Josip Lazarevski

Global Senior Director, Data Science & AI | Turning Industrial AI Into Revenue at Scale | Innovator AI for Manufacturing

Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

About

Global AI & Data executive with 22+ years orchestrating enterprise-wide transformations, building 0→132+ person teams, and delivering extraordinary ROI. Currently Global Director of Data Science & AI at Johnson Controls, managing a CHF 3M budget, negotiating with top-tier vendors, and co-innovating with Microsoft to scale generative AI across EMEA, US, and APAC. Quantified Impact: • 1000+% ROI on AI investments with 30% improvement in operational efficiency • 80% adoption rate of AI products in traditional, blue-collar industries • $36M+ annual revenue increase from AI solutions and 18% new revenue opportunities unlocked via AI market insights Strategic Expertise: • AI strategy, architecture sign-off & vendor negotiation for global initiatives • Generative AI enablement through the Microsoft Innovation Program • Human-centric transformation – empowering frontline workers and “Mechanic 3.0” initiatives • P&L ownership for multimillion-CHF AI transformation programs • Scaling AI governance, ethics, and compliance across diverse markets AI Vision & Philosophy: 1. Business-First AI: Every solution must deliver measurable ROI. 2. Human-Centric AI: Adoption succeeds when frontline workers are enabled and empowered. 3. Ethical Innovation: Robust governance creates trust and accelerates adoption. I believe the most valuable AI solutions emerge where technical sophistication, business strategy, and human-centered design converge. With extensive experience driving adoption in traditional industries, I’m passionate about bringing fresh ideas to life sciences and other sectors ready for AI transformation.

Experience

  • Johnson Controls (Zurich, Switzerland)
    • Global Director of Data Science and AI
      Jan 2024 - Present · 2 yrs 6 mos

      • Leading 120 people, delivering an 800% ROI on AI investments. • Achieved a 30% improvement in operational efficiency and an 80% adoption rate of AI products in traditionally non-digital, blue-collar environments. • Champion human-centric AI initiatives that augment and upskill frontline workers (Mechanic 3.0 programs). • Drive Microsoft Innovation Program projects, co-creating generative AI solutions in partnership with Microsoft. • Define global AI and Data Science strategy, architecture, and vendor selection across EMEA, US, and APAC. • Set product roadmaps and P&L objectives; translate technical concepts into board-level business strategies.

    • Senior Director, Data Science & Knowledge Engineering
      Jan 2023 - Jan 2024 · 1 yr 1 mo

      • Led a world-class data science team at Johnson Controls, driving revenue growth and operational efficiencies. • Translated technical concepts into actionable business strategies, fostering innovation and team collaboration. • Implemented AI solutions that resulted in a significant revenue increase of over $36M annually.

  • Head of Data Science at Omnicom
    Jun 2020 - Jan 2023 · 2 yrs 8 mos

    • Led a team of Data Scientists in implementing AI and machine learning strategies for Search, resulting in a 30% improvement in search results and a 15% increase in conversion rate. • Developed cutting-edge image and video processing techniques using OpenCV and OpenAI Whisper for next-generation in-video search. • Created a Propensity model that increased opportunity success rate by 60% and generated $3M in extra revenue.

  • Head of Data Science at Palo Alto Networks
    Jun 2013 - Jun 2020 · 7 yrs 1 mo

    I spearheaded the introduction of data science and AI strategies at Palo Alto Networks, overseeing departmental budgets, leading R&D projects, and developing innovative methodologies to drive marketing success. • Led the development of an NLP AI Automated Content Tagger, saving 80% of Content Managers' time and increasing digital asset usage by 70%. • Collaborated extensively with CDP platforms like Salesforce and Adobe Experience Platform to create personalized campaigns, resulting in a 70% improvement in sales conversion and 90% customer satisfaction rates.

  • GSEEM International Master studies at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
    Aug 2012 - Jan 2014 · 1 yr 6 mos

    GSEEM International Master studies www.­gseem.­eu

  • Data Science Specialist at EY
    May 2012 - Dec 2013 · 1 yr 8 mos

    Led the development of strategic financial features, resulting in a 25% increase in portfolio returns and streamlined feature engineering processes, saving 15% in time and resources. • Ensured models' consistent uptime at 99.5%, maximizing operational efficiency. • Delivered concise, executive-level reports rated at 4.5/5 satisfaction. • Pioneered cutting-edge trading algorithms, boosting profitability by 10%.