KAYNAZ BEHDIN
THE AI INTERVIEW
Kaynaz Behdin does not talk about AI in the way many executives do. There are no vague promises about disruption, no breathless enthusiasm for the technology itself. Instead, her focus is simple: turning technology into measurable business performance.
As Senior Vice President of Digital, Data & AI at Stellantis, the multinational automotive group behind brands including Jeep, Peugeot, Fiat and Vauxhall, Kaynaz oversees a global organisation spanning data, AI, cloud infrastructure, software engineering and enterprise platforms such as ServiceNow.
Her remit may be broad, but her philosophy is precise.
“ My focus is not AI as experimentation,” she says.“ It’ s AI as an enterprise capability – a disciplined engine for customer satisfaction, value creation, operational performance and speed.
“ That means I spend as much time on governance, operating model, adoption and measurement as I do on technology.”
Operating in a distributed global environment, Kaynaz is also responsible for designing what she calls the right system of collaboration: local execution supported by global governance. Her role“ sits at the intersection of AI strategy, enterprise platforms and execution at scale”.
Kaynaz’ s career began in core technology and security before evolving towards transformation leadership across cloud, platforms, data and
KAYNAZ BEHDIN
TITLE: SVP OF DIGITAL, DATA & AI COMPANY: STELLANTIS INDUSTRY: AUTOMOTIVE
As Senior Vice President of Digital, Data & AI at Stellantis, Kaynaz leads all core digital enablers that empower the business to deliver digital products rapidly and at scale.
enterprise operating models. What drove her throughout was a consistent interest in understanding complex systems and making them faster, safer and smarter.
From silicon to steering wheels The automotive industry was a natural fit for Kaynaz as she sought a new role back in 2024.
“ Few industries combine physical assets, software, data and safety constraints at this scale, while still adapting to individual customer needs,” she explains.“ This is precisely what makes technology a true competitive advantage.”
There was also an appeal in the“ deeply personal” nature of cars.
Kaynaz adds:“ The experience of driving, of movement, of control, is emotional – and that experience is increasingly shaped by software, intelligence and digital services. That’ s why transformation in our industry cannot be slow or incremental.”
20 June 2026