Rebecca Finlay named as CEO: A Letter from Eric Horvitz, Chair of the Board of Directors

Dear PAI Partners,

I would like to let you know that, following an extensive international search, the Partnership on AI’s Board of Directors has unanimously and enthusiastically appointed Rebecca Finlay as CEO effective immediately. Rebecca has served on the PAI Board since early 2020. We invited her to step into the role of Acting Executive Director in February of this year. Rebecca brings a wealth of experience leading global multi-stakeholder initiatives, catalyzing collaborations across sectors and borders, and driving towards solutions with integrity. We are thrilled to welcome her into the role.

Most recently, Rebecca served as Vice President of Engagement and Public Policy at the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR). In this role, she gained a reputation as a trusted leader in building communities to transform research insights into actionable impact. During her tenure at the organization, she founded CIFAR’s AI & Society program, led international public policy outreach and government relations, played a central role in facilitating the organization’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion plan, and built successful long-term funding partnerships. Prior to her work at CIFAR, Rebecca held executive leadership roles in the non-profit and private sectors. In recognition for her contributions in science policy and innovation, Rebecca was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

As the Partnership’s Acting Executive Director, Rebecca has been a remarkable leader, spearheading a successful consultative strategic planning process, aligning the organization’s focus on the most impactful programs, and building supportive relationships with the board, staff, and you, our partner community.

Rebecca will be reaching out in the coming weeks. I know she is eager to continue, strengthen, and grow PAI’s collaborations with you and your organizations. Thank you for your continued participation and commitment to our shared goals.

Please join me and the rest of the board in welcoming Rebecca. I am excited to see where she will take the Partnership on AI as we move forward to fulfill our mission and vision.

Sincerely,

Eric Horvitz
Chair of the Board of Directors