Rob LoCascio is the founder of LivePerson, Inc. and has been its chief executive officer since its inception in 1995, making him one of the longest-standing founding CEOs of a tech company today. As the inventor of online chat for brands, Rob disrupted the way people communicate with companies around the world, removing the need for 1-800 numbers, long wait times, and endlessly scanning websites for information.

In 2016, Rob again led the company to the forefront of conversational commerce by making it easy for consumers to connect with brands on messaging via platforms including SMS, WhatsApp, Apple Business Chat, Facebook Messenger, and even brand apps and websites. . In 2018, Rob delivered on his vision for AI-powered conversations, opening the doors for brands to message at massive scale while still providing outstanding customer experiences. Now in 2021, Rob is a leading voice on reforming the future of work, helping cultivate innovative new systems that support the needs of LivePerson’s global staff, and challenging the reliance on physical office spaces.

As someone who has been on the entrepreneurial journey for over two decades, Rob’s mission is to inspire and help others who are on that same path. LivePerson has come a long way since its early years, having survived the dot-com crash and grown to become the leader in Conversational AI and automation solutions, currently serving over 18,000 clients, with 1,200 employees worldwide.

Beyond his decades of work at LivePerson, Rob’s interests extend past his business and reflect his close ties to New York City and his journey as an entrepreneur and humanitarian. He is a founding member of EqualAI, which works with companies, policy makers, and experts to reduce bias in AI, and the NYC Entrepreneurs Council of the Partnership for New York City. In 2001, he started the Dream Big Foundation with its first program, FeedingNYC, which gives families in need a Thanksgiving dinner. To date, FeedingNYC has donated more than 85,000 meals. Its second program, the Dream Big Entrepreneurship Initiative, launched in 2014 to fund, mentor, coach, and empower local entrepreneurs in underserved communities.