AI for Smart Vehicles

Jeff Chou is a Silicon Valley technology leader with a strong track record of driving major shifts in compute and infrastructure. His work leading innovative teams at multiple startups acquired by companies including Cisco, Brocade, and others helped shape transformations in the modern data center, the foundation on which today’s AI systems run. Having been at the center of disruption across finance, media, and cloud, Jeff recognized early that the automotive industry was ripe for a similar evolution. 

Drawing on his background in high-performance, scalable systems, Jeff co-founded Sonatus in 2018 to simplify and accelerate the digital transformation of the automobile. His perspective on software-defined infrastructure and data-centric architectures drives Sonatus’s approach to enabling AI-driven capabilities in the next generation of vehicles. 

Jeff holds a BSEE in computer engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and an MSEE in computer engineering from Stanford University.

Yu Fang is a seasoned entrepreneur, technologist, and executive with over 25 years of experience leading high-performance teams and building category-defining products across cloud infrastructure, big data analytics, machine learning, and AI applications. As the CTO and co-founder of Sonatus, Yu leads the development of end-to-end AI software systems — encompassing data collection, advanced analytics, agentic applications, and automation — orchestrated across embedded vehicle environments and the cloud.

Prior to Sonatus, Yu led the development and deployment of highly accurate, efficient computer vision and deep learning models on edge devices for Nauto, significantly improving the safety of commercial fleets. Previously, as SVP of Engineering at Tanjarine and CTO at Cardfree, he architected big data analytics platforms serving tens of thousands of stores and tens of millions of customers.

Earlier in his career, Yu was a lead designer for the industry’s first multi-core microprocessors at Sun Microsystems, followed by leadership roles at Brocade (via Sanera) and Cisco (via Nuova). In these roles, he directed the development of high-performance systems for data center and cloud infrastructure that form the critical foundation for scaling AI and enterprise software today.

Yu holds a BS in Applied Physics from Tsinghua University, an MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Rochester, and an MBA from the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley.

John Heinlein, Ph.D, is an experienced technology and marketing executive with deep expertise in automotive compute, software-defined systems, and ecosystem development. Among his roles during his 14 years at Arm, he led automotive partnerships for North America, working closely with OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers on next-generation architectures including autonomous vehicles. His team played a central role in launching SOAFEE, an industry initiative designed to bring cloud-native and AI-ready frameworks to automotive applications. 

John previously served as VP of corporate marketing at Arm, overseeing global outbound marketing, campaigns, events, digital programs, and ecosystem engagement. Earlier in his career, he held senior roles at microprocessor startup Transmeta spanning business development, marketing, and customer success. 

John holds a BS in computer engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and an MS and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Stanford University.

Mahesh Karanth brings over 30 years of financial expertise to Sonatus, having held leadership roles in both multinational public and private companies. He has a distinguished track record in financial leadership, particularly in IPOs, M&A, fundraising, investor relations, business planning, and compliance.

At Sonatus, Mahesh oversees the Finance, Legal, and Human Resources teams. Before joining Sonatus, Mahesh served as CFO of Rockley Photonics, where he successfully took the company public in 2021. His extensive experience includes senior leadership positions at Achronix, Enlighted, InvenSense, Telsima, Hewlett Packard, and Compaq. He also served as a partner at Ernst & Young.

Mahesh holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Bangalore University and is a certified public accountant (CPA), chartered accountant (FCA), and company secretary (ACS).

David is a senior technology executive with over 30 years of experience building and scaling cloud-driven, software-centric organizations. His background leading highly reliable large-scale platforms gives him a deep understanding of the operational foundations required as intelligence becomes a defining element of  modern software-defined vehicle architectures. 

Previously, he served as COO at Nutanix, overseeing 1,500 staff across SaaS engineering, customer support, professional services, IT, and manufacturing. His leadership in scaling large, automated cloud platforms reflects a long track record of building reliable, production-grade software foundations in rapidly evolving technology environments. 

Following positions at industry leaders including Hewlett-Packard and Sun Microsystems, David worked at several startups acquired by Dell, Cisco, and Brocade, before moving on to senior management teams at Data Domain (NASDAQ: DDUP) and Nutanix (NASDAQ: NTNX) to take them from early stage growth to successful public offerings.

David has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from M.I.T., an MS in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from Stanford University, and an MBA from Santa Clara University.

Philip has over 30 years of experience in senior executive sales and business development roles from major firms across the automotive market, spanning software, semiconductors, and systems. He brings to Sonatus a wealth of worldwide expertise and relationships with automotive OEMs, tier-1 suppliers, and their ecosystem.

Most recently, he was VP of Global Sales and Business Development at Luminar, a LIDAR sensor leader. Prior to that, he held top-sales roles at WindRiver for nearly 7 years, with a focus on telematics, infotainment, and ADAS systems. He served as Vice President of Automotive Sales and Business Development for NVIDIA’s Automotive Business Unit, in which he also jointly served as the Site Leader of the NVIDIA Technology Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Earlier, he held senior sales roles at Fujitsu Microelectronics America, Kionix, Wintek Corporation, and Optrex America. He is based in Michigan, USA.

Philip earned a BA from Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan.

Alexandre Corjon is a senior technology leader with more than 30 years of experience across automotive, aerospace in both OEM and Tier-1 environments. At Sonatus, he leads an engineering group focused on bringing AI to the forefront of software-defined vehicle development. Previously, he has served as executive vice president for innovation and software at OPmobility, leading global teams developing next-generation electronics and software platforms that increasingly incorporated data-driven and AI-enabled capabilities. Previously he held leadership roles within the Renault-Nissan Alliance, including serving as president of its Software Labs, where he helped advance the industry’s shift toward software-centric vehicle architectures and the foundational systems required for emerging AI-driven functionality. 

Alexandre’s background spans product development, program management, electronics, and software engineering, giving him a deep understanding of how complex systems evolve as AI becomes integral to vehicle design and operation. His international experience, including significant time in Japan, provides a broad perspective on global automotive technology trends and the role AI will play in future vehicle platforms. 

He holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from ISAE Poitiers and a Ph.D in computational fluid dynamics from ISAE Toulouse.

Ksenia is an experienced HR leader with a deep expertise in AI and a proven track record across multiple industries, including tech, media, finance, and consulting. She has worked with both public and private organizations, as well as VC-backed companies. She most recently served as Head of People and Operations at kea.ai (Palo Alto) and Head of People at Chatfuel (San Francisco), both pioneers in the AI sector. Previously, Ksenia held senior HR roles at Mindshare, a global media services company, and Beagle, a recruitment firm.

She holds a Master’s in Linguistics from Volgograd State Pedagogical University.

Alison joined Sonatus in June 2019 with a wealth of experience in senior engineering management. She began her career building and leading development test teams, and expanded on this foundation to become exceptionally adept at managing and finding solutions for complex, high visibility customer-facing issues at Cisco and, most recently, Ciena. Alison’s laudable track record of successful releases over her career is supported by her expertise in engineering process, project management, quality metrics, product life cycle management, and budget planning. At Sonatus, she applies all these skills and more while wearing many hats to ensure that our commitment to a nimble and customer-focused partnership experience holds strong.

Alison earned a BS in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University.

Bobby is a commercial vehicle and IoT technology leader with 20 years of experience driving revenue growth and building high-performing sales organizations across global markets. He partners with OEMs, fleets, and industrial enterprises to deliver measurable business outcomes, leveraging connected data to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and unlock new revenue opportunities. As a Certified Transportation Professional (CTP), Bobby combines deep industry expertise with a proven ability to translate complex telematics and software solutions into clear, differentiated customer value.

Prior to joining Sonatus, Bobby held leadership roles at Whip Around, KORE Wireless, Morey Company, and DSX Analytics, as well as earlier positions at Telogis (a Verizon company), VIP, and eoStar. Across these organizations, he has built a strong track record of delivering enterprise-scale solutions, advancing AI-enabled and data-driven strategies, and leading complex, high-impact technology deployments worldwide.

Bobby began his career as an entrepreneur and holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Hope College.

Chris is a veteran technology and enterprise sales leader with a 25-year track record of driving growth, customer engagement, and enterprise-wide transformation across the automotive and IT sectors. As Sonatus’s country manager for Korea, Chris leads regional strategy and partnerships with automakers adopting AI-defined vehicle software. Before joining Sonatus, Chris served as head of country sales at NTT and spent more than a decade at Cisco in senior roles supporting Hyundai Motor Group globally, building C-level relationships and advancing connected-car initiatives. Earlier in his career, he held leadership positions at FileNet and IBM, managing national sales, channel operations, and customer success across Korea and the broader APAC region. 

Chris earned a bachelor’s degree in science from Seoul National University and an MBA from Sejon Syracuse Global MBA.

Karine is a seasoned automotive and technology business leader who brings 20 years of experience driving digital transformation, cloud adoption and software innovation for global enterprises. In her role, Karine partners with automakers, suppliers and engineering service companies to advance their AI-defined vehicle strategies and accelerate software innovation across in-vehicle and cloud platforms. Prior to Sonatus, Karine spent six years at AWS guiding major global OEMs through large-scale cloud and data modernization. She has also held roles at Cisco and TANDBERG, where she managed strategic customer and partner accounts, built C-level relationships and supported customers across pharmaceuticals, finance and industry in their shift to agile, data-driven operations. 

Karine began her career in pricing strategy at Renault and holds Master’s degrees from KEDGE Business School and the University of Toulon.

A seasoned and top-producing Silicon Valley sales leader in several technology categories, Kathleen joined Sonatus in December 2019 to head Business Development strategy and execution. She leverages her exceptional successes in market expansion, new account development, business retention, and growth strategies with several leading technology companies, SanDisk and Texas Instruments among them, to strategically expand Sonatus’ network of distinguished technology partners. In 2021, Kathleen was honored by the Silicon Valley Business Journal with its Women of Influence award for her outstanding professional and personal accomplishments and contributions.

Kathleen earned a BS in Commerce and Marketing from Santa Clara University.

Leslie is an experienced communications leader with two decades of advising growth-stage and publicly traded companies in AI, enterprise software, industrial technology, semiconductors, and related sectors. She specializes in corporate positioning, executive visibility and thought leadership for technical companies navigating complex markets. 

At strategic communications agencies, she has helped launch innovative companies, including SiFive, Tenstorrent and Pronto, and repositioned industry leaders such as Arm and Rambus as they expanded into new markets. Throughout her career, Leslie has partnered with executives and innovators to translate complex technologies into stories that resonate with customers, investors and industry ecosystems.

Leslie earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Journalism from California State  University, Fullerton.

Marc is an experienced finance and operations leader with extensive experience managing complex financial structures, treasury management, regulatory and tax compliance, in-country start-ups and multinational business operations across the technology, regulated financial services, and digital-platform sectors. At Sonatus, he oversees regional strategy, operational execution, and organizational growth in support of the company’s expanding European and global footprint. Before joining Sonatus, Marc served as head of finance for global payments (Europe) at TikTok and director of finance at Savvi Credit Union, following earlier roles at Nationwide Building Society, BNY Mellon, and Invesco, where he led financial control, reporting, shared-services operations, and global systems implementations. 

Marc is  a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and holds a Post Grad in Financial Technology (Fintech) from Technology University Dublin.

Michaël has more than 20 years of experience in automotive and software-engineering, spanning embedded systems, infotainment, telematics, and software-defined vehicle technologies. As head of EMEA sales for Sonatus, he partners with automakers across Europe to enable their transition to dynamic AI-defined vehicles. Before joining Sonatus, Michaël held senior commercial and technical leadership roles at Elektrobit and Bertrandt, where he led sales strategy, solution development, and multidisciplinary engineering programs for major OEMs. Earlier in his career at Groupe PSA, Michael managed vehicle programs, infotainment and connected-navigation projects, and procurement for telematics and electronic systems. He is a graduate engineer from Ecole Superieure de Méchanque et d’Electricité a Paris, specializing in telecommunications, and holds a degree in business and purchasing from the Purchasing Business School.

Stephen is a veteran operations and manufacturing leader with deep experience across automotive, electronics, and advanced industrial technologies across Taiwan, China, and global markets. As Sonatus’s country manager for Taiwan, he leads regional strategy, customer engagement, and operational execution as automakers accelerate the adoption of AI in vehicles. Before joining Sonatus, Stephen served as vice president and account GM at Compal and COO at SuperAlloy Industrial, following more than a decade in senior leadership roles at Foxconn overseeing complex engineering, production, and customer programs. Earlier in his career he held management positions at Catcher Technology, Basso Industry, DKSH, and Euro Ltd., building deep expertise in precision manufacturing, program management, and global supply chain operations. 

Stephen also serves as an independent director at Concraft Holding and earned an executive MBA from National Taiwan University. He also holds a degree in mechanical engineering from National KaoHsiung Institute of Technology.

Wallie joined Sonatus in October 2019 with a wealth of experience in go-to-market strategy, technical sales management, and pre-sales engineering acquired during his successful tenures with 3PAR/HP, F5 Networks, and Diamanti. Over his career across diverse technology categories, he has achieved an exceptional track record of building successful teams of account executives, sales engineers, and solutions architects. Wallie is adept at supporting sales teams to navigate complex organizations, develop targeted strategies, close deals, and acquire new clients. At Sonatus, Wallie is charged with managing front-line customer engagements to build advocacy for our software-defined vehicle solutions and expand our leading OEM customer base.

Wallie earned a BA in Physics from Colby College.