Accenture Appoints Jodie Wallis as Managing Director, Artificial Intelligence for Canada

TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2017 /CNW/ - Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has appointed Jodie Wallis as managing director for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Canada, effective immediately. In this role, Wallis will be responsible for expanding Accenture's business presence in the AI space, attracting top talent, and bringing innovation and global AI expertise to Canadian clients across all industries.

Wallis will drive Accenture's collaboration with business partners, government and academia in the AI ecosystem, at a time when organizations increasingly are turning to AI as the predominant way to do business. She will also help Canadian clients to unlock the potential bottom-line benefits of AI as evidenced by the recent Accenture research findings that AI is expected to add an additional CAD $636.1 billion to the economy by 2035, increasing the annual growth rate of gross value added from 2.1 to 3.5 percent.

In her role, Wallis will oversee Accenture's investments in the Canadian AI ecosystem, including its sponsorship of the Vector Institute for artificial intelligence (AI) in Canada, and other organizations.

During her 24 years at Accenture, Wallis has developed deep expertise in management consulting and technology consulting. She has served clients in several industries including, most recently, personal and commercial banking as well as life and health insurance.

"Jodie is a strong leader who works with some of our largest clients at major Canadian organizations, helping them to innovate to solve their most significant business challenges," said Bill Morris, senior managing director and Canadian president of Accenture. "She is a key member of the broader Canadian leadership team."

Wallis earned her Bachelor of Mathematics with Honours from the University of Waterloo, where she majored in operations research and minored in statistics and computer science. She actively volunteers in the Toronto community, serving on the organizing committee of the Covenant House Guts + Glory Corporate Challenge, which raises funds for Canada's largest agency serving at-risk, homeless and trafficked youth.

"I'm excited to help Accenture and our clients realize the full power of AI as we work together to help improve productivity, lower costs, unlock more creative jobs and create new growth opportunities," Wallis said. "I look forward to help continue to drive value for our clients as we help them innovate and succeed."

About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions – underpinned by the world's largest delivery network – Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With more than 411,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Accenture plans to hire 1,100 people in Canada this fiscal year. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

SOURCE Accenture

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