Olga Selina currently serves as VP of IT Data Platforms, AI and Global Functions at Baxter International Inc., where responsibilities include enhancing the enterprise-wide data strategy and enabling data and analytics as a service.
Before this role, Olga held several positions at HERE Technologies, culminating in VP of Operations, Planning and Innovation Enablement, focusing on operational excellence and transformation. Previous experience includes leadership roles at NAVTEQ, overseeing large teams in technology planning, integration, and quality management, and at Motorola in supply chain IT and quality governance.
Olga holds a Master’s in Economics and Marketing from Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.
Our Global Technology Managing Partner, Tony Leng, sits down with Olga who offers insights on transformational leadership, career development, and how AI is reshaping industries, emphasizing the importance of preparing for constant change.
What does good leadership mean to you?
– When you think about what the great job someone is doing, say it out loud (to them and your managers)
– Being politically savvy – in a good, practical way (e.g., looking for opportunities to help, recognizing the different types of political personas – takers, givers, etc.)
– Frequently giving and asking for actionable feedback
– Being a lifetime learner
– Advocating for your employees (getting them in the room where it happens (physically or by representation)
– Being open to ideas and encouraging innovative thinking
– Making humor a strong component of your leadership style to create a more relaxed, team-oriented working environment
What is the best example you have seen of ‘Transformational Leadership’?
I can’t truly point out one example of leadership that led to a successfully completed transformation because the process never stops – it gets faster. However, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with extraordinary leaders such as Angel Mendez, who built the unexpected into their strategies (from music and Disney references to storytelling to external benchmarks). He has engaged everyone in the transformation journey with his informal intensity.
What is the most important thing you have learnt in your career so far?
To always expect and be prepared for constant change and embrace it wholeheartedly. As they say, ‘flexibility is the new agility’.
How did you get to where you are today? Did you take a strategic, planned approach to your career, or has it been more opportunistic?
“I used to think I was indecisive, but now I’m not too sure.”
It’s a mix. I carefully plan out my desired career path and set goals, but I also look for and try to create opportunities along the way. I also work hard to expand and maintain my network. My personal brand has been very helpful – thoughtful decisiveness, connecting the dots, people and humor.
Is there anything you wish you’d known when you started your career? And anything you would tell yourself at an earlier stage in your career?
Early in my career, I was all about work, and my work-life balance was very lopsided. I would tell my younger self to even out that balance and encourage my team to do the same (and to buy stock in Google, Microsoft, etc.)
What changes to your industry do you anticipate over the next two years, and are you excited by them?
AI development and implementation will continue to pick up speed and permeate almost every industry (hopefully within guard rails to make it more secure). Disrupters like DeepSeek will continue to appear (through innovation thinking and reengineering), but enormous investments to push the envelope and lead innovation will still be necessary. Being in the middle of the AI era is great, sometimes scary – but never boring or static. The potential AI has to transform the healthcare industry is immense, and it’s very exciting to contemplate how it can be used to literally save lives.
What type of people do you like to work with, and what makes them good leaders?
I like realistic optimists who are extremely curious and encourage innovation. They are usually actively looking for people to mentor and are generous with feedback and advice. They display a great blend of confidence and humility (especially when reacting to a joke I make at their expense).
What fascinates you about your job?
The ingenuity and thoughtfulness of Baxter’s products, services, and the people who create and provide them. Providing healthcare on a global scale is a mind-bogglingly complex, and being part of its inner workings is a source of both pride and humility for me.
What keeps you awake at night?
The challenge of finding, developing, and keeping AI talent – AI experts are in high demand, and the competition for their services is fierce. I mitigate these circumstances by proactively identifying and developing AI expertise within the company.
What is the best way to switch off in your free time?
Fortunately, my commitment to lifelong learning dovetails nicely with my interest in reading or viewing information about technologies, especially AI and leadership. Also, having a young child to care for and entertain makes it easy to pivot away from thoughts about workday challenges and concerns.
AI and digital landscapes are ever-evolving. What skills or areas are you currently focusing on to ensure your organization remains at the forefront?
We need to improve how to ask/query the AI apps using more specific questions to receive more relevant, accurate results. So, we are focusing on training our teams to write better prompts. We are also making sure that necessary training is provided across all disciplines and departments and that knowledge and ideas are regularly shared and discussed.
What role do you see AI playing in your organization’s strategic decision-making process over the next 3-5 years, and how are you preparing for this transition?
This is a very timely question, as I’ve recently been reading commentary recently about how the default approach to using AI is to assign tasks and improve process efficiency – Kay Stoner, an AI Collaboration expert, calls this “Following AI.”
There is a belief that a different, more leadership-centric AI is needed and will be developed and expanded – called Leading AI. Leading AI apps and systems will play a collaborative role with leaders and help with strategic planning and decision-making by providing not only relevant data but also insights, guidelines, and suggestions using predictive AI features. In terms of preparing for this (and the unforeseen shifts in AI capabilities), I’m providing opportunities for my teams to try out new ideas, get training to keep up with AI’s rapid evolution, and not just think about what AI might look like or be capable of doing in the future, but the effect it might have on the industries, institutions, and societies in general that have yet to use AI in their environment.
How are you addressing potential AI-related risks and challenges in your organisation?
We are working very closely with our legal, security and privacy teams to develop and communicate clear AI development and use policies and guidelines. We are especially focused on potential data quality, accuracy and privacy issues and are constantly examining potential areas to determine where we should build or strengthen guardrails to protect our systems and clients.
When working to mitigate these risks and challenges – communication is key. We put a significant amount of effort and resources into sharing information and keeping people informed across the organization.
In what ways has AI already transformed your industry, and what changes do you anticipate will be most disruptive in the next 18-24 months?
You know how rookies in almost every professional sport always say, “I wasn’t prepared for how much faster everything is?” That’s what watching AI transform processes and business approaches feels like – we’re practically making day-to-day adjustments to optimize its potential.
The trends I’m following now that I expect will make an impact this year and into the next are advancements in agentic AI, multimodal AI, and an increased use of AI to build security applications to protect cyber systems.
How do you foster a culture of continuous learning within your teams?
I provide them with training opportunities within and outside the company. I’m also committed to developing talent from within – it helps the team with professional goals, keeps them engaged and aligned with company goals, and gives them the freedom to pursue interests outside their role.
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