Ruder Finn has promoted Tejas Totade to global chief technology officer and chief data & AI officer, a newly created role that brings the agency’s technology, data and AI capabilities under a single leader. Ruder Finn Atteline, the group’s MENA agency, already develops AI visibility and generative engine optimisation (GEO) services to clients in Arabic and English.
That work covers tracking and shaping how brands, leaders and institutions are represented when audiences put their questions to large language models rather than traditional search engines.
Ruder Finn Atteline, which has offices in Dubai and Riyadh, runs the practice through its Tech Lab, the regional arm of the group’s rf.TechLab. The Tech Lab began as a data and measurement capability and now develops AI-led services across search, competitive and discovery intelligence. Delivery sits with the agency’s Center of Excellence team, which works with Ruder Finn’s global technology, data and AI team in the US. The agency describes the appointment as formalising a shift already under way in the region, where technology and AI have moved from support functions into key areas of investment.
“The greatest opportunity comes when we work together, choosing the right technology, grounding it in data and applying AI to solve a real business problem,” Totade said. “This role enables us to create that shared vision globally and help our teams and clients translate the enormous potential of AI into measurable value.”
At group level, Totade is tasked with widening access to tools and training in every region, and building the architecture that supports the agency’s AI capabilities end to end. He has spent more than 16 years at Ruder Finn, joining as a senior developer, and established rf.TechLab, the agency’s emerging-technology incubator, in 2018.
Kathy Bloomgarden, CEO at Ruder Finn, said the agency has always believed technology should expand what communicators can accomplish, and that Totade has been central to building that capability. “As technology, data and AI become increasingly interconnected, we’re committed to bringing the most cutting-edge AI capabilities to clients, under the leadership of Tejas,” she said.