News Release: April 29, 2025 -- Announcing our new Chief Design Officer.

• Datalign snags another innovator: this time, it's AI interface pioneer Puneet Thariani (ex-IBM Watson, Amazon) as Chief Design Officer.

• Datalign is focused on revolutionizing AI-driven financial advisor connections.

• Thariani's deep experience aims to create seamless, trusted financial guidance experiences.

Welcome Puneet Thariani as our Chief Design Officer!

A leading figure in artificial intelligence (AI) interface design, Thariani began his impactful work with IBM Watson in the early 2010s. Now, he will accelerate Datalign's mission to align Americans with financial advisors. These advisors can provide personalized and trusted guidance.

Who is Puneet Thariani?

Thariani joins Datalign from Amazon Web Services (AWS), Amazon's $90+ billion cloud computing division. He worked there on confidential projects 3-7 years ahead of the market. He also served as a lead user experience designer for Amazon's A9 division, which is the technology behind Amazon's search and advertising systems. 

Prior to Amazon, Thariani contributed to the groundbreaking AI interfaces of IBM Watson. This included its early applications for financial advisors supporting high-net-worth clients at DBS Bank in Singapore.

“We're in the middle of a paradigm shift in how consumers engage with AI in financial services. Human-Design interaction is at the beginning of a new break-out stage. We're excited about how we will lead this evolution in interaction,” said Datalign CEO Satayan Mahajan. “Traditional interfaces are based on "pre-AI" engagements. We need to re-think and re-invent how consumers engage with this new AI world. That's why we brought Puneet to the team.”

What momentum has Datalign seen in 2025?

Datalign adds Thariani weeks after Andy Berkheimer, a key engineering leader from YouTube's early days, joined the company as Chief Technology Officer. The leadership duo look to build on recent momentum, including a $9 million investment from Link Ventures. 

"We've all experienced that moment when technology just works. I've watched AI evolve from its early days at IBM Watson to today's more sophisticated systems. Yet, when it comes to something as important as financial guidance, the experience still isn't where it needs to be for most Americans," said Thariani. "I'm joining Datalign because they're taking on this exact challenge. They are reimagining how AI can create perfectly aligned connections between people and the trusted financial expertise they need.”

Who is Datalign Advisory?

Datalign Advisory is a financial technology company that connects Americans with fiduciary advisors through a free to use, AI-enhanced platform built for privacy, simplicity, and alignment.

We launched in 2022 from the heart of Cambridge’s innovation hub, with support from Link Ventures. As an SEC-registered business, we’ve built a platform that has already helped connect over $50 billion in assets to 13,000 trusted advisors. 86% of advisors on Datalign’s platform appeared on the 2023 Barron’s Top RIA list.

Built on trust, powered by technology, and designed for real-life — this is perfectly aligned finance. For news and updates, connect with us on LinkedIn.