Sailesh Bharathwaaj is a distinguished AI leader with a proven track record of innovation, holding 83 granted U.S. patents in computer vision, machine learning, and system design, with 50 more published. Passionate about solving practical business challenges with data and AI, Sailesh excels at building and scaling multifaceted teams and driving strategic, long-term innovation. As the head of the AI Center of Excellence at 7-Eleven, Sailesh leads the development of an enterprise-wide AI/ML platform to accelerate time to market. He oversees teams working on personalization, forecasting, store intelligence, CRM, fraud detection, and cutting-edge AI innovation, including generative AI, NLP, and computer vision. Known for his ability to bring moonshot ideas to life, Sailesh spearheaded the development of a cashierless store and automated self-checkout systems, earning over 70 patents in just three years. His visionary leadership continues to shape the future of AI in business.