Annata today announced the promotion of Dave Cope to Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO), a newly created executive role focused on shaping Annata’s company-wide AI direction and helping scale practical AI adoption across the business and within A365.
Dave previously served as Head of Annata’s Prototype Lab, where he helped turn emerging technology into tangible initiatives for Annata’s teams and customers. The Prototype Lab has played an important role in exploring new AI capabilities, building selected pilots, and supporting teams as they apply AI to day-to-day operational challenges.
As CAIO, Dave will define and drive Annata’s AI vision and strategy, helping teams move from experimentation to tangible, governed adoption. His role will focus on scaling AI capability across Annata, supporting internal productivity, and strengthening customer-facing AI initiatives. This will involve close collaboration across the business and with Microsoft, ensuring AI development remains connected to meaningful business value.
The role builds on Annata’s broader AI direction, where each business theme has a leadership owner and the Prototype Lab supports, rather than owns, the work across those themes. This model is designed to keep AI innovation close to the teams responsible for delivery, while ensuring Annata has a clear and coordinated AI agenda.
“Dave has been instrumental in shaping how we think about AI at Annata. He understands the technology, but more importantly, he understands how it can be applied to actual business challenges. This role gives us clearer ownership of our AI direction while keeping delivery connected to the teams closest to the work.”
Damon Repton, Chief Executive Officer, Annata
Dave joined Annata in 2018 after more than a decade in the UK construction industry, where he worked extensively with data and reporting. At Annata, he built his expertise in Power BI and the broader Microsoft Power Platform before expanding into Dynamics 365, developing a strong focus on using data, automation, and emerging technology to improve how teams work and how customers create value.
“I’m honored to step into this role. AI is becoming core to how businesses operate, but its value depends on how practically it is applied. My focus is to help Annata move with clarity, discipline, and speed, supporting our teams, working closely with Product, R&D, Microsoft, and our business leaders, and making sure the AI work we take forward creates real value for Annata and our customers.”
Dave Cope, Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, Annata
In his new role, Dave will build on the momentum of the Prototype Lab’s work. He will continue working with Microsoft, Annata’s cross-functional teams, and customers to help identify, test, and scale AI initiatives that are grounded in quantifiable business value.
Dave Cope can be reached on LinkedIn or via email at dave.cope@annata.net.
About Annata
Annata is a vertical software company focused on the automotive, trucks & buses, and equipment industries. Annata provides industry-specific business solutions for organizations that need to connect core operations across sales, service, parts, rental, fleet, finance, and customer-facing processes.
At the center of Annata’s offering is A365, a cloud-based business platform built on Microsoft technologies. A365 brings together ERP, CRM, and DMS capabilities in one connected environment and can be adopted either as a full platform or through modular components.
