Binnaz Cubukcu is an AI-in-Business Advocate, Leadership Development Specialist and Founder of PiperRussell Consultancy, with over 25 years of experience at the intersection of technology, business and people. Known for her counter-intuitive, practical and human-centred approach to AI transformation, she has guided leadership teams at global organisations such as Inter IKEA Group and served as External Faculty at Deloitte University EMEA. Her biggest achievement lies in shifting the conversation on AI away from technical hype towards the pressing leadership dilemmas it creates, equipping executives with the clarity, skills and confidence to harness AI responsibly.
Binnaz began her career after completing a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management at Dokuz Eylul University in Turkey, moving into learning and development roles at Turkiye Is Bankasi. These early years built her foundation in organisational psychology, facilitation and talent development, skills that became essential as she entered international roles. Over time, she strengthened her expertise with executive education, including the Digital Strategies for Business programme at Emeritus, and pursued advanced academic study with a Master’s in Artificial Intelligence at Rome Business School. These formative experiences gave her the rare ability to bridge academic insight with corporate practice, shaping her unique perspective on leadership in the AI era.
Her career includes an eight-year tenure at Inter IKEA Group, where she rose to become Ethics and Integrity Leader, responsible for developing and managing the global Code of Conduct and embedding ethical leadership into strategy. Before this, she served as Concept Description Manager and Manager of Concept Definition and Conceptualisation, leading global teams to cultivate and share the IKEA way of working across markets. Beyond IKEA, Binnaz has acted as Board Advisor at Hatch, supporting immersive learning initiatives, and as AI Mentor with AI4ALL, helping leaders navigate AI adoption. She has been recognised with credentials such as Leadership Professional in Ethics & Compliance (LPEC) and continues to shape the next generation of leaders through mentoring programmes with Startupbootcamp and Ashoka.
Audiences value Binnaz because she offers a perspective on AI that is urgently needed yet often overlooked. Her keynotes, including ‘AI Unplugged: Reclaiming Your Time, Your Brain, and Your Company’ and ‘AI-in-Business: Aligning AI with Human Intention for Meaningful Business Impact’, go beyond trends to provide leaders with actionable frameworks for protecting human skills, preventing burnout and building collaborative strategies.
Binnaz Cubukcu's official speaker topics are listed below:
- AI Unplugged: Reclaiming Your Time, Your Brain, and Your Company
- AI-in-Business: Aligning AI with Human Intention for Meaningful Business Impact
- The AI Alignment Framework: Bridging the CHRO-CTO Divide
- The Human Moat: Why Your Culture is Your Only Sustainable Advantage
Official Feedback from In-Person & Virtual Events
"The way Binnaz hosted the sessions with the retailers were impressive. She was kind, warm and challenging at the same time with her questions opening up for deeper discussions and connections." - Business Plan Weeks, IKEA
"Binnaz captures the interest of the audience immediately. Then she takes them through a journey of being in the moment and heading to the future in the most welcoming yet pragmatic way possible." - DT&CX Summit
"Binnaz was awesome and her facilitation was excellent. She’s full of energy and loads of knowledge about what she does, she can make the room comfortable in a matter of seconds and make even the most reluctant talk." - Deloitte University EMEA
"Thank you for such a lovely workshop/think tank session. I had an absolute great time and really enjoyed seeing AI from your perspective - AI Unplugged works!" - SPARQzone & AI Unplugged
"Binnaz was great - I really enjoyed the sessions she covered. She was very engaging, curious, and held time for us to respond - allowing awkward silences for people to collect thoughts and not rushing. She felt very safe." - AI4ALL
"I really enjoyed the programme as it concentrated on leadership skills that are necessary for creative leaders. The exercises and discussions were excellent at making us think differently and how to utilise our skills." - IKEA UK/IE
- 2024 - Founder at PiperRussell Consultancy
- 2024 - External Faculty at Deloitte University EMEA, leading General Manager Milestone programme
- 2024 - AI Mentor at AI4ALL
- 2023 - Master’s in Artificial Intelligence, Rome Business School
- 2021 - Ethics and Integrity Leader at Inter IKEA Group
- 2020 - Board Advisor at Hatch
- 2020 - Digital Strategies for Business Certificate at Emeritus
- 2019 - Concept Description Manager at Inter IKEA Group
- 2015 - Manager at Concept Definition and Conceptualisation, IKEA
- 2013 - Learning Design Manager at Multichannel Transformation Programme, IKEA
- 2008 - Learning Designer at IKEA
- 2005 - Training Manager at IKEA Turkey
- 2000 - Learning and Development Specialist at Turkiye Is Bankasi
How to hire Binnaz Cubukcu
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Binnaz Cubukcu for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
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