Zahra Shah

Zahra Shah is a visionary leader and expert in AI, generative AI, frontier technology, privacy, and technology for good, with a profound commitment to diversity and innovation. She is a passionate advocate and campaigner for responsible AI and AI governance, championing a dedicated UK AI Regulation that prioritises secure and transparent AI, especially safeguarding privacy rights for vulnerable groups. Zahra serves as an Expert Member of the Technology Advisory Panel at the ICO, providing insights and advising on privacy and data protection in frontier technologies, particularly AI and Gen AI, helping to shape UK policy. She is also a Board Advisor at NexaQuanta – an IBM Gold Partner, guiding AI transformations for global enterprises using the IBM Watsonx Responsible AI platform, and TeamUp Ventures, a tech-focused venture capital fund, where she leads on due diligence and strategic investment in high-growth tech firms. As Co-Founder and Non-Executive Director of Seers, she spearheaded the development of the UK’s first Child Privacy Consent Management Platform in collaboration with the ICO pioneering privacy-first solutions for global regulations like GDPR and CCPA. Zahra’s leadership extends to her role as Trustee (and former CEO) of the British Pakistan Foundation, where she champions economic empowerment and diversity. She leads transatlantic initiatives, under the Mayor of London’s programme, as the Chair & President of OPEN London CIC – London Chapter of OPEN Global, a premier, global, non-profit fostering entrepreneurship with over 15 chapters worldwide across North America, UK, Middle East and Pakistan. An active speaker and advocate, she has chaired initiatives for female founders under TIE London Women and Google Female Founders and supports tech-driven social impact, reinforcing her dedication to building inclusive, ethical, and innovative futures.