About Erika
AI Executive, Board Director & Advisor

Erika Fille T. Legara is a scientist, AI executive, corporate director, and advisor working across artificial intelligence, data, technology, and governance.

She is Managing Director and Chief AI and Data Officer of the Education Center for AI Research (CAIR), where she leads the Center's strategic direction across AI research and adoption, capacity building, and policy research.

Board & Governance Experience

Erika brings a technical background in data science and AI to board-level questions involving technology strategy, cybersecurity, data governance, AI governance, and emerging risk.

She is a Co-Founder and Strategic Advisor at CorteX Innovations, and a Board Advisor at Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC).

She is a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Directors (Philippines) and serves on its Technology Governance Committee. She is also an IAPP Certified AI Governance Professional and holds a Cyber Risk Governance credential from the DCRO Risk Governance Institute.

Her work focuses on the decisions organizations face as AI moves from experimentation into enterprise adoption — where to invest, how to govern it, and what risks require board attention.

National AI & Institutional Leadership

Erika co-authored the Philippine National AI Strategy Roadmap, an initiative of the Department of Trade and Industry.

She is also an AI Ethics Expert without Borders with UNESCO.

At the Asian Institute of Management, Erika is Associate Professor and Aboitiz Chair in Data Science. She founded and served as Academic Program Director of the Philippines' pioneering MSc in Data Science program from 2017 to 2024, guiding more than 250 data scientists and overseeing more than 70 data science and AI R&D projects with industry and institutional partners.

From Scientist to Boardroom

Erika began her career as a physicist and complex-systems scientist. Before returning to the Philippines, she was a Scientist and Principal Investigator at A*STAR in Singapore, working with government and industry on data-driven research involving urban and socio-technical systems.

A 2025 Eisenhower Fellow, Erika speaks and advises on AI strategy, AI governance, technology risk, digital transformation, and the organizational implications of emerging technologies.

Experience

  1. Managing Director and Chief AI & Data Officer

    Education Center for AI Resarch (DepEd)
    Leads the Center for AI Research, formed under DTI in July 2024 and transitioned to the Education Center for AI Research under DepEd in January 2025. Directs strategic vision across three pillars — R&D for Innovation and Adoption, Capacity Building, and AI Policy Research — with a focus on advancing AI in education.

  2. Associate Professor and Aboitiz Chair in Data Science

    Asian Institute of Management
    Designed and implemented the Philippines’ first MSc in Data Science program, guiding 300+ graduates and 70+ DSAI projects. On approved work leave (2024–2027); remains active in business education leadership forums and as a thought leader on AI in education..

  3. Independent Director

    PLDT, Inc.
    Chairs the Data Privacy and Information Security Committee. Also serves on the Technology Strategy, Audit, Risk, Executive Compensation, and Governance, Nomination, and Sustainability Committees.

  4. Co-Founder and Strategic Advisor

    CorteX Innovations, Corporation
    Advises the firm on data governance, AI maturity assessments, and strategic roadmapping, helping public and private clients bridge AI adoption gaps.

  5. Board Advisor

    Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC)
    Transitioned from Independent Director to Board Advisor, providing hands-on guidance as RCBC expands its AI and data analytics initiatives.

Education

  1. PhD Physics

    University of the Philippines Diliman
    GWA: 1.0/1.0 Dissertation is titled Implications of the Topological Properties of Networks in the Dynamics of Marketing, Competition and Framing Analysis. Supervised by Academician Chris Monterola. Published 7 articles in ISI-indexed journals and presented over 20 times in local conference proceedings.

  2. MS Physics

    University of the Philippines Diliman

  3. BSc Physics (cum laude)

    University of the Philippines Diliman