Digital
Xapads Launches in The UK With Appointment of James Eppinger as Country Head
Mumbai: Xapads, the leader in advanced programmatic and innovative AdTech solutions, expands its operations into the UK market with the appointment of James Eppinger as Country Head. As Country Head, James will be responsible for building a specialist team to roadmap innovation requirements for local demand, while securing partnerships with technology and supply partners.
On his appointment, Nitin Gupta, CEO of Xapads, says: “It’s fantastic to have James on board as his years of experience and expertise will help us shape our business in the region. As a company, we have always focused our efforts on data and performance-driven AI capabilities and with him in our team, we aim to redefine industry standards and solidify our position as leaders in harnessing cutting-edge technology for market advantage.
James has a history of specializing and driving growth for businesses during pivotal points of development, including a number of local market launches. Most recently, he held the position of Country Head UK & EMEA at Datawrkz and prior to that, Regional Director of EMEA at Connatix, where he continued to make substantial contributions to the field.
Ramneek Chadha, Chief Operating Officer at Xapads further adds : “James’s leadership is expected to be a solid asset in reaching our business goals. He will play a significant role in helping us cultivate strong, positive relationships and maintain our commitment to high-quality service. As we begin to offer our specialized innovations to local markets throughout EMEA, James’s guidance will be valuable”.
Xapads is a fast-growing programmatic ad-tech firm, specializing in cross-device insights and intelligent AI that ensures guaranteed outcomes across the entire user journey.
On joining Xapads, James, Country Head, UK of Xapads, comments: “I’m excited to be part of a team that leads the way in innovation and creativity within the digital advertising sector. I’m eager to mirror Xapads’ success in the region, and to introduce their top-tier market offerings to independent media agencies, brands and partners across the UK and EU. I look forward to contributing to the delivery of impactful solutions that meet our clients’ needs”.
Digital
Ethical AI must benefit society, not dominate it, says WFEB chief Sanjay Pradhan at IAA event
At Mumbai event, ethics expert urges businesses and governments to shape AI responsibly
MUMBAI: Artificial intelligence may be racing ahead at lightning speed, but its direction must still be guided by human conscience. That was the central message delivered by Sanjay Pradhan, president of the World Forum for Ethics in Business (WFEB), during the latest edition of IAA Conversations held in Mumbai.
The session was organised by the International Advertising Association (IAA) and the Artificial Intelligence Association of India (AIAI) in association with The Free Press Journal at the Free Press House on 7 March. Addressing a packed audience, Pradhan called for stronger ethical leadership to ensure AI remains a tool that benefits humanity rather than one that governs it.
“Artificial intelligence has rapidly become one of the most powerful technologies humanity has created,” Pradhan said. “It is unlocking breakthroughs in medicine, science and creativity at a pace unimaginable just a few years ago.”
But he warned that the same technology carries serious risks. AI, he noted, can amplify disinformation faster than facts can travel, compromise privacy, deepen discrimination and disrupt millions of livelihoods. Referencing concerns raised by AI pioneers such as Geoffrey Hinton, often called the godfather of AI, Pradhan stressed that the real challenge is not whether AI will shape the world, but whether humans will shape it with ethics and wisdom.
Structuring his talk around four guiding questions, why, what, how and who, Pradhan introduced the audience to WFEB’s emerging AI Ethics Partnership, a global platform aimed at advancing responsible artificial intelligence. He outlined four priority concerns that demand urgent attention: disinformation, bias and discrimination, data privacy and job security.
To make the idea of ethical AI easier to grasp, Pradhan offered a simple metaphor. Ethical AI, he said, is like a three layered cake. The outer layer represents the visible value ethical AI creates for businesses and society. The middle layer is organisational culture that moves ethics from written codes to everyday practice. The innermost layer, however, is the most crucial, the conscience of individual leaders.
Drawing from Indian philosophical thought through WFEB co-founder Ravi Shankar, Pradhan noted that while artificial intelligence can reproduce stored knowledge, true intelligence is boundless and rooted in conscience, creativity and compassion. Practices such as breathwork and meditation, he suggested, can help leaders develop the calm clarity needed for ethical decision making.
The event also featured a discussion with Maninder Adityaraj Singh, chief of staff and head of innovation at Rediffusion Brand Solutions Pvt Ltd, and Yash Johri, lawyer, Supreme Court of India.
Opening the session, IAA India chapter president Abhishek Karnani, highlighted the need for industries to understand and engage with AI responsibly.
“AI has to be befriended and understood,” added Rediffusion managing director and AIAI national convenor Sandeep Goyal. “Its ethical use will determine whether it becomes a friend or a foe.”
As AI continues to reshape industries and societies, Pradhan ended with a simple but powerful call to action. Businesses, governments and individuals must work together to ensure that the algorithms shaping the future reflect human values rather than just cold logic.
