SparkCognition Adds David Asher, Ph.D, as Executive Vice President of Strategy
Austin, TX (PRWEB) February 21, 2017 -- SparkCognition, one of the world’s fastest growing AI companies, is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. David Asher to its executive team. Asher joins as Executive Vice President of Strategy. He brings extensive experience in the financial world, both as a hedge fund strategist and as the architect of financial intelligence and operational programs for the US government. With a unique background in both security and securities, Asher helped pioneer the use of big data, machine learning, and network analysis in pursuit of some of the biggest counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation, and counter threat finance programs and initiatives in US history. Based on his experience in government, Asher believes artificial intelligence, specifically that developed by SparkCognition, has the power to counter critical threats, fight crime, and make the world safer.
Asher is also helping expand SparkCognition AI into the commercial financial sector. Over the last twenty years, Asher has worked for and advised some of the biggest and most successful asset managers and global hedge funds. He has helped spearhead recent client engagements at SparkCognition, applying patented artificial intelligence to quantitative trading, strategy identification, and research, while also leading the development of proprietary AI capabilities to automate and bring down the costs of compliance, sanctions screening, and anti-money laundering processes, which have become huge costs incurrences for financial institutions.
SparkCognition CEO, Amir Husain said, “I have known David for years, followed his work, and been in awe of the things he has made happen, or prevented from happening. He lives at the interaction of finance and intelligence and knows how to harness technology to support both. I am extremely pleased that David is now a part of the SparkCognition team.” Amir continued, “This makes us stronger in our efforts to apply our artificial intelligence solutions for cyber security, to help protect the financial industry, and to help industrial businesses decrease downtime, grow profits, and augment the talents of their most experienced employees.”
Dr. Asher has earned a reputation as a global expert on counter threat finance priorities, such as the identification and pursuit of illicit financing and facilitation schemes, money laundering, and trafficking. For more than twenty years, Asher has been an advisor to US government Departments and agencies, including SOCOM, CENTCOM, DEA, CIA, and the Departments of Defense, Treasury, State, and Justice. He has advised such organizations, and others, on finance issues and international finance overall, especially in Asia, and the Middle East.
Prior to joining SparkCognition, Asher was managing partner at Vital Financial, advising two of the world’s premier hedge funds on Asia, Middle East energy, and global macro strategy. He continues to serve as Chairman of Sayari Analytics, focused on the AML/CFT space for financial institutions. Asher is also an Adjunct Senior Fellow with the Center for a New American Security (CNAS, http://www.cnas.org) and a board member of the Center for Sanctions and Illicit Finance at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (http://defenddemocracy.org/about-fdd/team-overview/csif-advisor/).
Asher graduated from Cornell University, studied at the London School of Economics, and received his doctorate in International Relations from the University of Oxford. He spent two years as a postgraduate researcher at both the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University.
“The AI revolution will transform finance and security markets in a profound way,” said Asher. “SparkCognition is figuring out how to use AI to fight crime and to make the world safer. I’m proud to be part of this incredible team. Artificial intelligence, decision-making, and information assessment at machine scale will change everything. From delivering cognitive anti-money laundering systems and intelligent financial surveillance systems, to hyper-innovative financial market trading capabilities, SparkCognition is building what no human strategist could discern, let alone process – true human intelligence at machine scale.”
SparkCognition has established itself as an artificial intelligence technology leader with event prediction for business-critical solutions in place for customers in energy, oil and gas, manufacturing, and finance, including the London Stock Exchange Group.
About SparkCognition
SparkCognition is a global leader in cognitive computing analytics. A highly awarded company recognized for cutting-edge technology, SparkCognition develops AI-Powered cyber-physical software for the safety, security, and reliability of IT, OT, and the IIoT. The company’s technology is capable of harnessing real time sensor data and learning from it continuously, allowing for more accurate risk mitigation and prevention policies to intervene and avert disasters. In less than three years since launching its solution, the company has acquired dozens of major clients, including multiple Fortune 100 and Fortune 1,000 organizations.
For more information on the company, its technology and team, please visit http://www.sparkcognition.com.
Laura Beck, SparkCognition, http://www.sparkcognition.com, +1 (512) 786-1098, [email protected]
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