Cristina Duta

Cristina Duta

Senior Director Operations & Intelligent Automation Fortrea
Cristina Duta

Cristina Duta is a Senior Director of DevOps & Intelligent Automation at Fortrea, recognized for her ability to bridge strategy, technology, and innovation to drive meaningful transformation. With over a decade of global experience spanning automotive, life sciences, banking, and manufacturing, Cristina combines deep technical expertise with sharp business acumen. She holds an MSc and PhD in Computer Science and is a sought-after thought leader, known for delivering actionable insights at premier industry and tech events. Cristina is passionate about empowering organizations to embrace a digital-first mindset, scale intelligently, and build the foundations for the future of work.

Day One

9:30 AM DISCUSSION PANEL: The Yin and Yang of Continuous Improvement and AI

According to PEX Network annual report, 47 % of respondents said operational excellence and business transformation strategies are mission-critical in helping to drive growth, manage turnaround and deliver strategic objectives within organizations.

Industries are undergoing a seismic transformation, fueled by the rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI). While many organizations have made significant investments in AI, few are realizing the full potential of their efforts. According to Gartner, “Over 40% of agentic AI projects will be canceled by the end of 2027 due to escalating costs, unclear business value, or inadequate risk controls.”

Continuous Improvement (CI) has long been a proven framework for driving operational excellence. Traditionally focused on incremental gains in cost, quality, and delivery, CI initiatives often lose momentum over time due to challenges such as limited leadership engagement, initiative fatigue, and high implementation costs.

A growing number of forward-thinking organizations are bridging this gap by integrating CI and AI in a complementary, “yin and yang” approach. CI provides the structure to identify high-value opportunities and eliminate inefficiencies, while AI delivers the scale and speed to achieve breakthrough results.

Join us as industry leaders explore:

  • How CI and AI are evolving as distinct yet complementary strategies for performance improvement, including practical insights on re-thinking CI frameworks to both support and benefit from AI implementation
  • Real-world examples where AI has accelerated CI outcomes—and where CI has enabled successful AI adoption and highlighting practical steps for integrating AI and CI into a unified improvement approach
  • Change management and workforce alignment, ensuring that AI-enabled CI initiatives are adopted effectively and deliver sustainable, organization-wide value
  • What this emerging synergy reveals about the next S-curve of improvement in a technology-enabled business landscape