University of Waterloo’s WatSPEED Launches Global AI-CTO Program for Senior Tech Leaders

Noida, India, 2025-12-17 — /EPR Network/ — WatSPEED at the University of Waterloo has unveiled a new Chief Technology and AI Officer (AI-CTO) program — a six-month, live-online executive learning journey created to help senior technology leaders convert complex AI systems and modern architectures into measurable business results.

Developed and delivered by Waterloo faculty and supported by leading global practitioners, the program blends rigorous AI-focused technical learning with financial acumen, organizational transformation frameworks and responsible governance. upGrad, a global education platform offering professional learning programs from micro-courses to doctoral degrees, will manage enrolment and learner support under Waterloo’s academic oversight.

“AI has moved past the experimentation stage and is now embedded across end-to-end business operations. Organizations need technology leaders who combine deep algorithmic skills with strategic thinking,” said Myleeta AgaWilliams, CEO, International Consumer Business, upGrad. “Our partnership with Waterloo directly addresses this need, helping senior technologists advance from execution roles to board-level influence.”

Aaron Pereira, executive director at WatSPEED, added, “Technology leaders today must pair engineering depth with boardroom fluency. This program brings Waterloo’s strengths in AI, systems engineering and entrepreneurship to professionals around the world.”

Preparing future AI-driven enterprise leaders
 The AI-CTO program targets experienced technology professionals — including CTOs, CIOs, CAIOs, CDOs and their teams — who want to grow from strong technical contributors into strategic enterprise leaders. Across 25 weeks, learners progress through an integrated curriculum combining strategy, technology and practical leadership.

The journey starts by strengthening business fluency and strategic clarity, enabling leaders to connect technology decisions directly with profitability, ROI and enterprise-wide priorities. Participants then deep-dive into modern tech architectures: cloud computing, MLOps, FinOps and responsible AI governance.

Next, learners shift toward high-level influence — mapping transformation agendas, conducting M&A technology due-diligence and crafting board-ready narratives that translate tech value into executive language.

The program concludes with high-pressure simulations where participants navigate complex scenarios, respond to crises and make real-time decisions. Graduates earn a University of Waterloo certificate along with practical deliverables such as a 90-day CTO plan, an AI investment report and a leadership-ready transformation playbook.

Jean-Paul Mouton, associate director of strategic partnerships at WatSPEED, noted, “We aim to empower leaders globally with Waterloo’s rigor, innovation mindset and research-driven approach.”

Jaitali Dedhia, AVP of university partnerships at upGrad, added, “This collaboration allows senior executives worldwide to turn AI innovation into sustainable business growth.”

What sets the AI-CTO program apart is its applied design — integrating boardroom simulations, cross-functional decision labs and real-world strategies that reflect the pressures of modern enterprise leadership. Built jointly by academia and industry, the curriculum ensures leaders understand emerging technologies and deploy them to drive growth, governance and resilience.

Source: University of waterloo