In Episode 19, of Season 5 of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom is joined by Simon Jury, Chief Data Officer at Kingfisher, where they discuss the power of instinct and why you shouldn't always ignore it, which includes;

• Insights from decoupling ASDA from Walmart as VP of Data.
• Why building the right operating model for a group structure is critical.
• Balancing centralised vs. decentralised delivery across group and brand levels.
• The nuanced realities of a “single source of truth” across brands.
• Aligning all data decisions with value creation from the outset.
• When to trust your instinct over data—and why that’s okay.
• Why the biggest challenges in D&A are ultimately people issues.
• The disparity in investment between technology and people.
• Why the skills that make a great data practitioner don’t always make a great data leader.
• Why most of a Data Leader’s time should be spent focused on their team.
• Building a high-performing D&A culture in a federated model.
• Creating frameworks for role exploration and skill development within D&A teams.
• The evolving role of analysts in a more data-literate future.
• The investment needed to truly unlock value from D&A at scale.
• Why it’s no longer acceptable for senior leaders to lack data fluency.
• Helping business leaders articulate what they really want from AI.
• Why living overseas sharpened the guest’s ability to translate data insights.
• Combining the science of data with the art of experience for better outcomes.
• Why being financially savvy is a key skill for any Data Leader.
• Why the most successful data products are popular first, and smart second.
• The potential of conversational interfaces to reshape how we interact with data.

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.

In Episode 18, of Season 5 of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom is joined by Rob Kent, Data & AI Leader at Greggs, where they discuss the learnings from reporting to a CEO and being on the board of a UK Plc, which includes;

• Starting a career in IT over 30 years ago.
• Building D&A functions from scratch on multiple occasions.
• How the common thread has been executive sponsorship at the highest level.
• Anchoring data strategies to business strategies.
• Being part of a small group of CDOs that have reported to a CEO.
• Sitting on the board of a UK PLC that publicly declared data as core to its strategy.
• The business drivers that allowed data to have a seat at a board table.
• The learnings and experience of reporting to a CEO.
• Growing an appreciation of competing with priorities of other functions.
• The importance of empathy when sitting on the board.
• Balancing wearing a corporate hat and a data hat.
• Still needing to justify the existence of the data analytics function.
• A simple three-tier model to calculate value-creation.
• Accepting that there is a cost of doing business.
• Delivering tangible benefit in a cost-effective way without a large budget.
• Whether reporting lines and titles actually matter.
• The things that the CEO will be thinking about and asking.
• The things that can influence the position of the data executive in an organisation.
• The two key questions to ask your CEO that dictate proximity to them.
• Why CDOs have the power to choose which organisation is right for them.
• Why the data industry should be pushing on open doors.
• Why there is often a gap in expectations.
• The contributing factors to being seen as a cost centre.
• Why attributing value is easier for B2C businesses than B2B businesses.
• Why you’re doing something wrong if you can’t attribute value to data initiatives.
• Why translation will take you further than most other things.
• Why business people don’t care about our data analytics world.
• The material differences between having a seat at the table versus being a layer removed.
• Why any decision is made based on facts, fear, or faith.
• Where the future of data analytics teams lies.
• Why we’re not being picked on and other functions have it worse than us.

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.

In Episode 17, of Season 5 of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom is joined by Steve Green, Chief Data & Analytics Officer at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) where they discuss the self-inflicted barriers to CDO success, which includes:

• Transitioning from being a true technologist into a change agent.
• Setting up a chief data office from scratch.
• The 6 pillars of the data office.
• Why he built an advisory team and how it delivers value daily.
• The benefit of having a holistic view of the D&A industry from his time at the FCA.
• The struggle to meet operational needs as well as the needs of the regulator.
• Why data offices create problems by building point solutions.
• Thinking 5 years ahead to balance long-term strategy with immediate needs.
• Building to answer questions that you don’t yet exist.
• To deliver value on strategic outcomes, you have to be in the strategy conversations.
• How data teams are constantly delivering what businesses ask for but not what they need.
• The lesson that most data offices are still learning, the hard way.
• Navigating your way into the right conversations if you’re not already in them.
• Setting the correct expectations with your business.
• Why how you run the data office is more likely to dictate success than where it sits.
• Why it can’t only be the CDO who’s capable of engaging with the business.
• How the interview process should tell you what type of expectations the firm has.
• The importance of building relationships with people before you need to engage with them.
• Why learning how to make stuff happen beats generic data or leadership skills.  
• The importance of effective and intentional hiring.
• Why data offices need to be better at blowing their own trumpet.
• Pushing the boundaries of why data offices exist.
• Transitioning from defensive to value generating.
• Why many data offices create barriers for themselves and end up behind the curtain.

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.

In Episode 16, of Season 5 of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom is joined by Helen Blaikie, Chief Data & Analytics Officer at Aston University, where they discuss the comprehensive programme they've executed to help them build a truly data confident organisation, which includes;

• The implications of covid on the higher education sector
• How her non-data/technical background has helped her to a better CDO
• Why you have to be a strong salesperson as a CDO
• Why you shouldn’t be using the ‘D’ world
• Building a data confident workforce instead of a literate or fluent one
• Establishing 54 measures of success for the organisation
• Developing data products to measure the measures of success
• Ignoring conventional wisdom and thinking big but also starting big
• The importance of tailoring the language of the data confidence programme to something the organisation would understand
• The key components of the programme and the major benefits and challenges experienced
• The learnings from attempting to personalise the programme
• Creating pathways
• Embedding data confidence requirements into the recruitment process for non-data roles
• Tips on building advocacy and creating champions
• Why training should be the last thing you do
• Why timing is key when thinking about the training component of these programmes
• Why it’s important that you have the correct foundations to deliver a data confidence programme
• The qualitative and quantitative measures of success of a data confidence programme
• The power of true business partnering to improve data products
• Measuring lead indicators to quantify business outcomes

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.

In Episode 15, of Season 5 of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom is joined by Heather Wade, Data Transformation Director at Johnson Matthey, where they discuss research findings that attempt to understand what happens when risks outweigh benefits, which includes;

• Learnings from taking all the best bits from consumer data into a different industry
• The reason for undertaking a DBA
• Why there’s so much research written about the benefits of data but very little about the risks
• Understanding the different types of risks your organisation faces
• Delivering a piece of research about how firms tackle data related risks
• Why there’s much more risk than the traditional cyber or privacy risks
• Focusing on qualitative research as opposed to quantitative
• How the research uncovered the differences in the CDO/Data Leader role
• Whether the CDO tenure forces us to focus on value and benefits as opposed to risk
• Discussing the risks of inaction as opposed to selling benefits
• How the people and culture element of teams pose a large threat
• The lack of difference between regulated versus unregulated industries
• How firms should approach the balance between benefits and risk
• Measuring potential risks
• Why the biggest risks could be the lack of clarity around what a data function exists to do
• Managing grey areas of risk (like sustainability)

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.

In Episode 14, of Season 5 of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom is joined by Bhagya Reddy, Executive Director of Empowerment and Collaboration at Virgin Media O2, where they discuss how having a role focused on empowerment and collaboration is the secret to data democratisation, which includes:

• Having a passion of making data accessible
• Coming from a deep technical background and moving into a business facing role
• How you know when you're doing data democratisation correctly
• The importance of trust and confidence in data democratisation
• The key KPIs of data democratisation
• The role of data literacy within data democratisation
• The benefits of building the Data University at VMO2 entailed
• Using engagement as a measure the effectiveness of democratisation
• Driving Innovation by turning insight into action
• Why empowerment and collaboration are the key's to success
• The importance of decommissioning data products
• The three factors to consider when decommissioning
• Prioritising speed to value
• Overcoming cultural barriers and addressing resistance to change
• Tackling DEI challenges in the Data & Analytics industry
• The need for skills-based hiring, structured returnship programmes, and fostering an inclusive data culture.

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.

In Episode 13, of Season 5 of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom is joined by Tamara Castelli, Chief Operating Officer at UNiDAYS where they discuss her transition from leading a data and insights team to becoming the Chief Operating Officer, which includes:

• Falling out of love with the theory of academia
• Being driven by seeing application result in outcomes
• Moving from consultancy to an end user organisation
• How a merger provided a career changing opportunity to lead
• A great analogy about a restaurant, a kitchen, china sets and menu font to describe how businesses can focus on the wrong things
• The transition from VP of Data & Insight to Chief Operating Officer
• The many parallels between the CDO and COO roles
• Why data has to drive change and understanding it’s role within that objective
• Why AI will bring the role of Data Leadership and business leadership to a point of overlap
• Why business leaders will face challenges in the future that Data Leaders have faced forever
• What may be seen as performance problems may actually be process problems
• Grabbing the opportunity with both hands by taking accountability for things outside of her remit
• Why operations is a great home for Data and Analytics teams
• The differences between the CDO and COO communities
• Why there’s less commonality between the COO community
• Success stories as a COO
• The power of having more influence as the COO
• Spotting data gaps more easily from a higher vantage point
• Launching OKRs around transformation and growth goals
• Navigating perceptions of the current perception your business has of you  
• Things to think about if you’re considering a move into an operational role

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.

In Episode 12, of Season 5 of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom is joined by Murtz Daud, Director of Data & AI Director of Data & AI at British Gas Business, to discuss the barriers to data innovation, which includes:

• The different views on what a Data & Analytics function is – starting with the fundamental question: why do we need this department?
• Why Data & Analytics should be decision-makers, not ticket-takers
• Enabling the business to create value through data-driven solutions
• The rise of Data & Analytics structures is driven by the fear of being left behind
• Embedding data-driven decision-making across the organisation
• Demonstrating the value of Data & Analytics as an investment, not a cost
• The importance of leading indicators – measuring the actions that influence key outcomes
• How an MBA can help transition from a technical leader to a business leader
• The concept of 'purple people' – bridging technical and business skills to create high-performing teams
• Leveraging individual strengths to enhance team performance
• Why great leadership is about building the right team, not knowing everything
• Creating the right conditions for innovation and psychological safety
• Innovation doesn’t have to be complex – it just needs to solve real-world problems
• The role of the client/sponsor in championing data products internally
• Positioning Data & Analytics as a strategic consulting partner within the business
• The ongoing challenge of shifting perceptions of Data & Analytics from a support function to a value driver
• The critical role of emotional intelligence in leadership
• Why cultural change is essential for fostering innovation
• Recognising and rewarding contributions to maintain motivation within data teams
• Ensuring time is allocated for innovation to thrive within organisations
• The best ideas often come from those closest to the problem – creating space for grassroots innovation

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.

In Episode 11, of Season 5 of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom is joined by Darren Wood, Data Product Leader at BBC, and they talk about the benefits of Data Product Management, in which they talk about:

• The helpfulness and collaborative nature of the data community
• How the BBC is advancing digitalisation and personalisation
• Understanding the user journey through touchpoints and insights
• Why data products are about structuring data and extracting value
• The key role of organisational understanding in maximising data product value
• The three critical stages in the data product lifecycle
• The four phases that follow the creation of a data product are introduction, growth, maturity, and decline
• The challenge for data product managers in pre-empting decline and making tough decisions
• Why speed to value is critical in data product success
• The key differences between data teams and product teams
• Why a roadmap is essential for prioritisation and decision-making
• How splitting a roadmap into reactive, proactive, and strategic elements enhances focus
• How understanding value can help quantify business impact
• Why adopting a business mindset means treating colleagues as customers
• The importance of ‘eating your own dog food’ in data product teams
• Why treating the data team as a mini business changes how they operate
• The four phases of an effective discovery process: discovery, definition, development, and delivery
• The key difference between data product management and traditional product management—why MVPs in data often don’t reach end users before they are fully functional
• The ongoing debate between domain-oriented, centralised, and decentralised approaches
• The varying responsibilities of a data product team, and why alignment with business value is key
• Why stepping into a data product manager role requires conscious awareness of its challenges and opportunities

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.

In Episode 10, of Season 5 of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom is joined by Peter Everill, AI, ML & Data Product Leader for a European Retailer for a LinkedIn Live event, and they discuss the importance of quantifying value, in which they talk about:

• How data can significantly impact P&L performance
• Why the USP of the data team lies in identifying where to focus and what action to take
• The importance of metrics in making performance observable and driving decisions
• The risk of internal data teams falling behind without a structured consultancy methodology
• How improving business literacy in data teams helps focus on the right metrics
• The role of methodology in influencing P&L outcomes
• Why winning over senior management is crucial for success
• The need for metrics that drive actionable insights and business performance
• Why not everyone wants to be data-driven—and how to choose the right sponsors
• The cultural adoption of metrics and its impact on business success
• Understanding failure states to identify areas for improvement
• How collaboration between data teams and business stakeholders drives better outcomes
• Why data literacy shouldn’t be a burden on business users
• The common gap in business process mapping within organisations
• Why engaging finance teams is essential for understanding P&L impact
• The importance of quick wins in gaining stakeholder support
• Why cultural openness to data is necessary for effective implementation
• Why actionable, role-specific metrics lead to better business adoption

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.