30 IT Influencers to Follow in 2024
Staying ahead in IT means keeping up with the voices shaping the future. The biggest topics of 2024 include artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity and digital transformation, and these 30 IT influencers are at the forefront of these conversations.
This year's list includes experts and entrepreneurs across enterprise, small business, retail, finance, nonprofits, energy and utilities, and manufacturing. All are known for their powerful platforms, engaged followers and the distinct style with which they share cutting-edge technologies and practical strategies for businesses.
This list is your go-to resource for the voices that matter most. Scroll down to also view our list of favorite tech podcasts, and continue the conversation on social media @BizTechMagazine.
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Kate Ancketill is a global thought leader in business futurism. She is the CEO and founder of the business futurist consultancy GDR. For 25 years, she has been the innovation partner for major brands such as P&G, Tesco, Target, Sephora, Microsoft, Google, Samsung, Moet Hennessy, the BBC, the National Retail Federation and more.
Nicolas Boucher is the founder of AI Finance Club. This masterclass network of courses and expert content empowers members to explore artificial intelligence-driven solutions for real-world financial challenges.
Known as Dr. Data Scientist in the small-business world, Craig Brown bridges the gap between data and insights. Over the course of his career, he’s demonstrated how businesses can get the most out of the data they collect for maximum success. Small businesses in particular can follow Brown to learn about the latest trends and how they can lead to growth.
Anita Campbell is a well-respected, expert voice in the small-business space. She is the founder and CEO of Small Business Trends, which details the latest in IT along with practical suggestions for how organizations can make the most of their technology. Campbell's industry leadership is backed by a following in the hundreds of thousands.
Keren Elazari is a security researcher and frequent TED Talks speaker. Co-founder of Leading Cyber Ladies, a professional network for women in technology, Elazari tweets about cybersecurity issues that everyone, especially small businesses, should be aware of.
Anand Eswaran is the CEO of Veeam, one of the leading providers of backup and recovery solutions. A thought leader on topics such as digital resilience, he had senior leadership experience with RingCentral and Microsoft prior to joining Veeam.
Harley Finkelstein is an entrepreneur, lawyer and the president of Shopify. He founded his first company at age 17 while a student at McGill University. He has received the Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 award and been named on Fortune’s 40 Under 40 list, and currently serves on the board of directors of the National Retail Federation.
Dana Gardner brings 30 years of tracking IT advances and disruption to API security startup Traceable, where he delivers digital business transformation insights.
Carla Gentry has more than 23 years of experience in the small-business space. As the owner and chief data scientist at Analytical-Solution, she shares valuable insights on business analytics, data science and machine learning for IT leaders.
Stephen Gold is the president and CEO of Manufacturers Alliance, a national leadership network for the manufacturing industry. In this role, he helps drive leadership and technology modernization efforts within the sector.
An entrepreneur, technologist and B2B digital creator, Antonio Grasso is one of the most popular influencers in small business. He is the founder and CEO of Digital Business Innovation as well as a sustainability advocate, author and researcher.
CJ Gustafson is a veteran in the world of software startups. He is the author of the Substack newsletter Mostly metrics, where he writes about his “playbooks, observations and screw-ups from scaling high-growth software companies, ” and host of the Run the Numbers podcast. In his day job, Eric is the CFO of PartsTech, a parts procurement platform for auto repair shops.
Justin Honaman is the g at Amazon Web Services. With extensive expertise in cloud technology, data analytics and AI, Justin partners with global retail and consumer goods organizations to enhance customer experiences. He is also a speaker, host of the ContenderCast podcast and the author of several books, including Be Extraordinary and Make It Happen.
Troy is a cybersecurity expert and the creator of Have I Been Pwned? a website that allows users to check whether their email addresses have been included in a reported data breach. Troy is also an international speaker on information security and a blogger on his own site, troyhunt.com.
Nana Janashia is the founder of TechWorld with Nana and a leading voice in DevOps, cloud computing and automation making her a go-to resource for anyone looking to deepen their technical skills. With a YouTube community of over 1 million and 240,000 LinkedIn followers, she shares practical insights, tutorials and real-world case studies. Nana also runs a six-month DevOps Bootcamp designed to launch tech careers, and has trained professionals from top organizations including Microsoft and NASA.
Dr. Rana el Kaliouby is a thought leader and podcast host of Pioneers of AI and an AI advisor to Smart Eye, a developer of products that support machine vision systems. She is also the co-founder and former CEO of Affectiva and author of the book Girl Decoded. Known as the AI Girl Boss, she encourages businesses to use emotional AI to stay innovative and achieve success.
A self-described “B2B techfluencer,” Evan Kirstel tweets prolifically to his hundreds of thousands of followers on a range of topics, from open banking to artificial intelligence, digital customer experience and much more.
Brian Krebs is an internationally recognized expert on information security. A former reporter for The Washington Post, Brian runs his own website, Krebs on Security, where he writes a daily blog on cybercrime and computer security.
Cristina Mancini is the CEO at Black Girls Code, a nonprofit organization dedicated to placing 1 million girls of color in tech by 2040. Since joining as CEO in 2023, Cristina has championed equity and innovation, steering the organization toward a future in which Black girls are not just coders but imaginative creators and leaders shaping our world. Throughout her career, she has been recognized in the EBONY Power 100 and the World Woman Foundation’s #ShesMyHero campaign. She’s also held C-suite positions at Salesforce and 20th Century Fox.
Anna Marrs is the group president of global merchant and network services at American Express. As a key figure in the financial services industry, she oversees innovative solutions for corporate clients, driving growth through cutting-edge payment and risk management strategies. Her expertise helps businesses worldwide thrive in the marketplace.
An experienced IT professional and analyst, Laurie McCabe is a longtime leader in the small-business tech world. She is the co-founder and partner at SMB Group, and her sizable following and thoughtful insights keep her at the forefront of tech conversations.
Amy Neumann is the founder of Resourceful Nonprofit, an organization that helps supply nonprofits with tools and resources so teams can get the most out of technology. In addition to being an advocate for diversity and inclusion, Neumann is also a thought leader on artificial intelligence.
Jeetu Patel is Cisco’s executive vice president and chief product officer. He joined Cisco in 2020, and today is one of its highest-ranking executives. Jeetu was previously the executive vice president and general manager of Cisco’s security and collaboration divisions, and he has held senior leadership positions in technology companies including Box and Dell EMC.
Kevin Roose is a popular technology columnist for The New York Times. Based in the San Francisco area, he’s a co-host of the Times tech podcast Hard Fork. Kevin is also the author of three books, including the new Futureproof: 9 Rules for Humans in the Age of Automation, which he describes as “a guide to surviving the technological future.”
Dan Schulman is a technology and financial services business leader and board member at JUST Capital. A former CEO of PayPal, he’s been recognized as a Businessperson of the Year by Fortune and as a Ripple of Hope laureate by the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization.
Dana Snyder is a champion of nonprofits and IT leadership. She is the CEO and founder of Positive Equation, podcast host of Missions to Movements, a digital marketer and a keynote speaker. She frequently shares fundraising tips and expert advice on how nonprofits can grow their presence and monthly giving programs.
James Stark is the segment development manager for retail at Axis Communications. He leads cross-functional initiatives with business data analytics to optimize security measures, risk management and customer experience. He has more than 30 years of experience in the retail industry and specializes in loss prevention, safety, e-commerce fraud and supply chain security.
R “Ray” Wang is a tech influencer with many talents. He’s the founder, chairman and principal analyst of the tech advisory firm Constellation Research; a co-host of its weekly web series DisrupTV; and a bestselling author. He frequently talks about the importance of digital transformation and having a strong digital strategy as businesses look to scale. He has appeared on BBC News, CNBC and NPR and in The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan Management Review and Forbes.
Amy Sample Ward is all about tech for good. They are the CEO of NTEN and the author of The Tech That Comes Next: How Changemakers, Philanthropists and Technologists Can Build an Equitable World. Education is at the heart of technology use in the nonprofit sector, and NTEN is an influential organization dedicated to using tech ethically to promote change.
John Wilczynski is the executive director of America Makes, which brings together those in the manufacturing industry with educators, government officials and workforce associations to support the development and adoption of innovative technology. He previously worked at General Motors.
Best Tech Podcasts
Join hosts Marco Arment, Casey Liss and John Siracusa to hear “three nerds” discuss “Apple, programming and loosely related matters,” according to the podcast's website.
Hosted by Chamath Palihapitiya, Jason Calacanis, David Sacks and David Friedberg, this show features insider takes on business, technology and society.
Dive into dynamic discussions on gaming, open-source tech and capital markets for tech enthusiasts and curious minds alike.
Co-hosts Aaron Delp and Brian Gracely follow the latest trends in cloud computing.
Host Nathan Labenz explores artificial intelligence from every angle and discusses its transformative impact on work, life, society and culture.
Tech veterans Tom Merritt and Sarah Lane cover major events in the industry in a daily wrap-up, including new product releases, leadership updates and more.
Hosted by Jack Rhysider, this podcast takes listeners into the world of cybersecurity, hacking and digital crime, featuring true stories from the dark web including espionage, breaches and exploits.
Hosted by David Spark, Geoff Belknap and Steve Zalewski, this podcast covers critical cybersecurity topics, drawing from real-world strategies, experts and industry leaders.
Hosted by former CIA acting director Michael Morell, this podcast offers in-depth conversations with security experts, policymakers and the Intelligence Community about global security concerns.
Host Joe Casabona provides intelligent insights to help solo business owners simplify operations, boost productivity and achieve sustainable success.
Co-hosts Nilay Patel, David Pierce and Alex Cranz analyze the week’s most important technology news, from gadgets to tech policy updates.
