Revolutionize IT Operations with Generative AI

Chief Executive Officer

Michael is the CEO and co-founder of hAIgher Ed, an AI enablement company that helps higher education institutions leverage generative AI to educate humanity and drive transformative research.

With expertise in university operations and process reengineering, hAIgher Ed uses generative AI and AI agent workflow automation to reduce task delivery times by up to 90%, saving staff between 5 and 25 hours per week.

An immigrant to Australia in 1985, Michael was the first in his family to attend university. He practised as a mergers and acquisitions lawyer before founding and exiting two companies and later led $2 billion defence transformation projects.

For the past 12 years, Michael has focused on higher education, advising vice-chancellors and supporting university spinouts. Before co-founding hAIgher Ed, he was CEO of ResearchMaster, a leading research administration platform.

Based in Melbourne, Michael works with higher education institutions globally.

Director of Product Development

Monch Mercader, the Director of Product Development at hAIgher ed, has earned over 15 years of experience in developing innovative technology solutions. Leveraging his extensive background in analogue and digital user experience, artificial intelligence, and human-centered systems design, Monch creates cutting-edge generative AI solutions for higher education space.

His goal is to make a real-world impact by integrating AI technologies into user experience and product solutions, setting his approach apart by ensuring they deliver the work.

Previously, Monch has worked with leading companies such as Google, PwC, Rio Tinto, and various universities, consistently blending creativity with technology to deliver impactful product solutions. Outside of work, Monch is passionate about tinkering with little electronics projects and enjoys dancing.

So next time you invite him to a party, he can bring his portable arcade and dance routine with him.

Former Stanford Chief Information Officer

Chris Handley has been a university CIO for over 20 years. At Stanford University, Chris oversaw a 500-member IT team, spearheading digital transformation and operational innovation across the university’s diverse academic and administrative functions.

Chris’s transformative leadership continued as the Global CIO for Aga Khan University and Hospitals, where they integrated clinical and administrative systems across multiple countries, creating seamless operations for campuses and hospitals.

As the first CIO at Nazarbayev University, Chris built a high-performing IT team from the ground up, aligning technology with academic goals and leading the rapid shift to online learning for over 5,000 students during COVID-19.

A passionate and inclusive leader, Chris is committed to developing talent, fostering collaborative cultures, and delivering impactful change through technology.