AI Case Study: Prudential Financial – How AI Made Coaching Available to Everyone, Anytime

Vicki A. Walia is the Chief People and Experience Officer at Prudential Financial. In this role, she leads the company’s global talent strategy, shaping an innovative, inclusive and high-performing workplace culture. With a deep commitment to empowering people and driving organizational success, Walia is responsible for all aspects of human resources and employee engagement, including talent management, talent acquisition, learning and development, and culture and inclusion.

Prior to becoming Chief People and Experience Officer, Walia served as Prudential’s head of HR for the U.S. businesses and Global Asset Management, where she oversaw HR teams across Prudential’s Insurance and Retirement businesses and PGIM, Prudential’s global asset management arm. In her earlier role as Chief Talent and Capability Officer, she led efforts to integrate talent management with organizational capability to advance the company’s strategic goals.

Walia brings extensive expertise in human resources leadership, honed through diverse and impactful roles. Before joining Prudential, she was head of People at Moody’s Analytics, where she developed the company’s human capital strategy and led the global HRBP team supporting nearly 6,000 employees. At AllianceBernstein (AB), she held senior leadership roles and oversaw talent, diversity and inclusion functions. In her final role at AB, Walia served as head of Digital Strategy and Innovation, spearheading initiatives that leveraged trends in technology, regulation, and investment services to enhance and differentiate the firm’s offerings and leading the firm’s efforts to be invested in the fintech ecosystem through partnerships and capital.

She began her career at Development Dimensions International (DDI), collaborating with clients on assessment, selection and leadership/executive development projects.

A recognized thought leader, Walia has delivered numerous professional and scientific presentations at the annual meetings of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology and the Academy of Management. She has also served as an associate professor at NYU, teaching analytics. Walia holds a B.F.A. in music from York University and an M.S. and Ph.D. in industrial and organizational psychology from Alliant International University.

Ani Huang is President, Policy and Practice of the CHRO Association, the only independent organization serving Chief Human Resource Officers and top HR executives of major multinational corporations.

Ani’s reputation and deep expertise in C-suite HR issues make her a trusted resource and confidant for CHROs and rewards executives. She regularly advises top executives and senior policymakers on human capital issues ranging from executive compensation and workforce AI to CEO succession. Her expertise also extends to the CHRO’s evolving role in driving business results by shaping corporate strategy.

As President, Policy and Practice, Ani leads the Association’s value offering to members. In this role, she guides a team of global experts in creating invaluable resources and peer engagement opportunities that CHROs and senior HR executives rely on.

Ani also serves as CEO of the Association’s Center on Executive Compensation. Her leadership established the Center as the top independent resource for CHROs and total rewards executives navigating complex executive compensation and governance challenges.

Before joining the CHRO Association, Ani held senior HR leadership roles including Vice President, Global Compensation and Benefits at Global Payments and HR Advisor at Deutsche Bank.

Ani earned her degree in International Relations from Stanford University and is frequently sought after by executives, policymakers, industry organizations, and the media for her insights on complex workplace issues and the voice of the CHRO.