Speakers

Salem Seyoum is an accomplished technology and business leader whose career reflects sustained impact and a strong record of delivering meaningful change. From building and operating several businesses in her early twenties to helping guide the digital transformation of a global energy company, her journey demonstrates a consistent ability to take on complex challenges, bring people together, and create lasting value.

Salem began her career as an entrepreneur, founding and managing businesses across retail, automotive, lending, and real estate. These formative experiences shaped her commercial discipline, financial sharpness, and talent for navigating ambiguity, skills that would later become central to her success in large-scale corporate environments.

She joined bp in 2010 as a Certified Public Accountant and quickly distinguished herself as a leader who could bridge finance, technology, and operations. Salem went on to lead the financial performance agenda for global IT operations across the Americas, Asia Pacific, and EMEA. Her work brought new levels of transparency, strategic insight, and accountability to multi-million-dollar technology portfolios and helped inform critical investment decisions during periods of rapid digital evolution.

In 2022, Salem was appointed Vice President of Partnerships, where she created bp’s integrated digital partnership strategy. She reshaped how bp engages with major technology providers including Microsoft, Infosys, Accenture, Palanir, and a growing ecosystem of AI innovators unlocking cost efficiencies, modernising engagement models, and accelerating the adoption of advanced digital and AI capabilities across the enterprise. Salem secured bp’s position as one of only seven global launch partners for Microsoft Copilot.

As Chief of Staff to bp’s EVP of Technology, Salem plays a pivotal role in steering bp’s global technology strategy and operating model. Salem has delivered enterprise-level outcomes at scale. She supported a restructuring that delivered millions in savings, achieving the first major cost reduction since 2020. Her leadership was pivotal in strengthening operating rhythm, enhancing delivery governance across a global footprint, and driving alignment behind bp’s core transformation priorities spanning AI, platforms, resilience, and cybersecurity.

Beyond her formal roles, Salem mentors emerging talent and actively champions pathways for underrepresented professionals. Her career reflects impact, integrity, and a commitment to enabling meaningful progress—making her a standout nominee for the Black Tech Achievement Awards.