Cogna appoints Ali Korotana as Strategic Industries Chief

Cogna has appointed former McKinsey Partner Ali Korotana as Managing Director, Strategic Industries, as the company expands its work with industrial and infrastructure-focused organisations adopting AI-driven operational systems.

Korotana joins the AI platform provider after more than a decade at McKinsey & Company, where he advised executives, investors and leadership teams across sectors including energy, chemicals, manufacturing, logistics, construction and engineering.

The appointment comes as Cogna increases its focus on large industrial businesses seeking to move AI projects beyond isolated pilots and into broader operational programmes.

Industry focus

Korotana brings nearly two decades of experience across industrial operations, infrastructure and large-scale transformation projects. During his time at McKinsey, he worked on programmes involving cost reduction, expansion planning, mergers and acquisitions, and digital platform deployment.

His projects included work on multi-billion-pound infrastructure programmes and the expansion of a USD $10 billion logistics business into sectors including defence and pharmaceuticals.

He also worked on industrial and energy transactions ranging from USD $50 million to USD $50 billion.

The company said Korotana will work directly with CEOs, senior executives and investors at strategic customer accounts. His role will include supporting transformation programmes delivered through the Cogna platform and strengthening relationships with private equity firms.

Global experience

Korotana's work has taken him across more than 20 countries, including projects in North America, South East Asia, Scandinavia and the Gulf region.

Before joining McKinsey, he spent six years with the Maersk Group in oil and gas engineering roles.

That work included offshore operations in the North Sea and projects in Kazakhstan. He also worked on engineering and commercial activities linked to major capital expenditure investments across Europe and the Middle East.

The experience gave him exposure to industries managing complex operational environments, supply chains and infrastructure assets.

AI adoption

Cogna said the appointment reflects growing customer demand for deeper operational partnerships in sectors where AI deployment is increasingly tied to productivity, automation and process redesign.

Industrial businesses have faced mounting pressure to modernise legacy systems while improving efficiency and managing workforce constraints. Many organisations are also assessing how AI systems can be integrated into operational environments without disrupting existing infrastructure.

The company's platform focuses on operational workflows and business processes in sectors where systems are often fragmented across multiple technologies and teams.

Industrial AI adoption has accelerated over the past two years as organisations move from experimentation towards implementation in areas such as logistics, manufacturing, asset management and industrial planning.

Private equity firms have also increased investment in operational technology and AI-driven transformation projects, particularly in sectors with large infrastructure footprints and high operating costs.

Executive role

Korotana's position will combine customer engagement with strategic industry development.

The company said he will help organisations develop broader transformation programmes using the Cogna platform rather than isolated AI deployments.

"Ali has spent his career inside the boardrooms of the world's most operationally complex industries - the exact businesses Cogna is built to transform. He'll help our customers move from isolated AI experiments to programmes that change how their companies run," said Ben Peters, CEO and Co-founder, Cogna.

Korotana's appointment follows continued expansion by companies targeting industrial AI applications across sectors including infrastructure, logistics, energy and manufacturing.