Podcasts about chief data officers

In this episode, I talk with Nick Hart, President and CEO of the Data Foundation, about the rapidly changing landscape of federal data, statistical agencies, and evidence-based policymaking. We explore how the Evidence Act reshaped government data infrastructure, why privacy protections and data governance matter more than ever, and what's been happening behind the scenes over the last year as agencies faced staffing cuts, data removals, and unprecedented political pressure. Nick explains how government data systems actually work, why the U.S. model is both admired and strained, and what a “Data System 2.0” might look like in the future. We also discuss state and local data roles, the risks of politicizing data, and two public-facing initiatives from the Data Foundation: the Evidence Act Hub and the People's Data 100. This is a wide-ranging conversation about trust, transparency, and why government data quietly underpins far more of our lives than most people realize.Subscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthCheck out the Data Foundation and their People's Data 100 project! Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Twitter, Website, YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com

Pour ce septième épisode de la saison 4 de Morning Data Chat, Aurélien Barthe, Chief Data & AI Officer de la MGEN, partage la manière dont l'organisation structure son knowledge management pour soutenir durablement ses usages data et IA.Il explique comment la gouvernance des données non structurées ; fiches de connaissance, documents réglementaires, contenus métiers, repose sur un réseau humain de référents, de rédacteurs et d'experts terrain, organisé selon une logique de gouvernance fédérée.Aurélien revient sur l'importance de la qualité, de la fraîcheur et de la structuration des contenus pour alimenter efficacement les cas d'usage d'IA générative, tout en conservant l'humain dans la boucle grâce à des rôles clés comme les Product Owners IA et les knowledge managers.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Pour ce septième épisode de la saison 4 de Morning Data Chat, Siddhartha Chatterjee, Chief Data & AI Officer du Club Med, partage la manière dont le groupe opère un virage stratégique vers un modèle AI First, en plaçant l'intelligence artificielle au cœur de la transformation des processus métiers.Il explique pourquoi l'IA ne doit pas être considérée comme un simple outil, mais comme un levier pour repenser en profondeur la façon dont l'entreprise fonctionne, prend des décisions et délivre de la valeur, tout en préservant l'ADN humain du Club Med.Siddhartha revient sur un cas d'usage emblématique dans les opérations RH : l'automatisation et l'optimisation de l'affectation des G.O à travers le monde. Ce processus historiquement manuel, critique pour l'expérience collaborateur et la satisfaction client, a été repensé de bout en bout grâce au machine learning, avec l'humain conservé dans la boucle.L'épisode met également en lumière un facteur clé de succès : le redesign des processus end-to-end, porté par un nouveau rôle, celui de Process Designer, combinant expertise métier, compréhension des enjeux IA et conduite du changement. Un retour d'expérience très concret sur la manière de structurer une transformation IA durable, à l'échelle d'un groupe international de services.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Data leaders are being asked to ship real AI outcomes while the foundations are still messy. In this conversation, Dave Shuman, Chief Data Officer at Precisely, breaks down what actually determines whether AI adoption sticks, from hiring “comb shaped” talent to building trusted data products that make AI outputs believable and usable.If you are building in data, AI, or analytics, this episode is a practical map for what needs to be true before AI can move from demos to dependable, repeatable impact.Key TakeawaysComb shaped talent beats narrow specialization, AI work rewards people who can span multiple skills and collaborate wellAdoption is a trust problem, and trust starts with data integrity, lineage, context, and a semantic layer that business users can understandOpen source drives the innovation, commercialization makes it safe and usable at enterprise scale, especially around security and supportData must be fit for purpose, start every AI project by asking what data it needs, who curates it, and what the known warts areHumans are still the last mile, small workflow choices can make adoption jump, even when the model is already accurateTimestamped Highlights00:56 The shift from T shaped to comb shaped talent, what modern AI teams actually need to look like05:36 Hiring for team fit over “world class” niche skills, and when to bring in trusted partners for depth07:37 How open source sparks the ideas, and why enterprises still need hardened, supported versions to scale11:31 Where AI adoption is today, why summarization is only the beginning, and what unlocks “AI 2.0”13:39 The trust stack for AI, clean integrated data, lineage, context, catalog, semantic layer, then agents19:26 A real adoption lesson from machine learning, and why the human experience decides if the system winsA line worth stealing“You do not just take generative AI and throw it at your chaos of data and expect it to make magic out of it.”Pro Tips for data and AI leadersHire and build teams like Tetris, fill skill voids across the group instead of chasing one perfect profileUse partners for the sharp edges, but require knowledge transfer so your team levels up every engagementMake adoption easier by designing for human behavior, sometimes the smallest workflow tweak beats more accuracyBuild governed data products in a catalog, then validate AI outputs side by side with dashboards to earn trust fastCall to ActionIf this helped you think more clearly about AI adoption, talent, and data foundations, follow the show and turn on notifications so you do not miss the next episode. Also, share it with one data or engineering leader who is trying to get AI out of pilots and into real workflows.

Pour ce cinquième épisode de la saison 4 de Morning Data Chat, Jérémy Blond, Directeur Data du groupe Vicat, partage comment la data et l'IA accompagnent la décarbonation des processus industriels dans le secteur du ciment.Il explique comment la complexification des procédés de production rend indispensable l'usage de la donnée pour aider les équipes terrain à piloter les opérations.À travers un cas concret d'optimisation du broyage, Jérémy montre comment des modèles de machine learning permettent d'améliorer la stabilité des procédés, d'augmenter la productivité et de réduire la consommation énergétique, tout en respectant les contraintes industrielles.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

No novo episódio do Podcast Canaltech, Marcelo Fischer conversa com Daniel Avancini, cofundador e Chief Data Officer da Indicium, sobre o Moltbook e o OpenClaw, plataformas que permitem que agentes de inteligência artificial interajam entre si, como em uma espécie de “rede social dos robôs”. Durante a entrevista, Daniel explica como essas tecnologias funcionam na prática, por que elas chamaram tanta atenção no mercado e quais são os riscos e oportunidades dos agentes de IA no dia a dia das pessoas e das empresas. A conversa também passa por temas como segurança digital, produtividade, futuro do trabalho e os limites da inteligência artificial atual, sem cair em exageros ou ficção científica. Você também vai conferir: China dá mais um passo rumo aos carros do futuro e o volante pode ser o próximo a mudar, Samsung lança tela 3D que dispensa óculos e aposta no futuro das vitrines digitais e Embraer amplia sua presença global com acordo para carros voadores no Japão. Este podcast foi roteirizado e apresentado por Fernada Santos e contou com reportagens de Danielle Cassita e Renato Moura, sob coordenação de Anaísa Catucci. A trilha sonora é de Guilherme Zomer, a edição de Leandro Gomes e a arte da capa é de Erick Teixeira.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pour ce cinquième épisode de la saison 4 de Morning Data Chat, Sébastien Rozanes, Chief Digital, Data & AI Officer de FDJ United, partage la manière dont le groupe structure sa transformation data et IA dans un contexte de fusion entre un acteur historique et une entreprise 100 % digitale.Il explique pourquoi l'IA impose aujourd'hui de repenser l'organisation data, de recentraliser les priorités et de piloter les investissements de bout en bout afin de faire émerger des projets à fort impact.À travers le programme GameChanger AI, Sébastien détaille les enjeux de gouvernance, de priorisation, de mesure du ROI et de montée en compétences des métiers, ainsi que la préparation du groupe aux usages d'IA agentique à l'horizon 2026.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

How do you lead authentically and succeed in a rapidly changing, male-dominated sector without losing sight of your wellbeing or identity? Host Jo Cowlin is joined by Chief Data Officer Kinnari Ladha for a refreshingly honest, encouraging conversation about leadership, diversity, and the evolving world of data.They discuss the value of curiosity, letting go of perfectionism, how to navigate setbacks as fuel for growth, and the importance of making yourself visible as a female leader in tech. You'll also hear practical advice for ambitious women and insights into how AI is reshaping the future of work.Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Kinnari's journey to Chief Data Officer 04:23 Career paths are often unstructured06:53 Transitioning to senior leadership is challenging11:13 Leadership and parenting requires reflection, and avoiding comparison17:51 Building confidence in public speaking21:34 Life can't always be planned; sometimes you have to take risks 25:32 Take action now; don't overthink or wait for confidence. 28:15 Overcoming "good girl" conditioning and making bold decisions 32:28 Getting a leadership coach helped Kinnari address feedback36:08 Effective feedback requires receiving and responding well41:08 AI is reshaping roles, leadership is evolving, and data work is crucial.Meet your host Jo CowlinJo Cowlin keeps it real.Some people might like to call her ‘a motivational people development expert' but Jo would rather you didn't.Jo is a no-nonsense, straight-talking northernerShe is also a transformational coach, facilitator and game changer. She has a passion for results and is dedicated to helping leaders realise their aspirations without compromising their wellbeing.She dares individuals to be different by eliminating corporate BS, life coaching, and hand-holding, and instead encourages breaking through barriers to gain clarity and step into personal power for a life without limits.Resilience and a proactive approach to mental wellbeing is at the core of all of her work which is predominantly aimed at helping leaders and their teams refocus, regroup and rapidly adjust to change. With a background in pharmaceutical leadership and expertise across various sectors, she offers coaching and leadership programs tailored to individual and organisational needs.Find out more about Jo here: https://jocowlin.com/Find out more about Jo here: https://jocowlin.com/Connect with Jo:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jocowlin/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-cowlin/About Kinnari Ladhi:Kinnari Ladhi has spent over 20 years building a career in data and analytics and is currently Chief Data Officer at Travelodge. She is a senior executive leader who operates at board level, but her journey hasn't been linear or without self-doubt - something she speaks openly about.Kinnari has been recognised with multiple industry awards, including being named one of the most influential leaders in the...

Pour ce quatrième épisode de la saison 4 de Morning Data Chat, Julie Pozzi, Chief Data & AI Officer d'Air France KLM, partage la manière dont le groupe structure et gouverne la connaissance pour en faire un levier opérationnel à l'ère de l'IA.Elle revient sur les usages critiques de la donnée non structurée au cœur des opérations aériennes, et sur les limites des approches traditionnelles de recherche documentaire. Julie explique comment l'IA permet de réduire drastiquement les temps de recherche tout en mettant en lumière un enjeu clé : la qualité, la structure et la gouvernance des contenus.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Mark Wopata, Chief Data Officer and EVP of Finance at EquipmentShare (EQPT), which just went public on Nasdaq on Friday. The company is a vertically integrated construction company that is driving “productivity, safety, and efficiency.” It rents equipment for construction projects but also has a tech platform – Mark argues that the company should be viewed more as a tech IPO than a cyclical. “We serve the biggest and largest customers and jobsites in the world,” he says, with visibility into the trillions of dollars.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Options involve risks and are not suitable for all investors. Before trading, read the Options Disclosure Document. http://bit.ly/2v9tH6DSubscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

In this episode, Karen is joined by Kinnari Ladha, Chief Data Officer, to explore why great data work often fails to land — and how communication turns data leaders into trusted influencers, making it their superpower.    Drawing on over two decades in data—from hands-on analyst to executive leader—Kinnari shares candid stories of building “perfect” dashboards that didn't get used, and how those moments reshaped her approach to leadership.   She explains why career progression in data requires doing more work bringing people along, how tailoring messages to different audiences and shifting from reporting to storytelling changes impact, and why focusing on outcomes — not outputs — transforms how data is valued.   The conversation also dives into the role of trust in influence: how small, consistent actions build credibility, why listening comes before strategy, and how data teams can move from being seen as service providers to true business partners. With practical habits like weekly “highs and lows” and reframing data in business language, this episode is packed with insights you can apply straight away.

Pour ce troisième épisode de la saison 4 de Morning Data Chat, Magalie Cordier-Jubet, Chief Data Officer de Oney, revient sur la transformation majeure engagée par l'entreprise : la sortie progressive d'un legacy SAS historique au profit d'une modern data stack construite autour de Snowflake.Elle explique les bénéfices attendus de cette migration ainsi que l'usage de l'IA pour accélérer la conversion des scripts, documenter le code et réaliser les tests de non-régression. Magalie détaille enfin l'organisation mise en place pour réussir ce changement à grande échelle : stratégie hybride, mobilisation de plusieurs centaines de data analysts, création de communautés, montée en compétences, et pilotage FinOps dans un modèle de facturation à l'usage.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Angélique Bidault-Verliac est Chief Data & Performance Officer chez SNCF Connect & Tech, la filiale digitale de SNCF Voyageurs. Avant ça, elle était Chief Data Officer chez OUI.SNCF depuis 2018, ce qui lui donne un solide recul sur les enjeux data du groupe. Elle revient sur la stratégie data menée ces 4 dernières années.On aborde :

Jean-Noël Zeh nous explique comment donner vie aux données et décrit son département, qui a une portée transverse. Il partage son point de vue sur l'IA et détaille ses missions au sein d'Ipsos. Jean-Noël Zeh raconte également comment il a mobilisé ses équipes en créant Ipsos Facto, un outil déployé sur le bureau de tous les collaborateurs.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

En este episodio conversamos con Phil ICE, Chief Data Officer de Capusworks, sobre el estado actual de la Inteligencia Artificial en la universidad y su impacto real en la educación superior. Analizamos cómo la IA ya está transformando la experiencia estudiantil, desde la personalización del aprendizaje hasta la mejora de la retención y el éxito académico. Phil comparte su visión sobre la intersección entre los datos en higher education y las tecnologías emergentes, y cómo las instituciones pueden aprovechar mejor su ecosistema de datos para tomar decisiones más inteligentes, éticas y centradas en el estudiante. Un episodio imprescindible para líderes académicos, responsables de datos, innovación educativa y transformación digital, interesados en entender hacia dónde se dirige la universidad en la era de la IA.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pour ce deuxième épisode de la saison 4 de Morning Data Chat, Anthony Vouillon, Directeur du Centre d'Excellence IA de Renault, dévoile les leviers qui permettent au constructeur d'accélérer sa transformation à grande échelle.Il revient sur le déploiement massif de l'IA générative auprès des collaborateurs, l'impact du GenCoding sur la productivité, et la manière dont Renault conçoit ses premiers agents pour transformer l'expérience client comme les processus internes.Anthony détaille également les enjeux d'orchestration entre plateformes, les limites actuelles de performance des modèles et le rôle central de la qualité de la donnée dans l'industrialisation de l'IA.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

In this guest episode of Hub & Spoken, Jason Foster, CEO & Founder of Cynozure, is joined by Kate Sargent, Chief Data Officer at the Financial Times, to discuss how customer understanding drives strategy, growth and trust in a digital-first organisation.   Kate explains how the FT has evolved from a traditional publisher into a subscription-led business serving audiences from classroom to boardroom. She shares how customer insight underpins everything from acquisition and retention to product design and experience, guided by a clear set of "metrics that matter".   The conversation explores how the FT segments its audiences, turns insight into action across the organisation and balances short-term performance with long-term value. Kate also reflects on the practical role of AI, from personalisation to governance, explaining why clarity of purpose and strong principles matter when adopting new technology.   Listen here for a thoughtful discussion focused on data, customers and sustainable growth.   Cynozure is a leading data, analytics and AI company that helps organisations to reach their data potential. It works with clients on data and AI strategy, data management, data architecture and engineering, analytics and AI, data culture and literacy, and data leadership. The company was named one of The Sunday Times' fastest-growing private companies in both 2022 and 2023 and recognised as The Best Place to Work in Data by DataIQ in 2023 and 2024. Cynozure is a certified B Corporation. 

Pour ce premier épisode de la saison 4 de Morning Data Chat, Jean-François Guilmard, Chief Data & AI Officer du groupe Accor, partage les coulisses de la transformation data et IA du groupe hôtelier. Il explique comment Accor repense le search de la recherche d'hôtel à l'expérience conversationnelle en s'appuyant sur les dernières avancées en IA générative et le protocole MCP. Un échange passionnant sur le futur du travel search, de la personnalisation client et de l'hospitalité augmentée par l'IA.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Ep 143- Encore Episode: AI in Population Health: Value vs Hype with Dr. David Nash As the year comes to a close, enjoy a throwback to one of their most popular episodes of 2025. On this episode Dan explores the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in population health. As AI continues to dominate industry conversations and drive vendor offerings, healthcare leaders are faced with questions: What is real, what is hype, and where does the value lie? Dr. David Nash, Founding Dean Emeritus of Jefferson College of Population Health and a nationally recognized thought leader in value-based care and population health, joins the conversation. Additionally, Rick Howard, a seasoned Chief Data Officer and AI Strategist contributes to the conversation with his deep expertise in driving data-driven innovation across healthcare organizations. Together, they break down common misconceptions, highlight the most promising AI applications in care delivery, and offer practical insights into how health systems, providers, and payers can responsibly integrate AI to drive meaningful outcomes and return on investment (ROI). To stream our Station live 24/7 visit www.HealthcareNOWRadio.com or ask your Smart Device to “….Play Healthcare NOW Radio”. Find all of our network podcasts on your favorite podcast platforms and be sure to subscribe and like us. Learn more at www.healthcarenowradio.com/listen

As the year comes to a close, we thought you would enjoy a throwback to one of our most popular episodes of 2025. In this episode of Value-Based Care Insights, host Daniel Marino explores the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in population health. As AI continues to dominate industry conversations and drive vendor offerings, healthcare leaders are faced with questions: What is real, what is hype, and where does the value lie? Dr. David Nash, Founding Dean Emeritus of Jefferson College of Population Health and a nationally recognized thought leader in value-based care and population health, join the conversation. Additionally, Rick Howard, a seasoned Chief Data Officer and AI Strategist contributes to the conversation with his deep expertise in driving data-driven innovation across healthcare organizations. Together, they break down common misconceptions, highlight the most promising AI applications in care delivery, and offer practical insights into how health systems, providers, and payers can responsibly integrate AI to drive meaningful outcomes and return on investment (ROI).

Bill Saltmarsh joins me to discuss where a modern CDO gets the inspiration to “operate in the producty way” in his domain, which is healthcare. Now Vice President of Enterprise Data and Transformation and the Chief Data Officer at Children's Mercy Kansas City, his early days as an analyst revealed a gap between what stakeholders asked for vs. the outcomes they sought. This convinced him that data teams need to pause, ask better questions, and prioritize meaningful outcomes over quickly churning out dashboards and reports. Bill and I discuss how a producty mindset can be embedded across an organization. He also talks about why data leaders must set firm expectations. We explore the personal and cultural shifts needed for analysts and data scientists to embrace design, facilitation, and deeper discovery, even when it initially seems to slow things down. We also examine how to define value and ROI in healthcare, where a data team's impact is often indirect.  By tying data efforts to organizational OKRs and investing in governance, strong data foundations, and data literacy, he argues that analytics, data, and AI can drive better decisions, enhance patient care, and create durable organizational value. Highlights/ Skip to: What led Bill Saltmarsh to run his team at Children's Mercy “the producty way” (1:42)  The kinds of environments Bill worked in prior that influenced his current management philosophy (4:36) Why data teams shouldn't be report factories (6:37)  Setting the standard at the leadership level vs the everyday work (10:53) How Bill is skilling and hiring for non-technical skills (i.e. product, design, etc) (13:51)  Patterns that data professionals go through to know if they're guiding stakeholders correctly (20:54)  The point when Bill has to think about the financial side of the hospital (26:30) How Bill thinks about measuring the data team's  contributions to the hospital's success (30:28) Bill's philosophy on generative AI (36:00) Links Bill Saltmarsh on LinkedIn

Douglas Matty is exiting his role as the Pentagon's chief digital and artificial intelligence officer and moving on to focus on the Trump administration's “Golden Dome for America” missile defense initiative, DefenseScoop has learned. Principal Deputy CDAO Andrew Mapes will lead the department's AI hub in an acting capacity until a new CDAO is hired. Ahead of reaching full operational capacity in 2022, the AI-accelerating office merged and integrated multiple technology-focused predecessor organizations at the Pentagon, including the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC), Defense Digital Service (DDS), Office of the Chief Data Officer, and the Maven and Advana programs. The DOD's vision and priorities for the CDAO have been reconfigured several times since its inception. And while AI is a major priority for the U.S. government under President Donald Trump, the Pentagon's CDAO office has seen an exodus of senior leaders and other technical employees this year. Matty's departure also comes as the office is hustling to execute on a range of DOD-wide efforts to speed up the delivery and fielding of data analytics, automation, computer vision, machine learning and other next-generation AI capabilities for military and civilian personnel. Last week, Pentagon leaders unveiled a new purpose-built platform — GenAI.mil — to provide commercial options directly to most of its workforce on their desktops. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has tapped ID.me to verify the identities of beneficiaries on Medicare.gov, according to a Tuesday announcement from the identity-proofing company. ID.me will be available as an option for identity verification and sign-in on Medicare.gov starting in early 2026, per the release. The deal adds to the growing number of federal programs opting to use the digital identity service that leverages facial recognition technology and has been the subject of some controversy in the past. Already, ID.me is used at 21 federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration and Department of Veterans Affairs, per the release. Opting in means an ID.me user could sign in with the same credentials at any of the other federal, state or private-sector entities that use the service, the company said in a statement to FedScoop.

In this special episode, host Cindi Howson pulls together the most useful, and hard-won, lessons from a year of conversations with Data Chiefs leading the GenAI charge. With generative and agentic AI no longer a side experiment, this episode spotlights five practices early adopters can rely on to move from pilots to profit. Expect straight talk on what to prioritize, how to bring people with you, and how to scale AI with the trust, literacy, and guardrails that make impact stick.Key Moments:Tying AI to Real Dollars with Anand Iyer, Ecolab (02:10): Anand cuts through the GenAI FOMO and brings everything back to a simple survival test: if you can't draw a straight line from an AI initiative to top-line growth or bottom-line savings, it won't last. His lesson is a sharp reminder that “cool” doesn't scale, value does. Leading Through Ambiguity with Karen Stroup, WEX (06:01): Karen names what everyone's feeling: ambiguity is paralyzing. She explains how leaders earn trust by shrinking the unknown into learnable, bite-sized experiments and creating the psychological safety people need to engage instead of resist.Building Practical AI Literacy at Scale with Josh Cunningham, Lloyds Banking Group (12:42):  Josh shares how Lloyds Banking Group makes literacy impactful by meeting people where they are. Rather than one-size-fits-all training, they pair broad fundamentals with role-specific learning so every business unit can build confidence in ways that match their actual work. Scaling Responsible Agentic AI with Noelle Russell, AI Leadership Institute (25:09): Noelle steps in with a practical framework for building agentic systems that don't go rogue. She walks through the POET framework and stresses that responsible AI isn't a final checkpoint. It's something you embed from the first idea to production, with guardrails that protect people and outcomes.Embedding AI Where Work Happens with Ilan Twig, Navan (32:35): Ilan tells a classic early-adopter story: start with a business problem, move fast, and be ruthless about what needs building versus buying. His lesson is that AI wins when it's inside the workflow, supporting decisions at the point of impact rather than living in a separate tool. Don't Let Perfection Stall Progress with Ketan Karkhanis, ThoughtSpot (40:59): Ketan shares a culture gut-check: waiting for perfect metrics, perfect KPIs, or perfect clarity is how progress dies. He argues for visible, trust-building iteration, because in AI, speed to learning beats speed to certainty. Key Quotes:“One thing that people sometimes forget is that at the end of the day, it's all about are we either saving money or making money? And are you able to show that in the bottom line or the top line in a measurable way?” - Anand Iyer“I don't think there's any chief anything officer that should not be considering AI today. I think if you're not considering AI, you are at the risk of being disrupted because you're not going to be learning at the pace with the rest of the industry, and there's someone out there looking for a better way.” - Karen Stroup“It's trying your best to meet people where they are… Finding a way to anchor the [AI] learning to something that's relevant to their day-to-day role is always going to make it land better.” - Josh Cunningham“ When people lose 70% of their trust in you, they just don't buy from you, they don't work for you, they don't talk about you… and your business starts to die. I think that trust component is a human component… and it is underpinning all the other philosophies that I have.” - Noelle Russell“When you asked me about how to educate yourself on AI, I think that companies must make a decision, and quickly, this or that.” - Ilan Twig“ Don't let perfection be the enemy of progress.” - Ketan KarkhanisGuest Bios Anand IyerAnand Iyer is the SVP, Chief Data Officer at Ecolab, where he leads the company's global data and analytics strategy. Based in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, he oversees enterprise data governance, business intelligence, engineering, and advanced analytics to accelerate Ecolab's digital transformation. Since joining in 2018, Anand has held several senior roles, including VP of Enterprise Architecture and VP of Architecture for Commercial Digital Solutions, helping to scale IoT and data-driven platforms across the organization.Karen StroupKaren joined WEX in 2022 as Chief Digital Officer, a newly created role. She brings more than 15 years of experience leading product management, digital, and innovation organizations focused on software as a service offerings, primarily in financial services.Josh CunninghamJosh Cunningham is the Group Head of Data and AI Culture at Lloyds Banking Group, where he leads the Data Culture Pillar—one of five strategic pillars in the Group's data strategy. He is focused on embedding data-driven mindsets across the organization and empowering teams to unlock the full value of data.Noelle RussellNoelle Russell is a multi-award-winning speaker, author, and AI Executive who specializes in transforming businesses through strategic AI adoption. She is a revenue growth + cost optimization expert, 4x Microsoft Responsible AI MVP, and named the #1 Agentic AI Leader in 2025. She has led teams at NPR, Microsoft, IBM, AWS and Amazon Alexa, and is a consistent champion for Data and AI literacy and is the founder of the "I ❤️ AI" Community teaching responsible AI for everyone.Ilan TwigIlan Twig is the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Navan, the leading modern travel and expense management platform, globally. As CTO, Ilan drives Navan's product development and engineering efforts, leveraging cutting-edge technologies — including AI — to enhance user experience and operational efficiency. Ketan KarkhanisKetan Karkhanis is the CEO of ThoughtSpot, the Agentic Analytics Platform company. Prior to joining the company in September 2024, Ketan was the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Sales Cloud at Salesforce. He returned to Salesforce in March 2022 after his time as the COO of Turvo, an emerging supply-chain collaboration platform.  Hear more from Cindi Howson here. Sponsored by ThoughtSpot.

Although providers and payers feel like they're engaged in an epic, ongoing battle over claims, Abhinay Vyas, Co-Founder and Chief Data Officer at RapidClaims, believes that approvals can increase when both realize that they are fundamentally interested in truth. RapidClaims' AI-driven revenue cycle tools help to uncover the complexities in care and provide the evidence to back up a claim.Vyas says that AI has to be both accurate and explainable to be adopted. RapidClaims' algorithms are self-hosted and self-trained. They are flexible enough to support every specialty and adapt to the needs of different institutions. To this end, they have more than 118 AI models, which they set against each other to eliminate errors and hallucinations.Lisa Rosenkoetter, Vice President of Sales at RapidClaims, says they address cost, revenue, and compliance. As the complexity and severity of health conditions increase, providers "need to recoup every dollar for the care you've provided."Learn more about RapidClaims: https://www.rapidclaims.ai/Healthcare IT Community: https://www.healthcareittoday.com/

Learn how one of the world's biggest restaurant companies is turning data and AI into a recipe for global innovation. Cameron Davies, Chief Data Officer at Yum! Brands, shares how he's combining strategy, technology, and change management to drive gobal growth. He explains how Yum! is building AI literacy from the top down, reimagining operations with generative AI, and partnering with NVIDIA to scale innovation. Cameron reveals what true data leadership looks like, balancing bold ideas with business impact, and proving transformation starts with people, not technology.Key Moments:Start with the Business Problem, Not the Tech (04:27): Cameron recalls advice from a mentor, “start with the business problem down, not the technology up.” He emphasizes that innovation only matters when it solves real business challenges, reminding data leaders not to get enamored with the “cool” factor of technology at the expense of impact.Balancing Global Scale with Local Agility (07:45): Cameron unpacks the challenge of scaling analytics across 160 countries and four major brands, 98% of which are franchise-owned. He explains how Yum! balances centralization and autonomy, ensuring smaller markets have a voice while global teams leverage shared technology and insights.Building AI Literacy from the Top Down (13:44): Cameron describes Yum!'s investment in digital upskilling, from Harvard-led training for executives to hands-on AI workshops for employees. He outlines how the company is embedding AI tools, like Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT, into daily workflows to build confidence and accelerate adoption.Digitizing the Restaurant: Byte By Yum! (17:18): Cameron introduces Byte By Yum!, a suite of proprietary software that simplifies restaurant operations. He explains how it unifies e-commerce, point-of-sale, voice AI, and kitchen systems to make running a restaurant easier and more efficient in an increasingly complex digital environment.Partnering with NVIDIA to Power the Future (25:12): Cameron shares how Yum!'s strategic partnership with NVIDIA is fueling next-generation restaurant innovation. He reveals how the collaboration gives Yum! early access to cutting-edge AI engineering and product strategy, extending his team's capabilities with some of the best minds in the field.Key Quotes:“Technology's actually a whole lot easier than people, and the more successful the people are, the harder it is to get them to change.” - Cameron DaviesThe business problem is the business problem. You never have as much data as you want, as fast as you want, as cleanly as you want. People are always people, but the opportunities are always the opportunities.” - Cameron Davies“I think sometimes we get so enamored with the technology… We forget it's all in the service of a business problem.” - Cameron DaviesMentionsByte By Yum!Yum! Brands to accelerate AI innovation in an industry-first collaboration with NVIDIA2025 AI & Data Leadership Executive Benchmark SurveyGuest Bio Cameron Davies currently serves as the Chief Data Officer at Yum! Brands since July 2020. Prior to this role, Cameron held the position of Senior Vice President of Corporate Decision Sciences at NBCUniversal, Inc. from September 2013 to July 2020, overseeing the Corporate Management Sciences and NBCU News Group Insights teams, focusing on advanced analytics and data strategies. Cameron's career at Walt Disney Co. spanned from October 1996 to September 2013, where responsibilities included leading the Walt Disney World Resort Forecast and Planning teams and managing global Yield Management. Cameron established and led the Corporate Center of Excellence in Management Science and Integration, collaborating with Disney executives on analytics initiatives. Earlier in the career, from May 1989 to June 1996, Cameron served as a Professor of Finance and Accounting at Pensacola Christian College, teaching various business courses. Cameron holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing Research and Operations Management from the UWF Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Business/Accounting from Pensacola Christian College. Hear more from Cindi Howson here. Sponsored by ThoughtSpot.

Tim and Juan chat with Danielle Crop is the EVP Digital Strategy & Alliances at WNS, former Chief Data Officer of Albertson and also the former Chief Data Officer of American Express about how data leaders and practitioners need to be thinking about AI and how to focus on what truly provides business value. We get into who will be building models, and how roles will be evolving in organizations. If you want to learn what is going through the mind of an executive data leader, this episode is for you!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the takeaway episode with Danielle Crop is the EVP Digital Strategy & Alliances at WNS, former Chief Data Officer of Albertson and also the former Chief Data Officer of American Express where we chat about how data leaders and practitioners need to be thinking about AI and how to focus on what truly provides business value, who will be building models, and how roles will be evolving in organizations. If you want to learn what is going through the mind of an executive data leader, this episode is for you. If you like what you heard, you should check out the full episode!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the takeaway episode with Danielle Crop is the EVP Digital Strategy & Alliances at WNS, former Chief Data Officer of Albertson and also the former Chief Data Officer of American Express where we chat about how data leaders and practitioners need to be thinking about AI and how to focus on what truly provides business value, who will be building models, and how roles will be evolving in organizations. If you want to learn what is going through the mind of an executive data leader, this episode is for you. If you like what you heard, you should check out the full episode!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tim and Juan chat with Danielle Crop is the EVP Digital Strategy & Alliances at WNS, former Chief Data Officer of Albertson and also the former Chief Data Officer of American Express about how data leaders and practitioners need to be thinking about AI and how to focus on what truly provides business value. We get into who will be building models, and how roles will be evolving in organizations. If you want to learn what is going through the mind of an executive data leader, this episode is for you!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In October 2025, Orbition Group hosted Driven by Data LIVE, where they welcomed 120 CDOs/Data Leaders to Tobacco Dock in London for a half day event, which included 3 panel discussions and some roundtable conversations.The third panel discussion saw Catherine King joined by;Paul Hollands, Chief Data & AI Officer, AXA,Johanna Hutchinson, Chief Data Officer, BAE SystemsNick Blewden, Director of Data, CoopSam Hancock, Global Head of Data Science, Octopus EnergyWhere they discussed, Leading with a Legacy of Impact, How Data can Change the World, which includes; How to distinguish between short-term value creation and long-term impact when shaping your data strategy.The decisions made that will outlive tenure and define data leadership legacy.The boldest thing a CDO should be doing today, but most aren't.The people-first principles that anchor leadership when making high-stakes data decisions.Experiencing the “this is why we do it” moment and the times when data work had a direct, unforgettable human impact.Thanks to our sponsor, Data Literacy Academy.Data Literacy Academy is leading the way in transforming enterprise workforces with data literacy across the organisation, through a combination of change management and education. In today's data-centric world, being data literate is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity.If you want successful data product adoption, and to keep driving innovation within your business, you need to start with data literacy first.At Data Literacy Academy, we don't just teach data skills. We empower individuals and teams to think critically, analyse effectively, and make decisions confidently based on data. We're bridging the gap between business and data teams, so they can all work towards aligned outcomes.From those taking their first steps in data literacy to seasoned experts looking to fine-tune their skills, our data experts provide tailored classes for every stage. But it's not just learning tracks that we offer. We embed a deep data culture shift through a transformative change management programme.We take a people-first approach, working closely with your executive team to win the hearts and minds. We know this will drive the company-wide impact that data teams want to achieve.Get in touch and find out how you can unlock the full potential of data in your organisation. Learn more at www.dl-academy.com.

Join Kaya Cast host Tommy Truong for a data‑driven conversation with Ed Keating, co‑founder and Chief Data Officer of Cannabiz Media. Ed shares Cannabiz Media's origin story—from a bike ride in 2014 to building a nationwide, normalized database of cannabis licenses and owners, and evolving into a CRM with an embedded email tool. You'll learn how they aggregated state by state data, surfaced multi‑state operator insights, and expanded into market intelligence on mergers and acquisitions, total addressable market, and enforcement trends. The episode also covers how AI accelerates data collection and classification of violations, tracking unlicensed stores and badge data, and the value of this data for banks, insurers, and compliance. We discuss brand positioning in a fragmented market, how operators evaluate expansion opportunities across states, and Ed's view of the 2025 landscape. If you're a dispensary looking to scale, a brand expanding across markets, or a fintech navigating license risk, this episode delivers practical, data‑driven insights you can apply today. Find out more about Cannabiz Media at:https://www.cannabiz.media/https://www.cannabiz.media/blog-category/podcastshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/edkeating/https://www.linkedin.com/company/cannabiz-media/ 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast00:21 The Origin Story of Cannabiz Media02:27 Initial Challenges and Pivots07:28 Evolving Use Cases and Market Insights14:51 Future Data Sets and Innovations21:28 Leveraging AI for Data Management26:13 Compliance and Regulatory Insights32:13 Industry Trends and Predictions41:18 Conclusion and Contact Information #kayacast #cannabis #tips #dispensaries #business #podcast

In October 2025, Orbition Group hosted Driven by Data LIVE, where they welcomed 120 CDOs/Data Leaders to Tobacco Dock in London for a half-day event, which included 3 panel discussions and some roundtable conversations.The second panel discussion saw Kyle Winterbottom joined by;Ranil Boteju, Chief Data Officer, Lloyds Banking GroupLoretta Franks, Global Chief Data & Analytics Officer, KellanovaSteve Pimblett, Chief Data Officer, RightmoveAimee Smith, Director of Data, Metropolitan PoliceJane Smith, Field CDAO, ThoughtSpotWhere they debated; Making Data Count by Providing Tangible Value the Business Can Touch, which includes;How you transform from a technological-centred data function, into a business value centred function? How to decide which data projects get resourced, and what hard evidence do you use to show they are delivering business value? Which projects you've killed because they couldn't scale, and what did you learn from them? Which action from; Building a brand identity, aligning capabilities to value levers, designing a fluid operating model and broadcasting data wins, moves the needle most?Where Agentic AI fits into the business value discussion?Thanks to our sponsor, Data Literacy Academy.Data Literacy Academy is leading the way in transforming enterprise workforces with data literacy across the organisation, through a combination of change management and education. In today's data-centric world, being data literate is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity.If you want successful data product adoption, and to keep driving innovation within your business, you need to start with data literacy first.At Data Literacy Academy, we don't just teach data skills. We empower individuals and teams to think critically, analyse effectively, and make decisions confidently based on data. We're bridging the gap between business and data teams, so they can all work towards aligned outcomes.From those taking their first steps in data literacy to seasoned experts looking to fine-tune their skills, our data experts provide tailored classes for every stage. But it's not just learning tracks that we offer. We embed a deep data culture shift through...

In October 2025, Orbition Group hosted Driven by Data LIVE, where they welcomed 120 CDOs/Data Leaders to Tobacco Dock in London for a half-day event, which included 3 panel discussions and some roundtable conversations.The first panel discussion saw Kyle Winterbottom joined by;Davin Crowley-Sweet, Chief Data Officer at National HighwaysKelly Hume, Lead Partner at BaringaKinnari Ladha, Chief Data Officer at Merlin EntertainmentsDaniel Hulme, Chief Data & AI Officer at WPPWhere they debated; The Biggest Challenges in Data, Analytics & AI and How They're Being Tackled, which includes;Why perceived data quality challenges are actually data confidence and communication issues.Why business leaders need a stronger data vocabulary to drive better outcomes. How shifting from projects to products improves data ownership and accountability.Why lack of trust in data stems from unclear standards and outdated systems.Why hype has led to organisations chasing use cases without defining problems.Why Low-hanging fruit often yields superficial success. Why true business value from AI comes from addressing complex, strategic problems.Why organisations must rethink processes not just adopt new tools.How brave leadership unlocks better digital decisions.Why data leaders must simplify the AI conversation for executives.How a dual AI strategy balances innovation and control.Why AI regulation is necessary but only when thoughtfully designed.Why ethical AI depends on explainability, not intentions.Why traditional company values don't guide AI ethics.Why building trust in data starts with being trusted as a data leader.Why orchestration, not capability, is often the barrier to delivery.How reframing data roles helps escape the ‘service desk' trap.Why tension in organisations can lead to better outcomes.Why upskilling execs in data requires empathy, not just...

GivingTuesday isn't just a giving day—it's a catalyst to transform your individual giving year-round. Are you making the most of it? Woodrow Rosenbaum, Chief Data Officer of GivingTuesday, and Carrie Cobb, Chief Data and AI Officer of Blackbaud, discuss the collaborative, special report from the Blackbaud Institute and GivingTuesday. They dive deep into new data and strategies, like:

After 1,500+ conversations with CDOs and VPs of data , guest Malcolm Hawker noticed a disturbing pattern: a "limiting mindset" that causes data leaders to fail. He argues that too many leaders blame external factors such as "culture" , "data literacy", or a lack of support rather than taking accountability for delivering value.In this conversation, Malcolm breaks down how this mindset is reinforced by the analyst and consultant community and why it leads to a "value fatigue" where no one can prove their own ROI. He offers a clear path forward, starting with a simple 3-question framework for any new CDO and explains why "culture" is actually an outcome of delivering value, not a prerequisite for it. We also discuss his new book, "The Data Hero Playbook," tackle the "AI Ready" myth , explaining why conflating it with "BI Ready" is holding companies back and why your data is likely "good enough" to start right now.

In this episode of "People Not Titles," Steve Kaempf and Matt Lombardi discuss the end of the U.S. government shutdown and its positive impact on real estate market confidence, as well as former President Trump's proposal for a 50-year mortgage to boost housing affordability. They also analyze a class action lawsuit against Zillow, the appointment of a Chief Data Officer at the National Association of REALTORS®, and the effects of a K-shaped economy on different market segments.Government Shutdown Resolution and Market Impact (00:00:00)Details of the Shutdown Deal and Next Steps (00:01:14)Psychological and Market Effects of Shutdown (00:02:41)Trump's 50-Year Mortgage Proposal Overview (00:03:41)Potential Benefits and Psychological Impact of 50-Year Mortgages (00:05:19)Legal Hurdles and Market Implications of 50-Year Mortgages (00:08:32)Zillow Class Action Lawsuit: Alleged Kickbacks (00:12:28)Bundled Services and Consumer Harm Concerns (00:13:39)Zillow's Super App Strategy and Legal Context (00:15:38)NAR Appoints First Chief Data Officer (00:19:32)K-Shaped Economy and Real Estate (00:23:03)Chicago's Luxury Housing Market Hits Record (00:28:56)NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers: Key Trends (00:32:24)Demographic Shifts and Opportunities for Agents (00:34:37)Repeat Buyers and Market Motivators (00:35:25)Neighborhood Quality and Home Search Trends (00:36:12)Longer Homeownership Tenure and Market Effects (00:37:31)Generational Market Trends: Gen Z and Affluent Buyers (00:39:00)Land Trust Title News and Veterans Day Shoutout (00:39:46)Chicago Bears and Local Sports Update (00:41:02)Podcast Closing and Call to Action (00:41:48)Full episodes available at www.peoplenottitles.comPeople, Not Titles podcast is hosted by Steve Kaempf and is dedicated to lifting up professionals in the real estate and business community. Our inspiration is to highlight success principles of our colleagues.Our Success Series covers principles of success to help your thrive!www.peoplenottitles.comIG - https://www.instagram.com/peoplenotti...FB - https://www.facebook.com/peoplenottitlesTwitter - https://twitter.com/sjkaempfSpotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1uu5kTv...

In this insightful episode, we dive deep with Dr. Padric Hall, the Chief Data Officer for the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Fifth Fleet. With a rich background that spans academia, military service, and global leadership, Dr. Hall shares his unique perspective on the future of leadership in an increasingly tech-driven world. He discusses the importance of maintaining human connection while integrating technology into leadership practices, emphasizing the balance between innovation and ethical responsibility.You will learn the following:1. The critical role of understanding the 'why' behind technology adoption to enhance mission effectiveness. 05:252. How leaders can maintain authentic human connections and trust within teams amidst rising reliance on digital tools and AI. 09:023. The necessity of using data-driven insights effectively while valuing intuition and experience. 12:274. Key lessons on balancing innovation with cybersecurity and ethical responsibilities in a tech-driven environment. 17:435. The importance of adaptability and constructing resilient teams in the face of rapid technological changes. 21:45To get in contact with Dr. Hall: LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/padrichallThis episode is sponsored by   Fantail Services  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.fantailservices.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Our podcast is sponsored by   The Global Trends MagazineWebsite: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.gc-bl.org/global-trends⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Outlier Project   Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://theoutlierproject.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ascend MeditationsWebsite: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ascendmeditations.app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Chop AiWebsite: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.chopai.app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Make sure to Catch us streaming on Roku and Amazon Fire TV on the Purpose Place Network.Also catch our Exclusive Members only content “Going Deeper Within” on the Lions Guide Academy.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.lionsguide.com/gdw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join Dan Carrigan and Dr. Ben Flusberg, Chief Data Officer at Cox Automotive for a deep dive into the evolution and practical application of AI in auto retail. Dr. Flusberg defines the AI landscape, explaining the shift from predictive to generative and now to agentic AI—where systems execute multi-step automated workflows. Dr. Flusberg shares his strategic framework: the "AI Pyramid." This model outlines the path to maximizing AI value, moving from basic Insights to Predictions, then Recommendations, and finally to full Automation. He explains that while AI is a "force multiplier" for repetitive tasks, the true challenge is not the technology, but people and process change. Learn why Cox Automotive is focused on innovations like hyper-personalization and BDC tools that combine predictive data with generative AI to boost lead conversion. Discover why dealers must aim for vendors who offer integrated systems to avoid "AI sprawl" and empower their teams through upskilling. This is an essential guide for dealership leaders ready to move past AI 101 and redesign their operations for the future.

https://www.FutureOfRisk.com/Generative AI is transforming business at an unprecedented pace, but are organizations seeing real value from this rapid adoption? In the debut episode of Zurich North America's Future of Risk AI miniseries, host Justin Hicks speaks with Kristen Bessette, Chief Data Officer at Zurich, and Anthony Meyers, Managing Director of Data and AI Strategy at Aon, about the practical benefits and pitfalls of integrating artificial intelligence into business. The conversation highlights that while AI adoption is accelerating across industries, success relies on understanding its limitations, aligning technology with business strategy, and embracing change. Real-world examples show how AI is already streamlining workflows, enhancing decision-making and improving customer interactions, but achieving true return on investment requires incremental progress, strong governance and ongoing learning. Business leaders are encouraged to start small, experiment and include cross-functional teams in their AI journey. Ultimately, AI is not a magic wand—but when implemented thoughtfully, it can empower organizations to navigate disruption and unlock new opportunities for growth.Record date: 9/25/25Air date: 10/22/25In this miniseries, other episodes include:11/5/25: Five ways everyone can benefit from AI today11/19/25: Dark side of AI12/3/25: What's next in AI?

What if artificial intelligence could help end world hunger? In this special episode recorded live from GITEX Global in Dubai, I sit down with Magan Naidoo, Chief Data Officer at the United Nations World Food Programme, to discuss how data and AI are transforming humanitarian work at scale. Magan paints a powerful picture of the global food security crisis, where hundreds of millions of people face hunger across more than 80 countries. He explains how the World Food Programme is using technology to predict food shortages, optimise supply chains, and deliver aid faster and more effectively. Behind every algorithm sits a simple goal: getting food to those who need it, when they need it most. We explore how AI models are helping the organisation make sense of enormous datasets, identifying patterns that humans alone could not process quickly enough. From predicting drought-related crop failures to reducing the cost of food delivery through smarter routing, Magan reveals how data-driven decisions are saving both time and lives. He also shares the organisation's commitment to ethical AI, strong data governance, and privacy protection in every region they operate. As the only UN agency with a formal AI strategy, the World Food Programme is setting a benchmark for how large-scale institutions can use technology responsibly and effectively. Magan's story highlights the importance of trust, collaboration, and resilience in a mission where failure is not an option. Could AI truly be the key to solving one of humanity's oldest challenges? And what lessons can every organisation learn from how the World Food Programme blends compassion with computation? Tune in, then share your thoughts.

Welcome to a special author's episode of The Data Chief, where we delve into the minds of three influential authors who are shaping the conversation around data and AI. First, Geoff Woods, author of The AI-Driven Leader, shares his philosophy of prioritizing strategy over technology to make faster, smarter decisions. Next, Wendy Batchelder, author of The Data Governance Handbook, discusses how to transform governance from a rigid bureaucracy into a business accelerator by focusing on business outcomes. Finally, Malcolm Hawker, author of The Data Hero Playbook, challenges data leaders to adopt a heroic mindset by becoming customer-driven and aligning their incentives with business success. Join us to learn how to lead effectively in the AI era by building a strategy-driven, governed, and customer-centric data function.The Data Chief Podcast: Author Episode Key MomentsGeoff Woods: The AI-Driven LeaderFrom "IT Problem" to Strategic Partner (06:20): Woods advocates for viewing AI as a "strategic thought partner" rather than an assistant or replacement, and emphasizes that AI strategy must align with business strategy.The CRIT Framework for Smarter Prompts (12:25): He introduces the CRIT framework for prompt engineering: Context, Role, Interview, Task. This method helps leaders get non-obvious, high-impact strategies from AI by having the AI ask the right questions.Beyond the Bottom Line: AI's Human Impact (22:17): Woods discusses the ROI of AI, including a case where AI identified savings equivalent to 2% of a company's revenue. Wendy Batchelder: The Data Governance HandbookData Governance as an Accelerator (32:33): Wendy Batchelder addresses the myth that data governance is a "dirty word" or a code for "no," arguing that its true purpose is to be an accelerator.Speaking the Language of Business (35:17): Batchelder emphasizes that data governance should be embedded from the start of a project, not as an afterthought. She provides an example of "bad" vs. "good" communication, urging data professionals to speak the language of the business.Measuring Value with Business Outcomes (40:00): She outlines how to measure the value of data governance by connecting it to business outcomes like increased revenue or improved customer service. Malcolm Hawker: The Data Hero PlaybookFrom Limiting Mindset to Growth Mindset (56:00): Hawker discusses why he wrote the book, calling the current moment a "do or die" opportunity for CDOs. He challenges the "limiting mindset" that leads to defeatism.Customer-Driven, Not Data-Driven (1:08:00): He urges data leaders to be "customer-driven, not data-driven," emphasizing the need for data teams to become more business literate.The Power of Product Management (1:14:00): Hawker advocates for bringing product management disciplines into data teams. This approach focuses on putting the customer at the center and ensures that data products are economically viable and tied to ROI.Key Quotes:"It is not technology first, strategy second. It is strategy first, technology second.” - Geoff Woods"The companies that are treating data as something that helps drive business outcomes are thinking about data at the beginning and set up at the end." - Wendy Batchelder“If you deliver value to your customers, if you are the lever of change and transformation in your organization, if you show value from data, you will get a seat at the table." - Malcolm HawkerMentionsThe AI-Driven Leader: Harnessing AI to Make Faster, SmarterHow AI is transforming strategy developmentData Governance Handbook: A practical approach to building trust in data5 key reasons why data analytics is important to businessThe Data Hero Playbook: Developing Your Data Leadership SuperpowersCDOs and CDAOs: Rethink your role or fade awayGuest Bios:About Geoff Woods Geoff Woods is the #1 bestselling author of The AI-Driven Leader, host of the AI-Driven Leader podcast, and Founder of AI Leadership and The AI-Driven Leadership Collective™, a highly vetted network of executives collaborating to harness AI to build better businesses and better lives. As the former Chief Growth Officer of Jindal Steel & Power, Geoff's strategic leadership helped the company grow its market cap from $750 million to over $12 billion in just four years. Prior to that, he co-founded the training and consulting company behind The ONE Thing, advising businesses ranging from $10 million to $60 billion in annual revenue.About Wendy Batchelder Wendy Batchelder is a three-time Chief Data Officer across financial services, technology & healthcare industries, with a wide understanding of how to take highly technical aspects of data management and translate them into simple, concise business valued solutions that are practical and simple to understand. Her background has led her to lead global data & analytics organizations at four Fortune 500 companies. She approaches situations with curiosity and humility, which has led to applying innovative data solutions to challenges with increased complexity to deliver value that companies can measure.A lifelong learner, Wendy graduated from Miami University with a B.S. in Accounting and Information Systems, from Drake University with a Masters of Accountancy, from University of Iowa with an Executive MBA, and pursues ongoing education through Harvard Business School. Her work history includes EY, KPMG, Aviva, Wells Fargo, VMware and Salesforce.About Malcolm HawkerMalcolm helps senior business leaders harness the power of data to transform their businesses. As a former Gartner analyst, he has consulted with some of the world's largest and best-known brands on their enterprise information management strategies and digital transformation initiatives.He is a frequent public speaker on data and analytics best practices with a passion for Master Data Management (MDM) and Data Governance. He welcomes the opportunity to share practical and actionable insights on how companies can become truly data-driven by implementing the cultural, technical, and organizational changes needed for success in the digital age. He is also the author of The Data Hero Playbook. Hear more from Cindi Howson here. Sponsored by ThoughtSpot.

This week, the GovNavigators welcome Oliver Wise, former Chief Data Officer at the Department of Commerce and now Executive Director of the Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence at Johns Hopkins University. Oliver discusses his experience leading data initiatives across Commerce, including efforts to make federal data usable in an AI-driven world, and explains how local governments can harness data to improve lives through programs like the City Data Alliance.From federal policy to city hall, Oliver shares how better data governance—and a new model of collaboration between levels of government—can help public servants everywhere deliver smarter, more trustworthy results.Show Notes:For our furloughed friends: Shutdown deals around townEvents on the GovNavigator's Radar:Check out GovExec's new events calendar October 9, 2025: Federal News Network's 25th Anniversary GalaOctober 9, 2025: FedInsider / Carahsoft Innovation Summit 

Host Gil Bashe welcomes Milind Kamkolkar a globally recognized healthcare & life sciences technology executive and venture leader with over two decades of experience building and scaling companies and market-leading capabilities at the intersection of life sciences, healthcare, and deep tech. He has co-founded and incubated multiple breakthrough startups—including ventures at Flagship Pioneering, RA Capital, Arch, and General Catalyst—raising nearly $500M in funding. As the first Chief Data Officer in global pharma (Sanofi) and a senior executive at Novartis, Milind pioneered enterprise AI transformations and forged strategic alliances with Apple, AWS, Microsoft, and Google. To stream our Station live 24/7 visit www.HealthcareNOWRadio.com or ask your Smart Device to “….Play Healthcare NOW Radio”. Find all of our network podcasts on your favorite podcast platforms and be sure to subscribe and like us. Learn more at www.healthcarenowradio.com/listen

Kevin Werbach interviews David Hardoon, Global Head of AI Enablement at Standard Chartered Bank and former Chief Data Officer of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), about the evolving practice of responsible AI. Hardoon reflects on his perspective straddling both government and private-sector leadership roles, from designing the landmark FEAT principles at MAS to embedding AI enablement inside global financial institutions. Hardoon explains the importance of justifiability, a concept he sees as distinct from ethics or accountability. Organizations must not only justify their AI use to themselves, but also to regulators and, ultimately, the public. At Standard Chartered, he focuses on integrating AI safety and AI talent into one discipline, arguing that governance is not a compliance burden but a driver of innovation and resilience. In the era of generative AI and black-box models, he stresses the need to train people in inquiry--interrogating outputs, cross-referencing, and, above all, exercising judgment. Hardoon concludes by reframing governance as a strategic advantage: not a cost center, but a revenue enabler. By embedding trust and transparency, organizations can create sustainable value while navigating the uncertainties of rapidly evolving AI risks. David Hardoon is the Global Head of AI Enbablement at Standard Chartered Bank with over 23 years of experience in Data and AI across government, finance, academia, and industry. He was previously the first Chief Data Officer at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and CEO of Aboitiz Data Innovation.  MAS Feat Principles on Repsonsible AI (2018) Veritas Initative – MAS-backed consortium applying FEAT principles in practice Can AI Save Us From the Losing War With Scammers? Perhaps (Business Times, 2024) Can Artificial Intelligence Be Moral?  (Business Times, 2021)

Christine Keung has built through chaos - again and again.From scaling Dropbox during its rocket-ship growth…To serving as Chief Data Officer for San Jose at the height of the pandemic…To now backing founders as a GP at J2 Ventures…Chaos isn't something she avoids.It's where she thrives! In this episode, Christine shares:The blind spots that trip up early foundersGreen flags she looks for when investing in teamsWhy chaos creates the best opportunities for growthHow her first-gen upbringing shaped her career in ventureWhy government and startups are more alike than you thinkIf you're building a company - or leading through uncertainty - this episode is your blueprint.

Enterprise Knowledge's Lulit Tesfaye, VP of Knowledge & Data Services, speaks with Ben Clinch, Chief Data Officer and Partner at Ortecha and Regional Lead Trainer for the EDM Council (EMEA/India). He is a sought-after public speaker and thought leader in data and AI, having held numerous senior roles in architecture and business in some of the world's largest financial and telecommunication institutions over his 25 year career, with a passion for helping organizations thrive with their data.In their conversation, Lulit and Ben discuss Ben's personal journey into the world of semantics, their data architecture must-haves in a perfect world, and how to calculate the value of data and knowledge initiatives. They also preview Ben's talk at the Semantic Layer Symposium in Copenhagen this year, which will cover the combination of semantics and LLMs and neurosymbolic AI.To learn more about the Semantic Layer Symposium, check it out here: ⁠https://semanticlayersymposium.com/⁠ *25% off discount code: knowledgecastTo learn more about Enterprise Knowledge, visit us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠enterprise-knowledge.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.EK's Knowledge Base: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://enterprise-knowledge.com/knowledge-base/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact Us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://enterprise-knowledge.com/contact-us/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/enterprise-knowledge-llc/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter/X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/ekconsulting⁠⁠⁠

Ralph welcomes Palestinian-American writer, activist, and scientist Susan Abulhawa to discuss the ongoing Palestinian genocide and the evidence that supports a vastly higher death toll in Gaza.Susan Abulhawa is a Palestinian-American writer and political activist. She is the author of Mornings in Jenin—translated into thirty languages—and The Blue Between Sky and Water. Born to refugees of the Six Day War of 1967, she moved to the United States as a teenager, graduated in biomedical science, and established a career in medical science. In July 2001, she founded “Playgrounds for Palestine,” a non-governmental children's organization dedicated to upholding the Right to Play for Palestinian children.I consider this, first of all, immoral. It's disrespecting the Palestinian dead while they kill the Palestinians who are still alive with US bombers and artillery shells and other weapons coming from Washington, D.C. And it underestimates the kind of urgency that should be confronting this genocide.Ralph NaderThis is something that I think generations will study for a very long time to come. The complicity of Western media across the board is no less criminal than the genocide itself.Susan AbulhawaThis is a complete wiping out of life. A total destruction. And it's completely driven by this unfathomable hate and colonial arrogance and Jewish supremacy and this notion of entitlement. Of being favored by God, of being promised some real estate by a real-estate-agent Lord. I mean, it beggars belief the narratives that we see spoken in mainstream outlets and in the halls of power. Truly, it beggars belief.Susan AbulhawaNo, I don't believe Israel has a right to exist. It has never had a right to exist. No political entities have a right to exist. People have a right to exist. They have a right to exist in their own homeland with dignity. People have a right to universal dignity. A supremacist ideology—and that's ultimately what Zionism is predicated on, on supremacy and entitlement for a group of people at the detriment of another group of people—that is not a right, and it should never be a right. It should be anathema, in fact.Susan AbulhawaNews 9/5/25* The Intercept reports AIPAC has lost another Democratic ally in Congress. Congresswoman Deborah Ross of North Carolina has pledged that she will not accept AIPAC campaign contributions in her 2026 reelection bid. In previous elections, Ross has accepted over $100,000 in AIPAC donations. This comes on the heels of another North Carolina Congresswoman, Valerie Foushee – who received over $800,000 in AIPAC contributions – also renouncing donations from the group. As the Intercept notes, in June, the North Carolina Democratic Party adopted a resolution calling for a “complete arms embargo on all military aid to Israel until it ends its apartheid rule of Palestinians.” Dr. Paul McAllister, a reverend and chair of the Interfaith Caucus of the North Carolina Democratic Party, is quoted saying “AIPAC uses the muscle of their resources to oust anyone who disagrees with them regarding Israel, the conduct of Israel and the atrocities that may be committed by the government of Israel — so it is good that Deborah Ross is willing to recognize and acknowledge that.”* In more Israel news, a new aid flotilla bound for Gaza departed from Genoa, Italy last Sunday. Unlike previous flotillas however, this one carries the protection of a surprising group: Italian dockworkers. According to POLITICO EU, “Speaking at a rally on the docks of Genoa, one of Europe's largest ports, a dockworker representing the USB union said…‘Around mid-September, these boats will arrive near the coast of Gaza. If we lose contact with our boats, with our comrades, even for just 20 minutes, we will shut down all of Europe.'” Genoa has expressed unprecedented solidarity with Gaza. A food drive in the city collected “more than 300 tons of humanitarian aid…[and] over 40,000 people, including the city's mayor, Silvia Salis, joined a torchlit march through the streets in support of the [humanitarian flotilla on Saturday].” During the procession, Salis remarked “Every day I am proud to be the mayor of this city, but tonight, if possible, I am even more so.”* In yet another Israel story, Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, an Israeli cybersecurity apparatchik, who was arrested in August during an undercover operation “targeting child sex predators,” failed to appear for his court date in Nevada. Alexandrovich fled to Israel after being bailed out of jail in the U.S.; his lawyer, David Chesnoff, told the court that he told Alexandrovich not to attend the hearing. Judge Barbara Schifalacqua is now demanding that Alexandrovich appear before the court this week, but it remains to be seen whether he will actually show. This case has become politicized, with liberals and conservatives accusing one another of allowing Alexandrovich to flee the country. The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu falsely denied that Alexandrovich was arrested at all. This from Al Jazeera.* In more sex predator news, Representatives Ro Khanna, Thomas Massie and Marjorie Taylor-Greene held a press conference this week with survivors of abuse at the hands of Jeffrey Epstein to push for full disclosure of the Justice Department's files on the case. At this conference, survivors also said they will release their own list of names. This comes amidst a renewed push for Congressional action spearheaded by the survivors. On Tuesday, the House Oversight Committee released a batch of records, but most of these have been made public before. The survivors met with lawmakers this week, including Speaker Mike Johnson, who said “I think the Oversight probe is going to be wide and expansive, and they're going to follow the truth wherever it leads,” per the Washington Post. Congresswoman Nancy Mace was also seen emerging from a meeting with the survivors visibly upset, though we do not know what exactly was discussed in this meeting. What is clear is that the Epstein story is not going away any time soon.* In local news, the National Guard has shared a statement with CBS News' Scott MacFarlane in which they boast that, “Guardsmen have cleaned more than 3.2 miles of roadways, collected more than 500 bags of trash, and disposed of three truckloads of plant waste.” Looking beyond the absurdity of deploying the National Guard to pick up trash, Samuel Littauer, Commissioner of ANC 3C01 – a local government district in Washington – crunched the numbers and found that “DC's cleaning crews cover around 81 miles/day for around $150K/day… [while the] National Guard has cleaned a total of 3.2 miles and costs more than $1M/day.” This means, “It's about 170X more cost efficient per mile to fund DC's existing work.”* Yet, despite the staggering inefficiency of the federal occupation – to say nothing of the outrageous, authoritarian government overreach – D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has signed an order outlining how the District will “continue to work with the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI, U.S. Park Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration, [and] the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives,” according to WTOP. This report notes that, “Bowser's order provides a path for working with federal law enforcement…[a] public indication that federal law enforcement could remain in the city indefinitely.” Other D.C. officials, including the District's delegate in Congress Eleanor Holmes Norton, have decried the occupation. Unfortunately, Norton is not even afforded the power of a single vote in Congress. This debacle further underscores the necessity for sovereign statehood for D.C.* In more news of federal law enforcement overreach, Prem Thakker of Zeteo reports new figures that show, “61,226 people are currently in ICE detention — the highest number ever in US history.” Thakker goes on to report that “According to ICE data, 70% of these people have no criminal conviction.” This unjustifiable mass detention shows no signs of slowing down, with ICE being granted larger and larger budgets and more and more latitude by the administration. The parallels to other shadowy secret police organizations throughout history continue to grow more pronounced.* Labor Notes editor Luis Feliz Leon reports Columbia University is seeking to bust graduate worker unions – at Columbia and beyond. A statement from the union reads “Over the summer, the university expelled and suspended 80 students, eliminated all but ten…graduate instructor jobs, and filed an Unfair Labor Practice Charge that could reshape the future of higher ed.” This marks yet another blow to the august reputation of Columbia, already damaged by their authoritarian overreaction to pro-Palestine protests and their capitulation to borderline extortion by Trump.* In the federal government, Trump continues to attack critical safety regulators. Reuters reports, “Two of the three remaining commissioners at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the U.S. nuclear safety watchdog, told a Senate hearing on Wednesday they feel President Donald Trump could fire them if they obstruct his goal to approve reactors faster.” Trump, via executive order, has committed the United States to, “fast-tracking new reactor licenses and quadrupling U.S. nuclear energy capacity by 2050…while also reducing staffing at the NRC.” The Commission is already down to just three members from its usual five and according to this report, “a dozen senior level managers…have left or announced they will leave since January, and…143 staff departed between January and June.” The Commission is currently considering five reactor applications and “expects another 25 to 30 soon.” Whatever one's thoughts are on nuclear energy in general, it is wildly irresponsible and dangerous to consider these reactor proposals by a commission short-staffed and constantly threatened with dismissal.* Finally, the Government Accountability Project has submitted a stunning whistleblower complaint on behalf of Chuck Borges, Chief Data Officer at the Social Security Administration. This complaint concerns “serious data security lapses, evidently orchestrated by DOGE officials, currently employed as SSA employees, that risk the security of over 300 million Americans' Social Security data…including apparent systemic data security violations, uninhibited administrative access to highly sensitive production environments, and potential violations of federal privacy laws by DOGE personnel.” The most critical violation is the DOGE staffers' move to “create a live copy of the country's Social Security information in a cloud environment that circumvents oversight.” As this complaint explains, “This vulnerable cloud environment is effectively a live copy of the entire country's Social Security information…that…lacks any security oversight from SSA or tracking to determine who is accessing or has accessed the copy of this data.” This includes “all data submitted in an application for a United States Social Security card—including the name of the applicant, place and date of birth, citizenship, race and ethnicity, parents' names and social security numbers, phone number, address, and other personal information.” If this data were to be compromised – as is eminently possible given the unsecured and unsupervised nature of the cloud copy, “Americans may be susceptible to widespread identity theft, may lose vital healthcare and food benefits, and the government may be responsible for re-issuing every American a new Social Security Number.” This staggering degree of carelessness and incompetence is almost unbelievable, if not for the fact that it comports perfectly with the DOGE track record. We can only hope lawmakers and regulators take swift action to shut down this ticking timebomb of data before it's too late.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Department of Government Efficiency members stored a copy of a massive Social Security Administration database in a “vulnerable” custom cloud environment, putting more than 300 million people's personal information at risk, the agency's chief data officer said in a new whistleblower complaint. The complaint, filed with Congress on Tuesday, revealed new concerns from CDO Charles Borges about “serious data security lapses” allegedly involving DOGE officials working at the SSA. According to the complaint, those officials, under the direction of SSA Chief Information Officer Aram Moghaddassi, granted themselves permission to copy Americans' Social Security information onto a cloud server with no verified oversight, violating agency protocols. The Government Accountability Project wrote on behalf of Borges in the complaint that the “vulnerable cloud environment is effectively a live copy of the entire country's Social Security information from the Numerical Identification System (NUMIDENT) database, that apparently lacks any security oversight from SSA or tracking to determine who is accessing or has accessed the copy of this data.” The NUMIDENT data includes all the information applicants use for a Social Security card, including their name, phone number, address, place and date of birth, parents' names and Social Security numbers along with other personal information. The complaint warned: “Should bad actors gain access to this cloud environment, Americans may be susceptible to widespread identity theft, may lose vital healthcare and food benefits, and the government may be responsible for re-issuing every American a new Social Security Number at great cost.” Adele Merritt is out as the top IT official at the National Institutes of Health after roughly eight months in the role, again changing up the leadership in the position. Merritt was first announced as the new chief information officer in December after most recently serving as CIO of the intelligence community. At the time she took on the position, the role hadn't had a permanent official in roughly two years. Merritt's departure comes as the Trump administration has sought to reduce the federal workforce and reshape federal agencies, including HHS. In March, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy announced plans to cut 10,000 workers from the agency on top of 10,000 who had already left via incentivized resignation and retirement offers from the administration. A recent ProPublica analysis of HHS's public directory found that the health agency has lost roughly 18% of its workforce since January. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

Join us for expert insights on driving data-led change. Anand Iyer, Senior Vice President and Chief Data Officer at Ecolab, breaks down his approach to AI-powered innovation. He shares how to ensure AI initiatives directly impact the bottom line, why an engineering approach is key for prioritizing AI use cases, and that "garbage in, disaster out" is the new reality for data at AI scale. Discover how self-service analytics with AI is transforming data access and why AI is now a critical "business forcing function" in today's volatile world.Key Moments:The "Value First Mindset" for AI (03:13): Despite the hype around AI, initiatives must directly impact the top or bottom line in a measurable way. Sustained investment requires a clear link between the AI initiative and its financial value, moving beyond "soft benefits."Engineering Mindset for Prioritization (11:27): Anand discusses how an engineering approach is applied to prioritizing AI use cases, which helps teams focus on thoroughly understanding the problem and desired outcome before selecting a solution. "Garbage In, Disaster Out" (14:27): A new take on an old adage is introduced: "in the AI world is garbage in and disaster out". This highlights the magnified risks of bad data when leveraged at AI scale.Advocacy for Self-Service Analytics with AI (24:10): Self-service analytics is championed, describing how the integration of AI and conversational AI allows users to ask questions regarding the data. This removes the need for IT involvement in report generation and simplifies the learning curve for data structures.AI as a Business Forcing Function (33:38): In today's volatile global environment, near real-time data and AI-driven insights are no longer optional but a "business forcing function". Rapid reactions to market disruptions, policy changes, and supply chain issues are critical for a company's survival and success.Key Quotes:"If you want to have a seat at the table, you've got to be able to talk in terms of what the value is in terms of dollars." - Anand Iyer“We've deployed ThoughtSpot technology to be able to provide self-serve analytics to our teams, which allows them to have access to the data. This enables them to have conversational questions.” - Anand Iyer"The role that data, analytics, and AI play is the ability to give business leaders access to impact and what they should do in a very timely manner so that they can minimize any impact to business." - Anand IyerMentions:Before You Ask an AI Chatbot for Depression Advice, Read This'Garbage in, Garbage out': AI Fails to Debunk Disinformation, Study FindsThe Bhagavad Gita - By Bed VyasGuest Bio:Anand Iyer is the SVP, Chief Data Officer at Ecolab, where he leads the company's global data and analytics strategy. Based in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, he oversees enterprise data governance, business intelligence, engineering, and advanced analytics to accelerate Ecolab's digital transformation. Since joining in 2018, Anand has held several senior roles, including VP of Enterprise Architecture and VP of Architecture for Commercial Digital Solutions, helping to scale IoT and data-driven platforms across the organization.With over 14 years of experience in data architecture and digital innovation, Anand has a proven track record of aligning technical solutions with business outcomes. Prior to Ecolab, he held leadership roles at GE Healthcare Digital, CSRA Inc., and CSC. He holds an engineering degree from the National Institute of Technology Rourkela and is known for building high-performing teams and cultivating a data-first culture that drives smarter, more sustainable decisions. Hear more from Cindi Howson here. Sponsored by ThoughtSpot.