The Data Chief

Join Noelle Russell, CEO of the AI Leadership Institute and author of Scaling Responsible AI. Noelle reflects on her beginnings with Jeff Bezos and the early Alexa team, sharing the importance of passion in her AI journey. She discusses her 'I Love AI' community, a safe space aiding over 3.4 million learners. The 'baby tiger' analogy illustrates the thrilling yet cautious journey of AI development. Noelle promotes empathy and responsible practices in AI, emphasizing collaboration and the impact of diverse perspectives in the tech landscape.

Josh Cunningham, Group Head of Data and AI Culture at Lloyds Banking Group, discusses innovative strategies to foster a data-driven culture. He shares insights on scaling their graduate scheme from 10 to 100, emphasizing the need for a people-centric approach in tech. His creative initiatives include a data escape room and a five-persona literacy framework that caters to varying skill levels. Josh highlights the importance of balancing innovation with ethical AI use, showcasing how Lloyds is becoming a leader in data literacy within the banking sector.

In this insightful conversation, Don Vu, SVP and Chief Data and Analytics Officer at New York Life, shares his journey from Major League Baseball to revolutionizing the insurance industry. He discusses how cutting-edge AI is used to tackle the 'last mile problem' in data operationalization, ensuring data strategies align with business needs. Don highlights the importance of data quality and readiness, and how innovative tools like the GuideMe app enhance advisor-client interactions. His unique blend of experiences showcases the transformative power of data and AI in legacy institutions.

Aimee Smith, the Director of Data at the Metropolitan Police, is leading a groundbreaking transformation in law enforcement. She discusses the shift to AI and cloud technology, highlighting innovative initiatives like the V100 program aimed at reducing violence against women. Aimee shares insights on the Met’s data strategy, tracing its origins to a vision of leveraging data for smarter policing. From integrating operational systems to enhancing community safety through analytics, her work is redefining how police engage with data.

Joining the discussion is Ray Boyle, Vice President of Data and Analytics at Hyatt, who is reshaping the hospitality landscape. He reveals Hyatt's innovative four-pillar data strategy, emphasizing employee empowerment and personalized guest experiences. Ray discusses the shift in viewing data as a pivotal asset, not a cost, and the role of AI in enhancing customer service. He highlights how self-service tools are democratizing data access, fostering a culture of collaboration, and driving operational excellence in the hospitality sector.

Ashwin Sinha, Chief Data Officer at Macquarie Bank, leads the charge in using AI to revolutionize banking. He discusses the transformative power of generative AI, not just for efficiency but also in combating fraud. Sinha highlights the shift from traditional data analytics to self-service tools that empower analysts to focus on strategic tasks. He also shares insights on leveraging dual cloud providers to enhance customer experience and emphasizes the importance of a culture ready for digital transformation. The future of banking looks bright!

Join Gavin Hupp, VP of Technology at United Parks and Resorts, as he shares insights on how data shapes unforgettable experiences at theme parks like SeaWorld. He discusses the challenges of managing diverse data sets across various operations and how AI drives innovation, enhancing personalization and optimizing processes. Gavin also touches on the importance of integrating legacy systems and the impact of weather on guest experiences. Plus, enjoy fun anecdotes about favorite theme park rides and snacks!

Elpida Ormanidou, VP of Analytics & Insights at SharkNinja, shares her expertise in fostering a data-driven culture. She delves into how SharkNinja harnesses customer feedback to enhance product development and decision-making. Elpida emphasizes the CEO's dedication to data, showcasing its role in customer-centric innovation. Ethical data usage and privacy are key themes, underlining the importance of customer trust. She also discusses the transformative impact of AI, advocating for workforce reskilling to navigate the future of work.

How is Sephora using data to create personalized experiences that customers love? Join Cindi Howson and Manbir Paul, VP of Engineering, Data Insights & MarTech at Sephora, as they explore the role of data and AI in understanding customer needs, predicting preferences, and delivering impactful moments. Key Moments: Micro-Moments that Matter (3:30): Sephora leverages data to create impactful moments for customers, like sending a timely reminder to a traveler about their moisturizer.Modern Data & AI Stack (5:00): Manbir discusses Sephora’s best-of-breed data and AI stack, spanning cloud data platform, BI solution, cataloging, and machine learning democratization.The Power of the Semantic Layer (7:30): The semantic layer is crucial for enabling meaningful data discovery and governance. Sephora's investment in ThoughtSpot was driven by the need to enhance their semantic layer and drive intelligence in their BI space.Collaborative Data Governance (10:00): Sephora fosters a collaborative approach to data governance, with data stewards playing a key role. They identify individuals who are subject matter experts in their areas and are passionate about data to help drive governance and enrichment.Unlearning and Relearning (16:30): The challenge of keeping up with the evolving data landscape requires unlearning old practices and embracing new ones. Manbir highlights the importance of giving individuals the opportunity to look at the changing landscape from a new lens and empowering them to drive transformation.The Importance of Continuous Learning (20:30): Manbir acknowledges the challenge of balancing learning with delivering results, but stresses the importance of continuous learning in a rapidly evolving field. She notes that individuals are often willing to go above and beyond if there is a learning opportunity.Building High-Performing Teams (22:30): Manbir discusses the nuances of creating a high-performing, nimble team that can adapt to change and drive innovation. He mentions the importance of understanding the nuances that are important in transforming a team into a high-performing one.Key Quotes:"The intimate details, we always talk about getting closer to our clients. We want to experience our clients. I feel the intimate details that data gives you, getting your clients so close to you, is a very different lens to look at data from. It is a gift of feedback that the clients give to you or your consumers give to you in terms of data.”  - Manbir Paul"Democratizing these technologies is key to our tech stack. We have a multi-cloud strategy to capture the best tools. Tools, plus our BI investment, help us. ThoughtSpot was chosen for meaningful data insights, reaching clients where they interact with data and enhancing our BI intelligence." - Manbir Paul"We want to make sure that there are tools that help us enable scaled implementations in driving personalization, and that's where our Databricks platform enables us doing that."  - Manbir PaulMentionsFarmacy: Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide MoisturizerThe Geek Way by Andrew McAfeeGuest Bio Manbir PaulManbir Paul is VP of Engineering, Data Insights & MarTech at Sephora. Prior to this, he served as global head of ML engineering at Levi Strauss & Co.As a proactive, results-driven technology leader specializing in the retail industry, Manbir's expertise lies not just in understanding the industry's complexities, but also in harnessing the transformative power of Data and AI. With a passion deeply rooted in technological innovation, his most recent endeavors have involved leading in the realms of Data and AI to develop, scale, and implement solutions that amplify business growth Hear more from Cindi Howson here. Sponsored by ThoughtSpot.

Join host Cindi Howson as she dives into the critical topic of diversity and inclusion in the data and AI space with Roisin McCarthy, founder of Women in Data UK, and Robin Sutara, Field CDO at Databricks. They discuss the challenges of recruiting and retaining diverse talent, the importance of male allies, and the role of AI in creating a more inclusive workforceKey Moments: The Power of Community: Building a Network for Women in Data: Roisin McCarthy shares the story behind founding Women in Data, inspired by her mother's advice to "put up or shut up." She highlights the organization's growth to 80,000 members in 120 countries and emphasizes the importance of male allies in achieving gender representation. (2:41)  From Apache Helicopters to Chief Data Officer: A Non-Traditional Journey: Robin Sutara shares her unique career path, starting with repairing Apache helicopters in the US Army and eventually becoming a CDO. She discusses the challenges she faced as a woman in tech and the importance of fixing systemic issues to achieve equity. (6:19)  The Talent Crunch: Addressing the Data Skills Gap: The conversation shifts to the shortage of qualified individuals in data and technology. Roisin McCarthy highlights the need for organizations to rethink their recruitment strategies and remove unnecessary barriers to entry. (11:31)  Closing the Pay Gap: A Shared Responsibility: Roisin and Robin discuss the persistent pay gap in the data industry and the risk of it widening further. They emphasize the importance of both individual and systemic action to achieve pay parity. (20:46)  Generative AI: A Double-Edged Sword for Recruiting: Roisin McCarthy shares a cautionary tale about the potential for bias in AI-generated job descriptions. She stresses the importance of human oversight and highlights Women in Data's work to develop technology that removes bias from job descriptions. (46:30)  The Future of Data and AI: Embracing Innovation and Inclusion: Robin Sutara expresses excitement about the potential of AI to simplify complex tasks and unlock the power of data. She emphasizes the importance of leveraging technology to innovate and create a more equitable and inclusive data workforce. (49:22)Key Quotes:"We simply do not have enough people coming into the industry. Regardless of gender, let's take that away. We do not have enough qualified individuals coming into the workplace in data and technology." - Roisin McCarthy   "We can't affect the change that this mission is so focused on reaching if we don't have everybody at the table." - Roisin McCarthy  "Hire talent that's not currently in the ecosystem, bring in people with a different perspective or a different experience or a different capability. You can teach them technology, right?" - Robin Sutara  "If I start 20% behind my male cohorts, doesn't matter how much you reward on meritocracy, I will never catch up." - Robin Sutara  "GenAI tech is there for so many things as to Robin's point to really take some of the heavy lifting out. But when we're looking to build inclusive teams, diverse, inclusive teams, I think that we just need a bit of a sense check and ensuring that we've got the human in the loop." - Roisin McCarthy  MentionsWomen in Data PodcastDatabricks BlogGuest Bios Roisin McCarthyAs a result of her own efforts, over two thousand people have moved into more satisfying roles and dozens of teams put together. Furthermore, she has managed a successful team of professional recruiters which, over the years, has placed thousands more. Today, she runs the successful recruitment firm, Datatech Analytics, and is the co-founder of the ground-breaking initiative, Women in Data UK. Over the past 19 years, McCarthy has been responsible for building some of the UK’s most cutting-edge data teams and has facilitated some of the most influential and successful careers in this sector, building relationships, influence and firm friendships along the way. McCarthy is seen as a thought-leader and an authority on careers, team development and talent acquisition in the field. Her unrivalled network of contacts, commitment to the data and analytics community and her unwavering passion for building strong, skilled teams is what makes her so unique.Robin SutaraFrom repairing Apache helicopters near the Korean DMZ to the corporate battlefield, Robin has demonstrated success in navigating the high stress, and sometimes combative, complexities of data-led transformations. She has consulted with hundreds of organisations on data strategy, data culture, and building diverse data teams. Robin has had an eclectic career path in technical and business functions with more than two decades in tech companies, including Microsoft and Databricks. She also has achieved multiple academic accomplishments from her juris doctorate to a masters in law to engineering leadership. From her first technical role as an entry-level consumer support engineer to her current role in the C-Suite, Robin supports creating an inclusive workplace and is the current chair of Women in Data North America Committee. She was also recognized in 2023 as a Top 20 Women in Data and Tech, as well as DataIQ 100 Most Influential.  Hear more from Cindi Howson here. Sponsored by ThoughtSpot.