The Data Leadership Podcast: Recent Episodes
Richard James
Created by Richard James, an experienced Data Recruiter | Data Enthusiast.
He will be chatting to some of the most successful and respected Data Leaders. Shining a light on their experiences whilst discussing some of the most interesting trends within the world of data.
If you are interested in hearing more about the podcast or want to get involved - please get in touch with Richard on 07789858764 / https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedatarecruiter/
In #Ep17 of The Data Leadership Podcast I sit down with Vinny Leach, Head of Data at Yorkshire Building Society to discuss her experiences building and growing effective data teams. Vinny is an experienced Data, Business and Technology Leader who has led data teams of 30+ and is passionate about creating the right culture for growth and collaboration. 0:30 - Vinny's journey so far 4:55 - Vinny outside of Data 6:52 - Efficiency within Data teams 11:30 - Reactive vs Proactive 14:52 - Communication is key 15:20 - Importance of buy-in 22:28 - How to be effective long term 26:20 - Vinny's approach to Recruitment 28:30 - Building for the future 30:55 - Setting a team up for success Vinny Leach, Senior Data Manager at YBS - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinny/
In #Ep16 of The Data Leadership Podcast I sit down with André Balleyguier to discuss building diverse and scalable Data Science teams. André is the VP of Worldwide Data Science Services at DataRobot - successfully building a talented team of 50+ customer-facing data scientists across EMEA. 0:45 - André Background 4:50 - Intro to DataRobot 10:04 - Key challenges faced 12:30 - Staff retention strategy 14:40 - The difficulty of scaling 16:50 - Importance of Diversity 22:50 - Hiring strategy 25:55 - Managing teams Globally 28:50 - The future of Data Science 33:25 - Final takeaway André Balleyguier - VP of Worldwide Data Science Services at DataRobot - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aballeyguier/
In #Ep15 of The Data Leadership Podcast I sit down with Simon Asplen-Taylor to talk about the need for a real connection between Data and Business. Simon is the Founder of DataTick, an expereinced CDO/CAO with a passion for the business side of Data and Analytics. We cover: - Simon's journey so far - 0:30 - The real benefit of business understanding - 5:56 - How can leaders bridge the gap - 7:45 - Embedding business into the process - 9:30 - The impact of a lack of business understanding - 12:53 - What can accelerate the process - 17:18 - The importance of trust - 20:20 - Who and where to turn to - 24:14 - What are the potential blockers - 27:40 - Final thoughts - 30:30 Simon Asplen-Taylor, DataTick (CDO/CAO) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-asplen-taylor-656766/
In #Ep14 of The Data Leadership Podcast I sit down with Lee Feinberg to talk about the importance of focusing on the customer in Analytics. Lee is an experienced Data Leader, Educator and Data Visualisation specialist. We cover: - Lee's journey so far - 0:42 - The Customer is the goal - 7:45 - Why we have to shift the focus - 9:20 - Soft vs Hard skills - 12:42 - Taking accountability - 15:15 - Data Leaders perspective - 20:48 - Soft skills in the hiring process - 23:29 - The need for change in education - 25:22 - Key takeaway - 30:23 Lee Feinberg - President (DecisionViz) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/leefeinberg/
In #Ep13 of The Data Leadership Podcast I sit down with Sherin Matthew to talk about 'Empowering with Data, AI and Ethics'. Sherin is an AI Activitist, Entrepreneur and a key individual within the DataIQ Top100... We cover: Sherins journey so far - 0:42 Empowering with Data & AI - 3:48 Whats happening in the world of AI - 8:45 AI vs Ethics - 10:50 AI Regulations catching up - 11:31 How we can educate ourselves on AI Ethics - 15:02 Public Intelligence - 19:38 The 5 Principles - 21:22 AI Vantage - 26:48 Final thoughts - 29:35 Sherin Matthew - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherin-ai/
In #Ep12 of The Data Leadership Podcast I sit down with Mark Pybus - Data Practice Director at Contino, to talk about the need for the Data Challenge to meet the Organisational Challenge. We cover: Contino and the Consultant role - 3:53 The Data Challenge - 8:45 The Organisational Challenge 15:08 Conway's Law - 19:00 Data Governance & Data Literacy - 25:00 Challenges faced - 31:25 When the conversation needs to happen - 34:00 How it looks when it works well - 38:40 Building from the outside in - 42:15 Final thoughts - 45:35 Mark Pybus - Data Practice Director at Contino - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-pybus/
In #Ep11 of The Data Leadership Podcast I sit down with Stephanie Wong - Data & AI - Product and Strategy at ITV, to share her experiences of Digital Transformation, Data Ethics and How promoting diversity is everyone's responsibility. We cover:
Digital Transformation & the data "translator" role Fostering a data culture What ITV is doing with data Algorithms & Data Ethics The opportunity for businesses Diversity in recruitment Culture in the workplace; female role models Steph’s experience 1 takeaway for everyone to see themselves as role models Stephanie Wong - Data & AI - Product Strategy at ITV - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniewong4/
In #Ep10 of The Data Leadership Podcast I sit down with Andrea Bozzola - Engineering Manager at Booking.com to share his experiences around migration of big data clusters to the cloud. Andrea takes a look at some of the key human and practical considerations... We cover: - When and why to migrate. - The problems/challenges you are you likely to face. - How can we tackle these problems. - Hiring vs upskiling staff. - Human and practical considerations. Andrea Bozzola - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-dante-bozzola-79376275/
In #Ep9 of The Data Leadership Podcast I sit down with Nigel Ainscoe - Head of Data Engineering at Koodoo to share his experiences implementing continuous integration and delivery in Data. Nigel is a hands-on technical leader with over 30 years experience in the industry, who places a strong focus on personal development. We cover the following: - Reliable and repeatable data delivery - Why data is lagging behind the curve - Key learns and advice for implementation - Existing and up and coming tools - CI/CD within Snowflake - Recommendations for learning material Nigel Ainscoe - Head of Data Engineering at Koodoo - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelainscoe/
In #Ep8 of The Data Leadership Podcast I sit down with Stephen Mills - Director Data & Analytics at PwC to share his views and experiences of how Data Strategy has changed over 2020 and going into 2021. Stephen has worked for nearly 20 years in the Business Intelligence and Analytics space across a variety of sectors and currently leads the Data & Analytics capability in the North of England for PwC. We cover the following: - What the macro factors are that have impacted data. - How these factors impacted data functions. - How you react to this depends on where you start from - high vs low maturity. - Key building blocks to the modern and agile data strategy. https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-mills-0766444/
In #Ep7 of The Data Leadership Podcast I speak with Michiel van Staden - Data Analytics Lead at the Absa Group to share his experiences of transitioning into a data leader. Michiel has a passion for self-development, knowledge sharing and seeing others achieve which has led him onto the path of a data leader. We cover: - Why choose leadership. - What a leadership role looks like. - Signs that leadership could be right for you. - Key challenges faced when transitioning into a leader. - How to create opportunities to learn. - Advice for those thinking of becoming a leader. https://www.linkedin.com/in/michiel-van-staden-1130a7110/
In #Ep6 of The Data Leadership Podcast I speak with Andy Bell - VP of Global Product Data Management at Precisely to discuss key considerations when integrating third-party data. Andy has a true love and passion for Data. He has spent his career working with spatial and location data - with a focus on applying this data to solve business problems. 76% of global data and analytics decision makers report that their firms plan to launch or have launched plans and initiatives to improve their ability to source external data'. We cover: - What are the benefits of using external data - Key considerations when integrating third-party data - Examples of success and failure - The importance of choosing a true partner https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyrbell/
In #Ep5 of The Data Leadership Podcast I speak with Abed Ajraou - Head of Data at E.ON Next to discuss efficiency within a Data Science team. Abed is an experienced Data Leader and FinTech startup Co-Founder with vast experience of building teams and is focused on getting the most value out of them. 87% of Data Science projects don't end up going live. Abed gives us great insight into why this happens and some key points on how to tackle the problem... We cover: - Why Data Science projects don't go live - How it can effect the Data Scientist, Manager and Business - Steps you can take to tackle the problem - What a Data Scientist role should look like - How to get the most value out of your team https://www.linkedin.com/in/abed-ajraou-9054141/
In #Ep4 of The Data Leadership Podcast I sit down with Phil Bailey to discuss how to build for success. Phil is an experienced Data Leader, Architect and BI professional. He shares his recent experiences from a candidate perspective trying to navigate the blurred lines between role titles. We then take a look at an interesting way to simplify this. In our chat we cover the following: - The confusion around role titles. - How this effects both candidates and hiring managers. - A different approach to simplify this. - Finding an analogy that works for you. - A new way to stand out when hiring. https://www.linkedin.com/in/philbailey/
In #Ep3 of The Data Leadership Podcast I speak with Rob Lancashire around how to create a data-driven culture. Rob is an experienced BI and Data Analytics Leader who brings vast experience of creating a Data-Driven Culture within big and small businesses - including the likes of Covea Insurance, U-Explore, IceLolly and The Direct Line Group. In our chat we cover the following: - Why its important. - Steps towards creating a data-driven culture. - The challenges faced. - The differences when implementing within Big and Small businesses. - Where to begin as a leader. https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-lancashire-a6aaa52b/
In #Ep2 of The Data Leadership Podcast I speak with Howard Wild to discuss the topic of Data Governance. Howard is an experienced leader within the Business Intelligence and Data Engineering space. Across his career he has covered many aspects of Data, however here we discuss his experiences tackling Data Governance. In our chat we cover the following: - Why its important. - What challenges are faced. - How best to approach it. - What not to do. - Tips that can help accelerate the process. https://www.linkedin.com/in/howard-wild-a3489252/
In #Ep1 I speak with Simon Grey to discuss data-driven decision making. Simon brings over 40 years of experience working with data. From Accountant to BI Consultant all the way to leading BI functions within Retail and Telecoms giants - the Co-op and Virgin Media, whilst also spending some time in a tech startup. We talk data-driven decision making within these industries and how their use of data has evolved, before looking at some of the biggest challenges facing Data Leaders today. https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-grey-1904b7/