This panel discussion brings together leading experts to explore “AI Governance for SMEs: Where Do You Even Start?” Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often struggle to implement AI governance—caught between complex compliance frameworks and risky ad-hoc approaches. This session provides practical, real-world guidance on building governance systems that are scalable, effective, and tailored for SMEs.

🎤 Panel Speakers:

Daria Rudnik – Founder & CEO, Aidra.ai | ex-Deloitte
Felicia Burtscher – Senior strategist in AI innovation, ethics, and EU AI regulation; contributor to EU AI Act standards
Giorgio Zampirolo – AI governance advisor helping organizations implement structured, accountable AI adoption

🔍 Key Highlights: Why AI governance is critical for SMEs Challenges with traditional enterprise frameworks Building lightweight, practical governance models Balancing innovation with ethical responsibility Creating guardrails without slowing down growth Translating AI regulation into real-world implementation Moving from AI experimentation to structured adoption

🎤 Part of AI in The New Era Conference (April 15, 2026)
A global platform for AI innovation, governance, and leadership.

The EU AI Act is entering its enforcement phase on August 2, 2026 — marking a shift from exploration to accountability.

For SMEs, the question is no longer whether AI will be regulated, but how to navigate it without losing speed, focus, or competitive edge.
In this session, Giorgio Zampirolo, Felicia Burtscher, and I will unpack how smaller organizations can translate regulation into clear decisions, governance, and action.

We’ll focus on:

• Turning complex regulation into practical leadership choices
• Building AI governance that fits SME reality (not enterprise bureaucracy)
• Avoiding the most common blind spots in AI adoption
• Using compliance as a strategic lever, not a constraint

A conversation for founders, executives, and HR leaders building AI-enabled organizations under real-world pressure.

About the speakers

Felicia Burtscher — Senior strategist at the intersection of AI innovation, ethics, and regulation. She has contributed to the harmonized standards for the EU AI Act and built certification systems across Europe, helping organizations translate regulation into practical compliance and leadership strategies.

Giorgio Zampirolo — Strategic advisor and AI governance specialist working with boards, executives, and institutions to turn AI complexity into clear strategy, responsible governance, and informed decision-making. He focuses on helping organizations move from experimentation to structured, accountable AI adoption.

Daria Rudnik — Team architect and Executive Leadership Coach, author of CLICKING and co-author of The AI Revolution. She works with leaders globally to build teams that stay strong, self-led, and effective under pressure, and helps organizations integrate AI into ways of working without losing human judgment, ownership, and performance.