Christian J Ward
Christian J. Ward, the Executive Vice President and Chief Data Officer at Yext. Yext is a cutting-edge technology company that helps organizations build digital experiences across channels on our open and composable platform. The Yext Digital Experience Platform collects and organizes content to deliver AI-led experiences for any organization’s customers, employees, or partners. For more than 15 years, thousands of companies worldwide have trusted Yext to create seamless customer experiences at scale across search engines, websites, mobile apps, and other digital touchpoints. Christian is focused on the expanding applications of knowledge graphs and data asset optimization. He helps Yext clients identify, value, and structure their knowledge to maximize their data value in AI and search applications. Ward is the co-author of the Amazon top release Data Leverage: Unlocking the Surprising Growth Potential of Data Partnerships and has developed and executed hundreds of data partnerships worldwide, from small entrepreneurial firms to the world’s largest data companies. Ward has served as Chief Data Officer of Arizent, Chief Data Officer of Data Axle, and Global Head of Content Innovation at Thomson Reuters, among other roles. He has been quoted in publications like the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, and Search Engine Journal. He speaks frequently on data strategy, partnerships, and the impact of Artificial Intelligence.
