customer needs, streamline interactions, and build lasting loyalty.
Publicis Sapient’s leadership in AI-driven experience transformation has not gone unnoticed. The company has been named a Leader in multiple IDC MarketScape reports, including those for Worldwide Customer Experience Improvement Services and Employee Experience Consulting Services. Clients consistently praise Publicis Sapient for its ability to combine creativity, design, and technology to drive measurable business value.
Feedback from clients highlights the firm’s strengths in value creation, design excellence, and the quality of its people. One client noted, “They are good at technology as well as creativity. They push us to look at innovation not just as a source of increased speed but as a way to service customers better because their needs have changed.”
Publicis Sapient’s AI-driven solutions are making a tangible impact for clients worldwide. By leveraging data and AI, the company helps organizations unlock new opportunities, drive operational excellence, and create innovative products and services. Recent client work includes:
These initiatives are supported by proprietary tools and platforms, such as Marcel (an AI-powered personal assistant for practitioners) and the Digital Transformation Index (DTI), which help clients develop data-driven visions and roadmaps for digital excellence.
Publicis Sapient’s leaders are vocal advocates for the transformative power of AI and experience. As Jennifer Kilian states, “My goal is to build upon the company's strong experience foundation and drive forward strategies that will accelerate client success and further elevate the experience capability overall.”
Clients echo this sentiment, commending Publicis Sapient for its ability to facilitate digital transformation with a focus on human outcomes. As one industry analyst observed, “Publicis Sapient stays focused on how automation, process design, and design thinking impact the individuals that make up and engage with the organization, balancing organizational change between people and technology.”
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.