Paul Daugherty

Recently retired as a key member of the Accenture team for nearly 40 years, Paul Daugherty served as CEO of the Technology group, where he led all aspects of the company’s technology business, oversaw 400,000 employees, led the acquisition and integration of over 60 companies and grew revenue from $25 billion to $40 billion. He also served for over a decade as Chief Technology and Innovation Officer (CTIO), playing a key role in Accenture’s own transformation to becoming a digital leader and largest global technology services firm. Along the way he founded Accenture’s cloud, AI, and quantum businesses, as well as Accenture Ventures, recognized as a leading corporate venture capital firm with over 80 investments and many successful exits. As a visionary in technology innovation, he shaped and executed Accenture’s own technology strategy and advised boards, CEOs, and C-suite leaders of many of the world’s leading organizations on their business and technology transformations.

In these roles, Daugherty led the strategic relationships with top leaders across the technology sector, including all of the major cloud, AI, and enterprise SW companies. He led Accenture Labs and directed its global research and development into emerging technology areas such as generative AI, robotics, quantum computing, blockchain, metaverse, and space technology, growing the largest intellectual property and patent portfolio in its sector. Daugherty created a dedicated innovation group that not only designs and delivers transformational business and technology solutions, but also invests in and partners with pioneering companies to pilot and incubate new technologies. He led Accenture’s annual Technology Vision report and hosts its annual client Innovation Forum event and Innnovation Council.  Recently, Daugherty led Accenture’s $3 billion investment in Data & AI to help clients rapidly and responsibly advance and use AI, including generative AI, to achieve greater growth, efficiency and resilience.

Daugherty won the Thinkers50 award in 2023 for leading Global Digital Thinker. He was named to ComputerWorld 100 List of Technology Leaders; Constellation Research “Business Transformation 150;” AdWeek 50 Top Technology, Marketing, Media Executives; and LinkedIn Top Voices. He was also awarded the prestigious St. Patrick’s Day Science Medal by the Prime Minister of Ireland in 2022 for his contributions to AI, and received the FASPE Award for Ethical Leadership for his work in Responsible AI. Daugherty is also a contributor and advisor to World Economic Forum (WEF), a member of WEF Global Future Council on AI and a regular Davos speaker and attendee.

Daugherty is co-author of two highly acclaimed books, “Radically Human: How New Technology is Transforming Business and Shaping Our Future” (Harvard Business Review Press, 2022), and “Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI” (2018), a management playbook for the business of artificial intelligence that will be rereleased with updated and expanded chapters on generative AI in September 2024.

Daugherty is a passionate advocate for gender equality in the workplace and STEM-related inclusion and diversity initiatives. For more than six years, he has been a member of the board of directors of Girls Who Code, an organization that seeks to support and increase the number of women in computer science careers. He was awarded the annual “Guy Who Gets It” award by the Institute for Women’s Leadership for his impact on growing women leaders both at Accenture and in the industry.

Paul Daugherty joined Accenture in 1986. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in computer engineering from the University of Michigan. He serves on the board of directors of Avanade, The Computer History Museum, the Carnegie Mellon Block Center for Technology and Society and the Computer Science and Engineering program at the University of Michigan. He is a member of the American Society for AI.

In 2023, Daugherty received the prestigious St. Patrick’s Day Science Medal for Industry from Science Foundation Ireland as well as a nomination to Thinkers50. Daugherty also accepted the FASPE Award for Ethical Leadership in 2019 for his work in applying ethical principles to the development and use of artificial intelligence technologies.

Paul Daugherty is available to advise your organization via virtual and in-person consulting meetings, interactive workshops and customized keynotes through the exclusive representation of Stern Speakers & Advisors, a division of Stern Strategy Group^®.