Today, ContractPodAi, a leader in legal AI solutions and contract lifecycle management (CLM), announced a series of key hires to support its continued momentum to scale product innovation and position Leah as the most advanced agentic AI platform for enterprises.
These new leaders will be the driving force for ContractPodAi’s next phase of growth, aligning product and technology strategy, accelerating go-to-market, scaling strategic partnerships and strengthening brand visibility.
- James Thomas, Chief AI Officer – joins ContractPodAi from KPMG, where he was a Partner, the Global Head of Legal Technology and the CTO of KPMG Law UK. James brings a decade of hands-on leadership in legal innovation and technology and is also a former software engineer and corporate lawyer. James has previously been recognized by the Financial Times as one of the world’s top 10 Legal Engineers / Legal Technologists and his unique background combining law and engineering will guide the alignment of product, technology, and AI strategy to accelerate growth, strengthen ContractPodAi’s market position, and deliver lasting value for customers.
- Umang Jain, Executive Vice President of Technology & Product Management – Umang comes with a proven track record of scaling platforms, driving digital transformation, and building high-performing teams. At ContractPodAi, he will be responsible for aligning its product and technology strategy to accelerate growth, strengthen its market position, and deliver breakthrough solutions for customers.
- Ram Jagadeesan, Senior Vice President of Operations – Ram has held leadership roles at Cognizant, Ciklum and iGATE Global (now Capgemini), and most recently served as Chief of Staff to the Global CEO at Birlasoft. He will work closely with the executive team to strengthen governance, optimize performance, and enable growth as ContractPodAi continues its global expansion.
- Allison Klassen, Senior Vice President of Demand Generation – Allison brings extensive experience scaling global marketing programs, including building a multimillion pipeline at Zeta Global and increasing organic revenue at Think3. Allison will lead ContractPodAi’s demand generation strategy, working across sales, product marketing, and customer success to drive predictable growth.
- Lauren Mandel, Vice President of Brand & Communications – Lauren joins from DailyPay, where she helped scale a fast-growing fintech platform. Lauren also held leadership positions working with brands like Samsung, Verizon, PwC, and IBM at top agencies including R/GA, Grey, and BBDO. At ContractPodAi, she will strengthen market presence through compelling content, media engagement, and impactful brand assets.
- Anna Forbes, Vice President of Global Alliances – Anna most recently led CLM partner strategy at Consilio (formerly SYKE), where her team earned multiple Partner of the Year awards. She will lead the expansion and strengthening of ContractPodAi’s global partner network, shaping its alliance vision and ensuring partnerships deliver consistent value to customers.
- Vik Mukku, General Manager of AI Sales – Joining from Google, Vik brings extensive experience in enterprise adoption of cloud and AI technologies. With a strong record of enabling customers to modernize through AI, Vik will be responsible for advancing ContractPodAi’s mission to transform legal, procurement, and sales workflows across the enterprise.
