Based in Palo Alto in the San Francisco Bay Area, Wendi Zhang serves clients as co-leader of Egon Zehnder’s Artificial Intelligence practice and a core member of the Technology and Semiconductor practices. A lifelong learner and industry insider with a passion for connecting people, she is valued by clients for her ability to solve complex problems using first principles as well as her ability to create partnerships where every party benefits.
Leadership is foundational to the flourishing of every organization and society. I truly believe that connecting, nurturing and elevating great leaders is the key to creating a better world, and creates virtuous cycles of trickle-down effects.
Before joining Egon Zehnder, most recently Wendi oversaw go-to-market, operations, and people at Celential.ai, an AI/ML company focused on tech talent sourcing. That was preceded by multiple tech startups and almost eight years at Google in various roles, including advising portfolio companies of Gradient Ventures, Google’s ROI AI fund, in go-to-market and partnerships with key stakeholders at Fortune 500 and other strategic companies. Among other endeavors, Wendi also led business development and product partnerships for the AI-enabled Google Pixel, Wearables and Accessories in addition to multiple verticals of Google Home and Chromecast within Google’s Devices & Services division.
Wendi earned double BS degrees in mathematics and management science from MIT with minors in economics and applied international studies and then completed an MBA and a Master of Public Policy degree at Harvard. She spent most of her childhood near Houston before moving to the Boston area and finally settling in the San Francisco Bay Area. Wendi enjoys immersing herself in different cultures and has worked for organizations across the U.S., China, Singapore, and Spain in addition to traveling widely. Her activities outside work include volunteering for the MIT AI Conference since 2017, serving on the SETI Institute Board of Directors, guest lecturing at Stanford, and coaching at her alma maters.
