Wendi Zhang advises organizations and their leaders on leadership, succession, governance and talent decisions at the intersection of artificial intelligence and technological transformation. She works with AI-native and deep tech companies, global enterprises, investors and boards navigating technological change, helping them build the leadership teams and governance capabilities they need to thrive amid rapid innovation, organizational transformation and evolving stakeholder expectations.
Drawing on experience spanning operating, venture and executive advisory environments, Wendi brings a first-principles approach to the leadership and governance implications of emerging technologies, helping leaders identify the core issues at stake and uncover critical blind spots. She is particularly interested in how institutions can adapt responsibly to AI while stewarding innovation and building the talent and organizational capabilities required for long-term success.
Wendi sees her role first and foremost as that of a trusted adviser — one who happens to spend much of her time in AI. She believes leadership is one of the few truly compounding forces in society and is particularly interested in helping organizations build the leaders and institutions needed to navigate periods of profound change. She is equally passionate about helping high-potential individuals grow into the roles ahead of them.
Helping organizations build leadership and governance capacity in the age of AI
- Wendi co-led the AI segment globally at another executive search and leadership advisory firm, advising companies shaping today’s AI landscape as well as established organizations navigating AI transformation. Her work spanned board and CEO succession, board effectiveness, AI governance, executive search, leadership assessment and organizational effectiveness across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
- Earlier in her career, Wendi spent nearly eight years at Google, including as an operating partner at Gradient Ventures, Google’s AI-focused venture fund, where she supported investment decisions and advised portfolio AI startups on strategy, commercialization, organizational growth, and go-to-market execution. She also held leadership roles within Google’s Devices & Services organization, contributing to the growth of products including Pixel, Google Home, Chromecast and Wearables.
- She subsequently held senior operating roles at early-stage AI companies, leading business development, operations, people and go-to-market functions during periods of rapid growth and transformation, including through an acquisition.
Wendi has been engaged with the AI ecosystem for more than two decades, beginning with her time as an undergraduate at MIT. She has participated in the field’s evolution across academic, venture, operating, policy and leadership communities, building relationships with entrepreneurs, investors, executives, researchers and policymakers who have helped shape today’s AI landscape.
Wendi has also been involved with the MIT AI Conference since 2017 and served as chair in 2023, helping convene leaders from technology, academia, industry, government and civil society around the opportunities and challenges created by AI. She serves on the board of directors of the SETI Institute, where she chairs the governance committee and has served on the executive committee and as board secretary, helping guide governance, board effectiveness and long-term institutional strategy. She is also a member of the MIT Corporation Development Committee.
Education
- Harvard Business School, M.B.A.
- Harvard Kennedy School, M.P.P.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, B.S. Mathematics and B.S. Management Science