CData Software, a provider of enterprise data connectivity solutions, has appointed Ken Yagen as chief product officer. Yagen will lead product strategy and engineering as CData scales its connectivity platform for enterprises deploying agentic AI internally as well as for software providers building AI into their products, the company said.
Yagen’s appointment comes as CData is experiencing growth in the AI connectivity space and follows the recent launch of Connect AI, a managed model context protocol (MCP) platform. Connect AI is designed to provide the enterprise-scale infrastructure that AI systems and autonomous agents require—live, governed access to business systems combined with embedded system-level semantic intelligence that teaches AI the structure, relationships and business logic native to each platform, officials said.
“AI will fail to achieve meaningful outcomes if agents don’t understand the systems they’re acting in. The enterprises that will dominate the AI era are the ones whose agents have real system fluency—not just access,” Yagen said. “CData is eliminating a core blocker in enterprise AI by giving agents both the connectivity and the deep, system-level context to operate safely, predictably and at scale across Salesforce, NetSuite, SAP and 350-plus business systems. We’re building the context and control fabric that turns AI into a trusted digital operator inside the enterprise.”
Yagen has more than 25 years of experience in enterprise software innovation, including product management. He most recently led AI and LLM initiatives across Warburg Pincus’ portfolio companies, helping enterprises integrate emerging AI technologies into their business strategies, officials said. His career includes roles at MuleSoft, where he shaped product strategy for APIs and integration platforms as well as leadership positions at Box and Symphony, where he led collaboration and enterprise SaaS innovation.
“We’re building a comprehensive, secure MCP platform, and we’re early in this market,” Yagen said. “The opportunity is to make CData a go-to connectivity layer—one that enterprises can rely on internally and that product builders embed by default. This isn’t just about better integrations. It’s about making every AI system enterprise-ready from day one.”
“Ken brings exactly the experience and vision we need at this stage of our growth,” said Amit Sharma, CEO and co-founder of CData. “His track record building enterprise platforms at scale, combined with his deep expertise in distributed systems and AI infrastructure, makes him an ideal fit to lead our product organization as we help customers navigate the AI era.”
