Hub & Spoken: Data | Analytics | Chief Data Officer | CDO | Data Strategy

In this episode, Jason hosts a wider discussion on Diversity & Inclusion in data, joined by three leading advocates for the cause. Roisin McCarthy is the Founder of Women in Data, Michelle Wong is the Head of Marketing Analytics at Farfetch, and Allison Nau is a CDO and one of our associate strategy advisors at Cynozure. We discuss everything from encouraging diverse teams in data and the benefits of this principle to discrimination in analytics, in recognition of International Women's Day 2019.

In this episode, we talk to Allison Nau, Director of Test Learn Iterate, about the challenges of leading data within modern businesses. We discuss the best approaches to encouraging trust in data throughout an organisation, and the priority of communication to ensure data use becomes ingrained. We also talk about the importance of building a diverse team to effectively utilise data, with Allison’s own experience in driving strategic growth through data and insight.

In this episode, we talk to Andy Cotgreave, Technical Evangelist at Tableau, about the role of Data Visualization and presenting data effectively. We discuss the significance of dashboards in understanding data, and how organisations can work to become more data literate. We also cover the debate around 'soft skills', including what they contribute to the industry, and why these skills should be considered equally fundamental to data use as technical skills.

In this episode, we talk to Julian Harris, the Head of AI Technology Research at CognitionX, about the challenges involved in developing sophisticated Natural Language Technology. We discuss how the approach to creating natural language technology has changed in recent years, and the significance of using specialised AI in niche areas. We also cover the debate surrounding how AI will affect customer experience staff in the next decade, and the issue of whether chat bots might replace the 'human' elements of these departments.

In this episode, we talk to the CEO and Founder of x.ai, Dennis Mortensen, about creating his AI driven personal assistant that takes on the task of booking meetings for you. We unpick what an intelligent agent is, why conversational UI is an important and distinct UI in its own right and how you go about building an AI that can seamlessly embed itself into a conversation with humans and other AI’s.

In this episode we talk to Karim Jalbout, Partner at executive search and leadership advisory firm, Egon Zehnder about the role AI has in shaping modern business and how the C-suite is dealing with the challenges and opportunities AI presents. We consider the leadership and change management capabilities needed and whether there is worry or excitement about AI's impact. We also look at how AI is impacting the HR market and ecosystem from candidate funnel management through to performance management and culture.

In this episode, we talk to Gemma Greaves who is Chief Executive at The Marketing Society and Founder of her own private members' club Cabal. We talk about the value of creating and being part of a community that allows people to learn, grow and develop through sharing experiences and collaboration. We touch on big subjects like mental health and the role that we as leaders need to play in creating a safe space for people to be themselves at work. We also explore the role of the Chief Marketing Officer and how that role is evolving in light of digital and data innovations.

In this episode, we talk to Ewan Nicolson who is the Principal Data Scientist at Skyscanner, the travel fare aggregator website and metasearch engine about how they are using data and data science techniques to help get people where they want to go. We get under the skin of a data science operation at scale, the kinds of business strategies it supports and the modus operandi within the team and collaboration across the business. We discuss where personalisation is deployed and the methods used to personalise the customer experience including behavioral and contextual analysis as opposed to analysis based on personally identifiable information.

In this episode we talk to Helen Louwrens who spent a long part of her career at Dunhumby helping retailers and FMCG brands get better insight and build relationships with their customers. Helen is now at the Care Quality Commission as Director of Intelligence helping to support and protect individuals who us health and social care services. We explore how she is building an intelligence led organisation by building expert systems that systemise decision making where possible, deliver leading performance management capability and balancing delivery today with delivery for the future.