Top Human Capital Consultant: Teneo’s Micah Alpern

Top AI Consultant: ZS’s Arun Shastri

In this episode, we speak with Arun Shastri, Principal at ZS and a global leader in the firm’s AI practice. Arun advises clients on AI, customer experience, sales effectiveness, and digital transformation across industries including technology, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, financial services, and travel. Arun has worked with AI for much of his career, including research tied to his Ph.D. in decision sciences from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. At ZS, he has helped lead AI implementations and guide the development of AI-powered products for B2B and B2C clients. He is also a co-author of The Harvard Business Review Sales Management Handbook and teaches executive education at Kellogg on digital transformation and AI applications in sales. Arun was recognized by The Consulting Report as one of the Top 25 Artificial Intelligence Consultants and Leaders of 2025. ZS is a management consulting and technology firm with more than 15,000 employees across 40-plus offices worldwide, helping organizations use data, science, technology, and strategy to improve business outcomes. Arun supports Teach for America [https://www.teachforamerica.org/] and Teach for India [https://www.teachforindia.org/]. I am your host RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

Top Human Capital Consultant: Teneo’s Micah Alpern

In this episode, we speak with Micah Alpern, Senior Managing Director at Teneo. Micah is part of the firm’s People Advisory team, where he advises organizations and executives on culture, leadership, and talent strategy, particularly in the context of transformation and transactions. Micah brings nearly two decades of experience guiding Fortune 500 companies and private equity-backed businesses through complex organizational change. Before joining Teneo, he was a partner at EY, where he built a Culture and Leadership offering, and previously held leadership roles at Kearney and Booz & Company. His work focuses on leadership development, team effectiveness, and aligning culture with business strategy to improve performance. Micah was recognized by The Consulting Report as one of the Top 25 Human Capital Consultants and Leaders of 2023 and 2025. Teneo is a global advisory firm that works with CEOs and senior leaders across strategy, communications, financial advisory, risk, and organizational design to help solve complex business challenges. I am your host RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

Top AI Consultant: FTI Consulting’s Sumeet Gupta

In this episode, we speak with Sumeet Gupta, Senior Managing Director and Leader of AI and Digital Transformation at FTI Consulting. Sumeet leads the firm’s AI and Digital Transformation practice, advising companies and investors on business model change, operating model redesign, and value creation through AI. Sumeet began his career as an AI researcher, studying deep learning neural networks at IIT and later conducting research with MIT and the National Center for Biological Sciences. He brings more than 20 years of experience helping companies apply AI, data, and emerging technologies across sectors including retail, healthcare, financial services, technology, and industrials. Before joining FTI Consulting, he was an Executive Partner at Publicis Sapient and previously co-founded a high-performance computing startup. Sumeet was recognized by The Consulting Report as one of the Top 25 Digital Transformation Consultants and Leaders of 2024 and 2026, and one of the Top 25 Artificial Intelligence Consultants and Leaders of 2025. FTI Consulting is a global advisory firm that helps organizations navigate transformation, performance challenges, and high-stakes business situations across more than 30 countries and territories. I am your host RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

Top M&A Consultant: Grant Thornton Stax’s Paul Edwards

In this episode, we speak with Paul Edwards, Global Practice Lead at Grant Thornton Stax. Paul leads firm strategy and execution, with a focus on market and commercial work for private equity clients across the deal lifecycle, from acquisition evaluation to value creation and exit preparation. Paul has spent more than two decades advising private equity firms and portfolio companies on diligence, growth strategy, pricing, and market positioning. Over that time, he has led more than 1,000 engagements and helped build the firm’s private equity practice into a global business supporting hundreds of engagements each year. He brings particular experience in software, services, and industrials, and has been with Stax for more than 20 years. Paul was recognized by The Consulting Report as a Top 25 M&A Consultant and Leader of 2025. Grant Thornton Stax is a strategy consulting firm focused on commercial diligence, value creation, and growth strategy for private equity firms and corporate clients. I am your host RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

Top Consumer and Retail Consultant: Genpact’s Charisma Glassman

In this episode, we speak with Charisma Glassman, Partner, Vice President, and Global Head of Retail, Consumer and E-Commerce Advisory at Genpact. Charisma advises retail and consumer brands on AI, digital transformation, and operating model changes across subsectors including fashion, luxury, grocery, beauty, and e-commerce. Charisma brings more than two decades of experience across business and technology transformation. Before joining Genpact, she held leadership roles at Capgemini, Barclays, Citi, and Rave Digital, working across retail, luxury, financial services, and digital commerce. Her work has included large-scale AI transformation initiatives, customer experience strategy, growth planning, and post-merger integration. Charisma was recognized by The Consulting Report as a Top 25 Artificial Intelligence Consultant and Leader of 2025 and a Top Consumer and Retail Consultant and Leader of 2026. Genpact is an advanced technology services and solutions company that helps enterprises apply data, technology, and AI across operations and business functions. Charisma support American India Foundation [https://aif.org/] and Asian American Business Development Center [https://www.aabdc.com/]. I am your host RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.