On this episode of The Corporate Innovator, we're going to explore everything data - how to capture it, use it and manage it. Dayle Stevens, Chief Data Officer at AGL, is our guest today and she's an embracer of change - using data and technology to meaningfully transform how AGL operates and how it serves its customers.

We're also going to cover:

•How data and technology have evolved and how to prioritise them in your business strategy

•Why data is as valuable an asset as your brand to differentiate your business

•How you can use data to prepare for and control business outcomes as well pursue new growth opportunities

•How to lead without being an 'expert' in your vertical and to be a visible mentor to those just starting out

In this episode of The Corporate Innovator, we chat with Pat McCafferty, Managing Director of Yarra Valley Water. Pat has been in water all his life, and is the epitome of what we call an 'ambidextrous' executive. This is a story about creating a culture that cultivates space for ideas (even the ones that fail), one that has positioned Yarra Valley Water as a global leader in utilities and government agencies.

In this episode we'll unpack:

•How to create a 'self actualising culture' like Yarra Valley Water did over a 20 year journey

•How government agencies can become innovation leaders by utilising citizens, drawing from global models and aligning with government policy

•How to create an integrated P&L that includes both social and climate capital to drive sustainable, long-term value for both shareholders and society at large

Dr. Ingo Hofacker is a seasoned technology executive, strategic advisor, entrepreneur and AI and data expert. A German native with global experience, Ingo has worked at a number of consultancies including Deloitte and Bain & Company, however today we'll be largely focusing on his time at Deutsche Telekom. Ingo was involved in a number of key innovation initiatives like the successful Qivicon smart home open platform, as well as large scale IOT deployments for the telco's enterprise customers.

Dr Ingo's core belief is that "Any problem that can be solved by data, will be solved by data!" We'll touch on why partners are critical in driving these initiatives, as well as why having the infrastructure to make sense of the sheer volume of data points can be your key competitive advantage. To Ingo, the data matters more than the algorithms - they haven't really changed, but the data (and how you gather it) has.

Leslie Barry is the local pioneer in the burgeoning field of Pretotyping which was first experimented with by Google in the early 2000s and mastered by Alberto Savoia, Leslie's mentor. In this episode, we'll explore the Pretotyping evolution over the years, how it challenged traditional methods as a faster, cheaper and more reliable alternative as data becomes more readily available. Like all strategies however, it presents both new opportunities and new risks. Pretotyping's methods are vast and Leslie knows them all - he invented some himself, so who better to talk to?

This episode covers topics like:

•What pretotyping is and why choose it over other methods of experimentation and validation

•The advantages of using data and how it avoids participant bias

•Specific methods of pretotyping and how to use them in conjunction with other testing

•Why you need patient leaders who are prepared to fail

•How to measure risk and weigh it against reward

In this special bonus episode of The Corporate Innovator, we will hear a recent keynote on Data and Ethics that was held at Silicon Block 11 in Melbourne in November 2019.

Data is one of the most valuable commodities of the 21st century. It permeates so many interactions, it influences so many of our decisions, whether we are aware of it or not. Our own data footprints are being collected at an unprecedented level and thus has come the demand for global reform, ethical considerations and regulation.

Speakers include:

•Rhys Hayes: Moderator, Founder of Silicon Block

•Lizzie O'Shea: Human rights lawyer, founder of Digital Rights Watch and author of Future Histories

•James Wilson: digital transformation expert and CEO at Eliiza

•Leigh Barnes: Chief Purpose Officer at Intrepid Travel Group

From revealing the bias' of algorithms to the accountability of AI, this episode covers all the key data points and more.

Natalie Peters wasn't the obvious choice to implement perhaps the largest cultural change Telstra has attempted in the last decade, but she did so with such skill that it is now recognised as one of the most successful scaled agile transformations in Australia. A HR specialist by trade, Nat stepped up to the challenge over two years ago, learning valuable lessons she would take to her current role as HR Director at Sky in the UK.

In this episode, we'll discuss how she embedded an agile mindset, identified and overcame company-wide impediments, operated at speed and revolutionised business units to unite as cross functional teams that would drive unprecedented agility at Telstra.

Andrew Walduck is no stranger to transformations and innovative partnerships. Having worked across some of Australia's most well-known corporations, from Australia Post to Telstra, he's known for his ability not just to create innovative products, but equally the culture that supports their growth. Now EGM of Digital & Technology at Latitude Financial Services, we sit down to talk about Latitude's latest product, Latitude Pay, along with past perils and successes.

Harriet is a leader in Design Thinking implementation at scale, and has previously held senior Design and CX roles at Sensis, NAB, Aus Post and Medibank, as well as having been a board member for the Service Design Network. In this episode, Harriet talks how to implement design from scratch, along with how to integrate customer journey mapping and decision-making tools as well as future-proofing your business through design.

Dan Toma wrote the book on Corporate Innovation - literally. The Corporate Startup and soon-to-be-released Innovation Accounting outline how to create rigorous, systematic change in your organisation in order to grow. Dan continues to pioneer how to learn, run and measure corporate innovation for some of the world's leading corporations and is of the most influential thought leaders in the business, joining other names like Eric Reis and Alexander Osterwalder. Dan has been an innovation advisor at some of the world's leading corporations, from automotive (BMW, Jaguar) to global financial institutions (DNB, Allianz).

This episode will give his global perspective on the vast differences in innovation culture in the US, Europe and Australia, how to measure for success and why there certainly isn't a one-size-fits all model. We also explore his propriety frameworks and benchmarking tools.

The Australian corporate VC gold standard is Telstra Ventures. We sit with its Managing Directors to learn how to build a revenue bearing relationship early and make investments that fulfil the end customer need. We'll explore how they doubled their fund in partnership with HarbourVest and had some 10x plus results over the past decade, and share tips on assessing if and how you should approach corporate venturing, including how to drive differentiated value in the rapidly growing VC market.