Wilkey’s career trajectory showcases her depth of expertise in finance, strategy, and sales within the global technology sector. She began as a financial analyst before advancing to Chief Financial Officer at EDS Personal Communications Corp. Transitioning into strategy and sales at EDS Corporation, she later held leadership roles at HP and DXC Technology. In 2024, she joined Lenovo, where she is widely recognized as one of the top sales leaders in the industry.
At LEAP 2025 in Riyadh, Wilkey sat down with CNME to discuss Lenovo’s role in helping businesses maximize the potential of AI. She emphasized the company’s Hybrid AI Advantage portfolio, which is designed to empower organizations to harness data and intelligence for faster business outcomes. Lenovo takes a consultative approach, working closely with customers to identify AI use cases that will deliver meaningful impact.
Wilkey acknowledged that business leaders are under immense pressure to integrate AI into their operations but emphasized the importance of validating AI use cases before full-scale implementation. Over the past few months, Lenovo has been focused on helping customers transition from pocket-to-cloud, determining the best AI models to deploy. Their approach considers not only technology but also the human factor, ensuring seamless execution and ease of use. Lenovo has developed a model that allows customers to test, validate, and see proof of value within 90 days. By working closely with businesses to identify impactful AI concepts, the company ensures that solutions are ready for production without the need for extensive redesigns.
Another key priority for Lenovo is simplifying AI adoption. Security plays a crucial role in AI development, and Lenovo integrates security measures at every level, whether through built-in device security or Microsoft tools. Wilkey also highlighted the importance of Lenovo’s partner ecosystem, which helps customers determine the compute requirements necessary for their AI environments. Given that data is a critical factor in AI applications, the challenge lies in managing how AI and agents process and manipulate data while ensuring accessibility for developers and end users.
Education remains a major focus in Lenovo’s AI strategy. Recognizing that the AI landscape evolves rapidly, the company has launched an AI Library to streamline knowledge-sharing and decision-making. One of the key benefits of this library is the acceleration of legal processes related to AI implementation. Traditionally, legal teams require non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) before AI discussions can take place, a process that previously took weeks. Lenovo’s AI experts collaborated with legal teams to create a standardized NDA framework, reducing the time required from weeks to as little as an hour. This initiative allows Lenovo’s global sales teams and customers to engage in AI conversations more quickly and effectively. The AI Library also facilitates collaboration with independent software vendors (ISVs) and service providers, enabling innovative AI solutions to be incubated and integrated into Lenovo’s broader AI ecosystem.
Wilkey noted that many business leaders face mounting pressure from their boards to develop clear AI strategies. She likened the current AI boom to the early days of cloud computing, when companies struggled to define their approach. Lenovo, operating in 180 markets worldwide, recognizes that AI adoption varies across industries and regions. For instance, an insurance company CIO expressed concerns about AI compliance, prompting Lenovo to develop tailored solutions that directly address industry-specific challenges. Wilkey stressed the importance of industry expertise in AI adoption, explaining that when Lenovo lacks direct knowledge in a particular sector, it leverages its channel partners to bridge the gap.
A major theme at LEAP 2025 was the emergence of Agentic AI, which analysts predict will be a defining trend in 2025. Agentic AI models go beyond traditional AI by continuously learning, refining processes, and automating complex workflows. These models can eliminate manual coding tasks and streamline development processes. Lenovo is collaborating with NVIDIA and other technology leaders to explore the compute power required to validate, test, and deploy Agentic AI models at scale. However, the high costs associated with this technology present challenges, leading Lenovo to explore consumption-based strategies that make AI more accessible to businesses. Wilkey emphasized the need to simplify AI adoption, ensuring that even non-developers can experiment with and utilize these advanced AI models.
Wilkey concluded the discussion by highlighting Lenovo’s TruScale platform, which provides businesses with flexible and scalable computing environments. Many organizations, particularly in sectors such as finance, healthcare, and the public sector, prioritize security and intellectual property protection. While some prefer public cloud solutions, others require on-premises infrastructure that delivers the same cloud-like experience. TruScale addresses these concerns by offering a financial model that enables businesses to access the necessary compute power without significant upfront capital investment. This pay-as-you-go model ensures flexibility, allowing customers to scale their AI deployments based on their evolving needs.
Through its AI-driven solutions, strategic partnerships, and commitment to education, Lenovo is positioning itself as a leader in the AI revolution. By making AI adoption simpler, faster, and more secure, the company is helping businesses navigate the complexities of digital transformation while delivering tangible results.