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Devlin Liles

Chief Consulting Officer & Chief AI Officer - Improving

Building technology leaders and scaling intelligent solutions across enterprise

"I believe technology only matters when it solves a real problem for a real human. Everything I do — from the code I once wrote to the organizations I now build — starts there."

About Me

I'm a business leader with a deep technical foundation. My passion has always been clear: leveraging technology to solve the complex problems facing today's enterprises.

I've spent nearly two decades building something meaningful at Improving—from growing our Houston enterprise to serving in a global Chief Consulting Officer role overseeing client delivery, thought leadership, go-to-market strategy, and employee growth. Today, as Chief AI Officer, I'm focused on helping organizations navigate one of the most transformative technological shifts of our time.

What drives me is the intersection of practical business results and transformative technology. I believe the best technology decisions start with understanding the business problem, not the tool.

Experience & Leadership

My career has been marked by a deliberate evolution from hands-on technical expertise to strategic business leadership.

  • 16+ years at Improving as a core contributor to growth and strategic direction, including founding the Houston office in 2011
  • $250M+ in AI implementations across industries, generating over $4.4B in measurable business returns
  • Microsoft MVP Award for 6 consecutive years (2011-2017), recognizing technical expertise awarded to just 3,000 technologists globally
  • Published author of "Entity Framework 4.1 Expert's Cookbook," co-authored with fellow Improver Tim Rayburn
  • 20+ years of speaking and teaching on business practices, organizational culture, software development, and technical strategy across user groups, conferences, and corporate settings worldwide

Recognition & Awards

Vistage Leadership Award — Recognition for executive leadership excellence and business vision

Most Admired CEO (Houston) — Named one of Houston's most admired CEOs in 2019 for career achievement, financial stewardship, and community impact

CEO Impact Award — Finalist for recognition of transformational business leadership

100+ Best Places to Work Awards — Leadership of team that's earned over 100 Best Places to Work accolades across North America, ranked #1 in Houston four consecutive years

What I Focus On Today

In my role as Chief AI Officer, I'm living in a unique vantage point. While the world discovered generative AI with ChatGPT, we at Improving have been integrating AI across client operations for five to seven years. I help organizations cut through the noise and understand the real ROI opportunity.

My work centers on three areas:

  • Responsible AI by Design — Ensuring organizations integrate AI ethically with proper governance to prevent reputational, legal, and operational risk
  • Strategic AI Implementation — Moving beyond proof-of-concepts to scalable, revenue-generating AI systems
  • Organizational Readiness — Helping teams and leaders shift mindsets and adopt the practices required to thrive in an AI-augmented world

Leadership Philosophy

I've learned that great leadership isn't about having all the answers—it's about creating space for people to grow, removing obstacles to their success, and building a culture where continuous learning is expected.

My approach is rooted in:

  • Generalist thinking with deep technical grounding — I stay broad so I can connect dots across disciplines
  • Humble confidence — Strong opinions on the best path forward, paired with genuine respect for diverse perspectives
  • Bias toward action — Theory matters, but results come from implementation and continuous refinement
  • People-first growth — Technology is a tool; investing in your people is the strategy

Beyond Work

When I'm not thinking about technology strategy or helping organizations navigate AI, you'll find me at soccer matches (as a player and enthusiast), exploring emerging tech through gaming, and engaging with Houston's growing technology ecosystem through community events and mentoring.

Let's Talk

Whether you're exploring AI strategy, scaling technology-driven transformation, or looking to understand how your organization can move from pilot to production—I'd welcome the conversation.