Davos, Switzerland | January 2026
As part of the Smart Cities Council's delegation at WEF Davos 2026, SCC continues its Women Leading the Way series, spotlighting women who are shaping the future of cities, industries, and communities through innovation, resilience, and inclusive leadership.
Today, we feature Dao Jensen, President of Compass UOL North America and a global leader in Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud transformation, and purpose-driven enterprise.
Previously, Dao founded the first 100% female minority-owned AWS Partner in the West Coast. In 2024, Oak Rocket merged with Compass UOL, now a Premier AWS Partner and part of AI/R. Today, she leads organizations in leveraging AI, agentic systems, and generative AI to innovate, transform, and compete in rapidly evolving markets.
Through AI/R’s global initiatives, including AI scholarship programs in Africa and Latin America AND NOW launching in North America this year to assist college students with AI Forward Deployed Engineering opportunities with major universities, Dao is helping expand access to digital skills and opportunity, demonstrating how advanced technologies can be powerful tools for social and economic empowerment.
At WEF Davos 2026, Dao brings a powerful perspective on resilience, adaptability, and responsible innovation. Her work highlights how organizations can harness emerging technologies while remaining grounded in strong values, ethical leadership, and long-term impact.
Beyond technology, Dao’s personal journey as a Vietnamese refugee, single mother of four, and survivor of profound personal loss has shaped her purpose-driven approach to leadership. These experiences underpin her advocacy for courage, community, and the transformative power of networks.
In addition to her work in AI and enterprise transformation, Dao is returning to her entrepreneurial roots with the launch of an Asian sauce company, Table for Six Brands, inspired by her family’s heritage, blending cultural tradition with cutting-edge technology as the first AI CPG company from cradle to grave, a reflection of her belief that innovation can honour both legacy and progress.
Dao continues to mentor and empower the next generation of leaders worldwide.
As SCC’s WEF Davos 2026 program, Dao Jensen’s leadership exemplifies how technology, when guided by empathy, purpose, and integrity, can create meaningful and lasting impact for organizations and communities alike.
With the stories of four inspiring women already shared, this final feature brings our Women in Davos: Breaking the Glass Ceiling series to a close. Together, these five leaders represent courage, resilience, and impact — showing how each breakthrough strengthens the path for those who follow.
Thank you to Indu Navar, Melissa Grill-Petersen, Stephania Stavropoulos, Abby Seneor, and Dao Jensen.
Media interested in attending or scheduling interviews should contact:
Karen Norden karen.norden@smartcitiescouncil.com
About Smart Cities Council
Smart Cities Council is a global network of cities, governments, technology leaders, investors, and solution providers dedicated to enabling city and community transformation through governance, finance, technology, and partnerships that deliver measurable outcomes.
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