The Global Leaders Forum: AI & Strategic Partnerships
Organized by the Femigrants Foundation and hosted by Autodesk, "The Global Leaders Forum: AI and Strategic Partnership" Forum is where innovation meets opportunity.
This forum brings together global diplomats, diverse immigrant leaders, executives, VPs, investors, and visionary founders to share their personal journeys, insights, strategies, and partnerships shaping the future of AI, business, humanity, and leadership.
Goal:
To create a space where global leaders in tech, startups, and business can connect, collaborate, and form strategic partnerships that drive mutual growth. The forum aims to help participants expand their network, increase visibility, and connect with powerful decision-makers to take their ideas and businesses to the next level.
📅 Date: FRI, November 14, 2025 | 12:00 PM – 6:45 PM
📍 Venue: Autodesk Gallery in San Francisco.
👗 👔 Dress Code: Business casual attire in BROWN or GREY. NO overly casual clothing, such as slippers, flip-flops, or excessively revealing outfits!!
👩🏻💼👨🏾💼 Audience: 100+ global immigrant & expat leaders: Consul General representatives, top global executives, decision makers, thought leaders, angel investors, VCs, startup founders, Fortune 500 Tech leaders, and more
*Open to ALL genders!
🥗 Menu: 3-course menu by Lale SF restaurant, a Femigrant-owned business.
12 PM: Buffet Style - appetizers, salads, main & sides, includes protein choices (lamb, chicken, and vegetarian), and soft drinks
2 PM: Coffee & Team Time - coffee, organic tea assortments, Homemade dessert bites, Baklava samplers, Magnolia pudding cups, Poached apples
5 PM: Reception Refreshments and Bites - white & red wine, non-alcoholic drinks, cocktails, lamb meatball bites, stuffed grape leaves, vegetables, and more.
🎤 Speakers: Global immigrant executives, expat leaders, decision makers, public officials
Opening Remarks:
Consul General Mr. Vugar Gurbanov, Consul General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles
Consul General Mrs. Nazira Nurbayeva, Consulate General of Kazakhstan in San Francisco
Consul General Mr. Levan Kulijanishvili, Consulate General of Georgia in San Francisco
Keynote Speakers
Aytakin Aliyeva, Founder of the Femigrants Foundation
Tiffany Odutoye, CEO, Virtual Partner Global, Inc., MC of the Event
Vikram Dutt, Vice President, Industry, Product, and Portfolio Marketing, Autodesk
Anand Raghavan, Vice President, Products AI, Cisco
Panel Speakers
Nisarg Brahmbhatt, Vice President, Medallia (Ser F,$ 70M)
Sanam Amidi, Vice President, Operations & Automation, Plug and Play (Over $500 million in assets under management (AUM)
Madhavi Rajan, Head of Product Strategy & Operations, Rackspace Technology (revenue of $2.69 billion)
Dani Weinstein, Head of Community, TechXchange, IBM
Rashi Agrawal, Head of Agentic AI, Hinge Health
Arek Zarowski, Partner at FPV Ventures, Forbes 30U30
AGENDA
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Check-in | Networking | Lunch
1:00 PM - 1:30 PM Grand Opening & Welcoming Remarks:
Consul General Mr. Vugar Gurbanov, Consulate General of Azerbaijan
Consul General Mrs. Nazira Nurbayeva, Consulate General of Kazakhstan
Consul General Mr. Levan Kulijanishvili, Consulate General of Georgia
1:30 PM - 2:15 PM - Keynote Speeches:
Aytakin Aliyeva, Founder of the Femigrants Foundation
Vikram Dutt, Vice President, Industry, Product, and Portfolio Marketing, Autodesk
Anand Raghavan, Vice President, Products AI, Cisco. Topic: "Key trends in Agentic AI "
2:15 PM - 2:45 PM Coffee Break | Networking
2:45 PM - 3:00 PM Femigrants Announcements
3:00 PM - 3:45 PM Fireside chat
Aytakin Aliyeva, Founder of Femigrants, Moderator
Sanam Amidi, Vice President, Operations & Automation, Plug and Play
Dani Weinstein, Head of Community, TechXchange, IBM
3:45 PM- 4:00 PM Break 4:00 PM - 4:10 PM Femigrants Announcements
4:15 PM - 5:00 PM Startup & Investment Panel
Rashi Agrawal, Head of Agentic AI, Hinge Health. Moderator
Nisarg Brahmbhatt, Vice President, Medallia
Madhavi Rajan, Head of Product Strategy & Operations, Rackspace Technology
Arek Zarowski, Partner at FPV Ventures, Forbes 30U30
5:00 PM - 5:15 PM Official Closing
5:15 PM - 6:45 PM Reception
7:00 PM - After party (optional)
Femigrants San Francisco Chapter Launch! 🥳
Join us for the Global Leaders Forum on AI & Strategic Partnerships, proudly organized by Femigrants Foundation and hosted by Autodesk in San Francisco.
This milestone event marks the official launch of Femigrants’ SF Chapter — bringing together global immigrant and expat executives, founders, investors, government representatives, and business owners, to explore how innovation and collaboration can drive meaningful impact.
We’re building a bridge between technology and humanity, where purpose meets progress, and global leaders unite to shape the future.
SPEAKERS BIO
AYTAKIN ALIYEVA, FEMIGRANTS FOUNDER
This event is organized by AYTAKIN ALIYEVA, Forbes and Business Insider Featured Community Builder and Founder of the Femigrants Foundation. Aytakin is a Forbes Nonprofit Council member, host of the "Verso Talk with Aytakin" Podcast, and a LinkedIn Influencer with 30K+ followers.
CONNECT with Aytakin on LinkedIn
Nazira Nurbayeva, Council General, Kazakhstan
Mrs. Nurbayeva graduated from the Kazakh University of International Relations and World Languages, the Kazakh State Academy of Management, Said Business School of the University of Oxford.
She began her professional career in 1998 as a consultant at the Kazakhstani branch of Price Waterhouse, later serving as a Senior Tax Advisor at LUKOIL Overseas Services. From 2004 to 2020, she held several leadership roles at Price Waterhouse, advancing from Senior Manager to Director.
In August 2023, appointed as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
In September 2024, she was appointed as Consul General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in San Francisco, California, USA
Vugar Gurbanov, Consul General, Azerbaijan
Mr. Gurbanov is a career diplomat with 20 years of experience serving in various roles, covering national security and foreign policy.
Prior to his appointment, Mr. Gurbanov served as a Counselor at the Embassy of Azerbaijan to the United States. He also served at the Mission of Azerbaijan to NATO, coordinating the country’s military and otherwise contributions to NATO-led operations and missions.
Mr. Gurbanov has three master’s degrees. He is a distinguished graduate of the United States National Defense University. He is also an alumni of the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium, and Baku State University, Azerbaijan.
He fluently speaks Azerbaijani, English, Russian, and Turkish.
Levan Kulijanishvili, Consul General of Georgia
Levan Kulijanishvili serves as the Consul General of Georgia in San Francisco, representing Georgia across the West Coast of the United States. In this role, he is focused on strengthening diplomatic relations and advancing economic, cultural, and technological collaboration between Georgia and the U.S.
With over 27 years of leadership experience in the banking sector, Levan held multiple C-level positions at Bank of Georgia, one of the country’s leading financial institutions. He oversaw strategic departments, led large-scale operations, and managed a team of more than 1,200 professionals.
Levan holds an MBA from Grenoble Ecole de Management in France and a degree in Economics from Tbilisi State University. As part of his current diplomatic mission, Levan is actively working on establishing a Georgian Innovation Hub in San Francisco—a strategic platform to connect Georgian startups with Silicon Valley, foster investment, and promote collaboration in emerging technologies.
Vikram Dutt, VP, Industry, Portfolio, and Emerging Business Marketing at Autodesk
Keynote speaker: "Transformative Trends in Design and Make Industries"
Vikram Dutt serves as Vice President of Industry, Portfolio, and Emerging Business Marketing at Autodesk, Inc., where he oversees a focused team that drives go-to-market strategies at the intersection of Autodesk’s sales, business, and product portfolios. Under his leadership, this team propels Autodesk’s growth as the premier Design and Make Platform by aligning audience-centric marketing with sales enablement across all our industries.
During his 19 years at Autodesk, Vikram focused on effectively driving new and transformative efforts, including shifts from perpetual licensing to subscription and from desktop to cloud, and most recently, Autodesk AI.
Prior to Autodesk, he led various product management and engineering roles at Siemens. He began his career developing virtual-reality solutions.
Vikram holds an MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Ohio State University.
Anand Raghavan, VP Products, AI at Cisco
Anand, VP of Products, AI at Cisco, leads world-class teams building and marketing innovative products like AI Defense and AI Canvas.
He was the cofounder and Chief Product Officer of Armorblox, the industry’s first GPT-powered protection platform against targeted email attacks. After Cisco acquired Armorblox in 2023, Anand now focuses on delivering secure, generative AI experiences to Cisco customers.
Before that, he helped launch ThoughtSpot out of stealth, building and leading its product marketing and management teams.
Anand was also an early team member at BlueJeans Network, growing it from 4 employees to over 200 and 2,000+ customers.
Earlier in his career, he spent six years at NVIDIA in engineering roles.
He holds a B.Tech. in Electrical Engineering from IIT Madras and an M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Anand earned his MBA from the Wharton School, graduating with honors as a Palmer Scholar.
Sanam Amidi, VP Operations & Automation at Plug and Play
Sanam Amidi is the VP of Operations and Automation for Plug and Play, a global innovation platform and venture capital firm. In this role, she oversees all operations teams, drives brand growth, and works to continuously improve the customer experience.
Over the past five years, she has successfully implemented new tools and data reporting systems across various departments, including Sales, Partner Success, and Ventures.
Prior to Plug and Play, Sanam worked at Disney Interactive and multiple startups in healthcare and gaming, where she managed commercial operations and marketing and streamlined sales processes.
She holds a B.A. in Management and Entrepreneurship from the University of British Columbia.
Dani Weinstein, Head of Community, TechXchange, IBM
Dani is a community strategy and engagement executive with extensive experience driving customer success, advocacy, and business value through innovative community programs since 2008.
He recently joined IBM as the Head of Community, TechXchange. Prior to IBM, he was Director, Community Strategy at SAP. Dani had a long career with Hewlett-Packard before Domo. In 2008, he was a founding member of HP’s Social Care team and managed the deployment of the award-winning HP Consumer Support Forums in seven languages over a 15-month period. The Social Care team became best in class at HP and won two Groundswell awards during the last years of his HP career.
Dani holds an MBA in International Management and Marketing from the University of California, Davis, and a BBA in Finance from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He earned a Certificate of International Business from the Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus Universiteit in the Netherlands and also spent a semester abroad at Tel Aviv University as an undergraduate.
Rashi Agrawal, Head of Agentic AI, Hinge Health
Rashi Agrawal is the Head of Agentic AI at Hinge Health, where she leads an organization dedicated to leveraging artificial intelligence to help members achieve their goals of pain reduction and better health outcomes.
Rashi's career is defined by her expertise in building and scaling intelligent systems. She previously served as the Head of AI at GoodLeap, a leading FinTech startup revolutionizing sustainable energy financing. In this role, she orchestrated global, cross-functional teams to drive enterprise-wide AI transformation.
Prior to GoodLeap, Rashi built a nearly decade-long career at Yahoo, rising from an intern to an Engineering Leader. In her final role, she led multiple global engineering teams responsible for Yahoo's $4B+ advertising technology ecosystem, including Yahoo Gemini and its Demand Side Platform (DSP).
Beyond her professional pursuits, Rashi is an enthusiastic world traveler who has explored over 40 countries, bringing a valuable global perspective to her leadership role.
Nisarg Brahmbhatt, Vice President at Medallia
Nisarg is a Vice President at Medallia, leading its Global Partner Success and Product Support teams. Nisarg has been instrumental throughout Medallia's journey, after its Series A (2011), through its IPO (2019), and its acquisition by Thoma Bravo (2021), during which period Medallia’s revenue grew 80x.
His significant contributions include establishing professional services teams in India (400+ members) and the US, product development, and fostering a global partner ecosystem that grew from its inception into a robust network encompassing resellers, boutique consulting firms, and Global System Integrators (GSIs).
Nisarg, an MBA from UCLA Anderson, was a strategy consultant at IBM GBS before Medallia. He previously scaled an Indian IT startup to 850 people over five years before migrating to the US. He enjoys reading, particularly autobiographies, and traveling, with a preference for road trips.
Madhavi Rajan, Head of Product at Rackspace Technology
Madhavi Rajan is a strategic product and infrastructure executive with more than 20 years of experience guiding companies through inflection points across AI, cloud, and data infrastructure. She currently leads Product Strategy and Operations for Rackspace’s Private Cloud business, where she drives the company’s AI strategy in close collaboration with the Office of the CEO.
Prior to Rackspace, Madhavi served as Director of Business Acceleration for Intel’s $20 billion Data Center and AI business. In this role, she led strategic growth initiatives across the portfolio, including Intel’s first SaaS acquisition. Her experience spans startups like Barefoot Networks (acquired by Intel), high-growth environments such as Rackspace, and Fortune 50 organizations, including Intel.
She serves on the board of Women in Big Data, advises global founders through Stanford SEED, and is an active member of FirstBoard.io and Stanford Women on Boards.
Peter Kovacs, A post-exit tech founder
Peter Kovacs is a Hungarian-born, Algeria-shaped, Canada-raised, and U.S.-based serial entrepreneur and the founder of Lead from Essence.
A post-exit tech founder turned trusted thinking partner, Peter coaches high-performing leaders and founders who are navigating the deeper question: What’s next? His multicultural upbringing—born in Hungary, early childhood in Algeria, formative years in Canada, and now living in the U.S.—gives him a uniquely global lens on identity, ambition, and reinvention.
Peter has spoken internationally, including at a Davos-side event during the World Economic Forum, where he shared perspectives on leadership, purpose, and transformation. After building and exiting his tech company, he discovered that the next chapter of leadership isn’t created by repeating the past—it begins with who we are. His work focuses on identity-level transformation, helping leaders create their future from essence, meaning, and authentic power
Arek Zarowski, Partner at FPV Ventures, Forbes 30U30
Arek Zarowski, Partner at FPV Ventures, leads AI and Physical AI investing across enterprise software, robotics, and industrial infrastructure. He partners with founders building GPU native compute, simulation platforms, agentic workflows, and factory-facing automation.
Before FPV, he invested across AI-driven enterprise software and industrial automation at early stages, working closely with founders on go-to-market and customer development.
He holds a Master's degree from Stanford University. Arek also completed his Bachelor's Studies at the Warsaw School of Economics and the National University of Singapore.
Keynote & Panel Discussion TOPICS
From Competition to Collaboration: Building Strategic AI Alliances Across Industries: How corporations, startups, and investors can co-create value instead of competing in silos.
AI and the Future of Work - Preparing Organizations for the Next Workforce Shift: What leaders must do to re-skill, empower, and prepare talent for an AI-powered future.
The Power of Partnerships: How Startups and Enterprises Can Co-Innovate in AI: Practical case studies of successful collaborations between fast-moving startups & established tech giants.
Beyond Technology: Building Cultural Bridges Through AI Partnerships: Highlighting how immigrant leaders bring cross-cultural perspectives that strengthen global partnerships.
The Next Decade of AI: Predictions from the C-Suite: An executive roundtable on the biggest shifts, opportunities, and challenges ahead.
We’re deeply grateful to Autodesk for opening its iconic gallery to our community and supporting our mission to foster global connections that drive meaningful impact.
As a pioneer in design and technology, Autodesk empowers innovators worldwide to imagine, design, and make a better world through its cutting-edge software for architecture, engineering, manufacturing, and media. Their commitment to innovation perfectly aligns with Femigrants’ vision of collaboration without borders.
MISSION of the Forum:
Foster strategic partnerships that accelerate responsible AI innovation and shape the future of AI by sparking dialogue, collaboration, and actionable outcomes across industries.
GOAL of the Forum:
This forum will serve as a bridge between corporations, entrepreneurs, and investors, creating the partnerships that will define the next decade of AI-driven transformation
SPONSORSHIP/PARTNERSHIP
Where Luxury Meets Leadership — and Partnerships Become Legacy
Step into the world of Femigrants Foundation, where every event is a statement of elegance, sophistication, and high-quality experiences.
Our upcoming Global Leaders Forum: AI & Strategic Partnerships, hosted at the stunning Autodesk Gallery in San Francisco, is an exclusive gathering of global minds and refined brands.
By sponsoring this forum, your company aligns with an elegant community of Fortune 500 executives, investors, startup founders, and global immigrant leaders who value substance, vision, and style.
Femigrants events are curated to perfection — from the design of the space to the quality of connections — creating a setting where your brand will shine among influential decision-makers and thought leaders shaping the future of AI.
As a sponsor, you’ll gain:
💎 Elegant Brand Association — Position your company with a high-caliber, luxury-focused community known for refined events and meaningful conversations.
🤝 Exclusive Introductions — Connect directly with Fortune 500 executives, global founders, and investors in a sophisticated, relationship-driven environment.
🌍 Prestigious Visibility — Your brand featured across Femigrants’ platforms, event signage, media coverage, and professional photography.
🥂 VIP Networking Access — Invitation to the private reception with speakers, board members, and top-tier guests in an intimate, elegant setting.
🎤 On-Stage Recognition — Be recognized as a luxury partner supporting innovation, inclusion, and global collaboration.
Your brand deserves to be seen where global innovation happens.
And know that, his is not sponsorship—it’s brand elevation.
Partner with Femigrants and let your brand be remembered for its elegance, exclusivity, and impact.
📩 Interested in sponsoring?
Please email [email protected] with a subject line: "Femigrants AI Forum Sponsorship", before purchasing a sponsorship ticket to find the best package that aligns with your company’s goals and budget.
Why You Should Attend
Hear TED-style talks on AI innovation, strategic partnership, and investment.
Deep dive into the conversation of angel & VC investors in the AI industry
Connect with Fortune 500 executives, founders, and global investors.
Gain insights on AI in strategic partnerships, AI funding opportunities.
Build long-term relationships with visionary leaders of Silicon Valley.
Enjoy delicious food and curated drinks throughout the evening.
Be part of a high-level, global community shaping the AI future.
Who Will Be in the Room
Speakers: Immigrant & Expats leaders - AI innovators, Fortune 500 tech executives, founders, investors, and entrepreneurs sharing their vision.
Attendees: Tech leaders, startup founders, venture capitalists, angel investors, and business executives.
Community: Global immigrant and expat leaders shaping the future of AI across industries.
RESERVATION:
P.S. We DO NOT sell tickets at the door! Please register on Luma before joining the event.
*The tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable.
WHY YOU SHOULD BE PART OF THE FEMIGRANTS COMMUNITY?
Expand Your Network: Build meaningful relationships and friendships with executive immigrant and expat leaders who truly understand your entrepreneurial journey.
Gain Valuable Insights: Exchange authentic experiences, receive actionable advice, and uncover fresh perspectives to overcome your business challenges.
Feel Supported and Empowered: Enjoy a warm, welcoming environment designed specifically to uplift and encourage you through every stage of entrepreneurship.
EVENT ORGANIZERS
The events at the Femigrants Foundation are organized by AYTAKIN ALIYEVA.
Aytakin is a community builder featured in Forbes and Business Insider and the Founder of the Femigrants Foundation.
At Femigrants, she creates elegant event experiences that unite a community of diverse female immigrants working in investment, startups, and tech companies. Since 2018, she has hosted hundreds of professional networking events in the Bay Area, London, and New York.
She also hosts the “Verso Talk with Aytakin” podcast, which interviews immigrants about investment, fundraising, and other financial topics to help them become financially free leaders in America.
Aytakin’s dedication to creating impactful communities has earned her international recognition, including double gold awards at the prestigious Women Changing the World Awards 2023 in London by Sarah Fergusson, the Duchess. She was honored as a 2024 Award Winner and recognized as a Community Builder, Top 100 Women in Tech by KSV.
Her work has been widely covered by major outlets, including Forbes, Business Insider, Economic Insider, Yahoo Finance, AP News, London Daily Post, Washington Times, US Times, Intuit, HuffPost, and more.
In addition to her community leadership, Aytakin worked at Fortune 500 tech companies such as Instagram, Facebook, NVIDIA, and HTC VIVE.
FEMIGRANTS FOUNDATION
Femigrants (501c3) is a global community of diverse female immigrants in the tech, startup, and investment world.
At Femigrants, we connect immigrant women to business and career growth resources through elegant and memorable event experiences.
Our events include but are not limited to founder & investor brunches, SMB-focused events, executive dinners, coffee meetups, panel discussions, annual forums, and more.
PHOTOS from PREVIOUS EVENTS
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT TERMS
*You and your guest must be 21+ with ID to attend this event.
Political and Religious Discourse:
Femigrants Foundation is a nonpartisan organization (501c3).
*The Femigrants Foundation does not endorse any political or religious viewpoints, and we do not approve of any discussions or speeches about political issues or religion.
We encourage all members, participants, volunteers, speakers, and sponsors to respect this principle and engage in dialogue that aligns with our mission of empowerment, connection, and support for female immigrants.
Assumption of Responsibility:
By participating in this event, you acknowledge your responsibility for any accidents or damages that may be caused by your actions. Furthermore, you agree not to hold the Femigrants Foundation or any of the event supporters accountable for any losses, damages, injuries, or unforeseeable incidents.
Consent to Share Information with Sponsors:
By registering for this event, you consent to the sharing of your full name and email address with our event sponsors. This information may be used for sponsor-related communications and networking purposes. We respect your privacy, and your details will only be shared with our trusted sponsors. If you have any concerns, please contact us directly prior to the event.
Media Release:
In the course of your participation in the event, you grant Femigrants Foundation permission to capture photographs and videos for event documentation and promotional purposes.
By registering for Femigrants events, you grant permission for your photos and videos to be featured in news media, news articles, or related media outlets for marketing purposes.
Your agreement also acknowledges the potential inclusion of visual content captured during the event in various Femigrants' media outlets, including but not limited to Femigrants' website, social media platforms, newsletters, and other promotional materials.
Consent to Email Communication:
By registering for this event, you consent to receive email communications from the Femigrants Foundation and its affiliated programs regarding event updates and information that may be of interest to you.
Non-Refundable Tickets:
Please be aware that tickets for this event are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend, you retain the option to transfer your ticket to a friend or team member who can attend in your stead. Please email [email protected] to transfer your ticket. A minimum of 7 business days before the event is required to transfer your ticket to your friend or colleague. We do not accept last-minute requests.