CData Appoints Ken Yagen as Chief Product Officer to Drive AI Connectivity Innovations

CData Announces Ken Yagen as New Chief Product Officer

CData Software, a leader in enterprise data connectivity solutions, proudly announces the appointment of Ken Yagen as its new Chief Product Officer (CPO). In this pivotal role, Yagen will spearhead product strategy and engineering, focusing on enhancing the company's connectivity platform tailored for environments that employ agentic AI, as well as for software providers integrating AI functionalities into their offerings.

This strategic appointment comes at a time when CData is witnessing substantial growth within the AI connectivity sector. With an existing user base leveraging CData’s MCP Servers to seamlessly connect enterprise data sources to various AI systems, and the recent introduction of Connect AI—a managed Model Context Protocol platform—Yagen's expertise is set to significantly advance the company's product development initiatives.

The Emergence of AI-Native Connectivity

In his new position, Yagen is tasked with refining CData’s approach to AI-native connectivity. The Connect AI platform is designed to provide enterprises with the necessary infrastructure, granting AI systems and autonomous entities live, governed access to business data alongside embedded system-level semantic intelligence. This functionality is essential for teaching AI about the integral structure, relationships, and business logic inherent to different platforms, thereby converting ordinary connectivity into operational fluency.

As Yagen emphasizes, “AI will not deliver significant outcomes if agents do not comprehend the systems they engage with. The organizations poised to dominate during the AI revolution will be those whose agents acquire genuine system fluency—not just simple access.” He adds, “CData is eliminating a fundamental barrier in the world of enterprise AI by offering agents both the connectivity required and the profound context necessary to operate safely and effectively across various systems, including Salesforce, NetSuite, SAP, and more than 350 other business platforms.” With Yagen at the helm, CData aims to cultivate a context and control framework that metamorphoses AI into a reliable digital operator within businesses.

Yagen's Experience and Insights

Ken Yagen brings over 25 years of rich experience in product management and technology leadership to CData. Prior to this role, Yagen made significant contributions at Warburg Pincus, leading AI and large language model (LLM) initiatives across various portfolio companies, aiding firms in integrating emerging AI technologies into their operational frameworks. His career also boasts influential roles at MuleSoft, where he developed product strategies for APIs and integration systems critical to modern enterprise architecture, in addition to impactful positions at Box and Symphony, emphasizing SaaS innovation and collaboration.

In guiding CData’s bold ambitions, Yagen will channel his expertise to propel a dual go-to-market strategy that seeks to boost both direct enterprise adoption and facilitated use by independent software vendors (ISVs). Businesses are increasingly utilizing CData's managed MCP platform to unify connectivity across projects and departments, while software companies are embedding CData’s connectivity capabilities into their offerings to ensure their products come with enterprise-ready AI functionalities without the need for extensive integration efforts.

“We are committed to constructing a secure, comprehensive MCP platform, and we are just getting started in this growing market,” Yagen explains. “The potential lies in making CData a key connectivity layer—one that enterprises will depend on internally and that product developers will incorporate by default. This venture transcends mere integration improvements; it involves ensuring every AI system is prepared for enterprise operations from the outset.”

Forward-Looking Statements

CData's CEO and co-founder, Amit Sharma, expressed enthusiasm regarding Yagen's arrival: “Ken embodies the experience and vision essential for our current growth phase. His proven track record in scaling enterprise platforms, paired with his in-depth knowledge of distributed systems and AI infrastructure, positions him as the perfect leader to guide our product organization as we help our clients navigate the AI landscape.”

In conclusion, CData Software is committed to transforming data connectivity to meet the demands of the AI era, and with Ken Yagen steering the product strategy, the company is well-poised to provide innovative solutions that integrate seamlessly with the evolving needs of modern enterprises. To learn more about CData and their offerings, visit www.cdata.com or reach out via email at [email protected].