Podcast
Driven by Data: The Podcast
Hosted by Orbition Group · EN
Orbition Group is delighted to bring you this podcast series, which is designed for Data Enthusiasts, to hear from some of the most high-profile Data, Analytics and AI thought leaders from around the globe.
Each episode will detail the guests journey to the top while bringing unique insights, drawn from first-hand experience on the industry’s most trending topics.
This podcast was created as a way for our industry's most respected leadership figures from across the world to give back to the Data & Analytics community, by sharing; knowledge, experiences and ideas, to inspire, innovate and provide real-life use cases on the industries most pressing topics/challenges.
33episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Data Debrief: Demystifying Data Leadership & Kyle makes a Bet on Topic Choice
6d ago00:48:37Tap to summarizeWelcome to another episode of the Data Debrief, the companion show to Driven by Data: The Podcast, where hosts Catherine Dowden-King and Kyle Winterbottom unpack Tuesday's episode, share what's been on their minds, and explore the realities of leadership, culture, and capability across the data and AI landscape.This week, Catherine and Kyle reflect on the conversation with Keith Moody, diving deeper into the realities of value creation, stakeholder management, and why the biggest barriers to success in data leadership are often human rather than technical.They cover:Why Keith's candid perspective stood out, and how some of the most honest conversations happen when leaders are able to speak without the constraints of corporate messaging and organisational politicsThe critical relationship between the CDO and CFO, why finance leaders remain the ultimate validators of value, and how a single nod of approval can determine whether an initiative succeeds or stallsWhy proving value still remains the defining challenge for data leaders, despite years of discussion around ROI, business outcomes, and commercial impactThe importance of stakeholder management, trust-building, and relationship development, and why no data leader succeeds without bringing others along on the journeyHow AI can be used as a practical leadership tool, from role-playing difficult stakeholder conversations to helping leaders navigate conflict, influence, and executive communication more effectivelyThe emerging ways data and AI leaders are using AI personally, including as a career coach, meeting assistant, productivity partner, and accessibility toolWhy change management isn't a phase of transformation programmes but the job itself, and how successful leaders recognise that adoption is an ongoing responsibility rather than a project milestoneThe reality that humans remain the most complex variable in any data strategy, and why technical excellence alone will never guarantee successHow previous experiences, organisational history, and leadership baggage influence every new data leader entering a role, whether they're inheriting success, failure, or scepticismWhy data leadership increasingly resembles sales, and how influencing decisions often requires changing perceptions, behaviours, and long-held beliefs rather than deploying new technologyThe growing importance of real-world communities, events, and human connection as AI-generated content becomes more prevalent and increasingly difficult to distinguish from human-created workWhy curiosity and imagination may become the defining skills that separate high-performing leaders in an era where access to technology becomes increasingly democratisedKyle's thought of the week: whilst many organisations claim they lack a clearly defined business strategy, the reality is that strategic priorities almost always exist somewhere. The responsibility for data leaders is to uncover them, build relationships with the people who own them, and connect their work to those outcomes rather than waiting for perfect documentation to appear.Catherine's thought of the week: we often have more control than we think. Whether it's improving stakeholder relationships, influencing difficult conversations, or navigating organisational complexity, the leaders who make progress are typically those willing to take ownership, seek support, and proactively shape their environment rather than waiting for conditions to improve.This episode is a practical discussion on the realities of leading change, proving value, and navigating organisational complexity, whilst exploring how human behaviour, relationships, and influence continue to matter just as much as technology in determining success.
Transcribe →S7 | Ep 9 | The Mandate Gap: Why Data Teams Keep Failing to Deliver Commercial Impact with Keith Moody, VP of Analytics & AI
1w ago00:53:25Tap to summarizeIn Episode 9 of Season 7 of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom was joined by Keith Moody, a renowned Data & AI Executive, where they discuss the relationship between the mandate of the CDAO and the results that data and analytics teams continue to deliver, which includes;How the absence of a clear value delivery mandate is the root cause of data being treated as a cost centre rather than a business asset.Why most CDO mandates are designed based on what organisations think the job is, not what it actually needs to be to generate commercial impact.How Keith built four analytics organisations across two companies and delivered over $500 million in incremental annual value.Why the data function's reporting line is rarely neutral, and how a once-thriving value-delivery team was reduced to an order-taking service desk.How convincing leadership that "no analytics could happen until data was perfect" brought an entire organisation to a standstill.Why CDOs who push for commercial accountability in interview processes face a catch-22.Why most interview processes focus on capability over delivery expectations leaving the value mandate undefined from day one.Why you should actively push for commercial targets.Why and how to routinely reframe the mandate once inside an organisation.Why the CFO should be the ultimate validator of any value numbers attributed to analytics.How reporting directly to the CEO removes prioritisation deadlock entirely.Why governance committees are a poor substitute for having a single accountable decision-maker at the top.How change management done at the end of a project is the single biggest reason analytics initiatives fail.Why blanket data literacy programmes are largely an admission of failure.How automating decision-making away from VPs was successfully sold internally.Why the AI investment cycle is repeating the exact same hype and collapse pattern seen with data science.How FOMO, shareholder pressure, and competitive optics drive organisations to invest in AI capabilities they haven't defined a use case for.How the first practical step for any CDO stuck in cost-centre mode is to audit their existing portfolio and how to do so.Thanks to our sponsor, Data & AI Literacy Academy.Data & AI 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 & AI literacy first.At Data & AI Literacy Academy, they don't just teach data skills. They empower individuals and teams to think critically, analyse effectively, and make decisions confidently based on data. They'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 & AI 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 they offer. They embed a deep data culture shift through a transformative change management programme.They 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.
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Data Debrief: Navigating the Executive Journey with Confidence and Patience
2w ago00:39:09Tap to summarizeWelcome to another episode of the Data Debrief, the companion show to Driven by Data: The Podcast, where host Catherine Dowden-King and, this time, special guest Nirali Patel, unpack Tuesday's episode, share what's been on their minds, and explore the realities of leadership, culture, and capability across the data and AI landscape.This week, Catherine and Nirali reflect on the conversation with JoAnn Stonier, Lara Izlan and Abbi Agana, diving deeper into what it actually takes to step into a NED role, where your mindset needs to go, and how your patience may be your best asset.
Transcribe →S7 | Ep 8 | How to become a NED? with JoAnn Stonier, EX-CDO Mastercard, Lara Izlan, Director of Data, ITV & Abbi Agana, CEO, Leathermarket JMB
2w ago01:02:20Tap to summarizeThis is a special episode of the Driven by Data Podcast, where we publish our recent NED webinar!Featuring JoAnn Stonier, Ex-CDO Mastercard, Lara Izlan, Director of Data, ITV and Abbi Agana, CEO, Leathermarket JMBOur speakers shared career trajectories into NED roles, emphasising diverse backgrounds (data, media, housing, finance, privacy) and recurring themes: continuous change, giving back, mentorship, and strategic coaching mindset.How to break into NED roles: build a board CV, clarify your 'why' and value proposition, leverage networks, observe boards, speak to chairs and current board members, and use targeted communities and programs.Differences between nonprofit and for-profit board experience: governance skills transfer but scale and profile matter; large/high-profile nonprofits can be gateways to commercial boards while small trustee roles mainly develop governance experience.What boards look for: subject-matter expertise gets you noticed, but financial literacy, generalist judgement, governance and fiduciary responsibility are baseline requirements; c-suite title is not strictly necessary.Practical expectations of NED work: time commitment varies (frequently ~20–25 hours/month for active boards), includes prep, board meetings, committee work, possible ad-hoc meetings and retreats, and requires doubling stated prep time as a rule of thumb.Common pitfalls and mindset shifts: NEDs must adopt 'noses in, hands out' approach, avoid being a hands-on operator, focus on strategic advisory and support rather than doing the work for exec teams.Thanks to our sponsor, Data & AI Literacy Academy.Data & AI 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 & AI literacy first.At Data & AI Literacy Academy, they don't just teach data skills. They empower individuals and teams to think critically, analyse effectively, and make decisions confidently based on data. They'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 & AI 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 they offer. They embed a deep data culture shift through a transformative change management programme.They 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.
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Data Brief: Stop asking permission, and claim your lane (and the whole pool whilst you're at it)
3w ago00:30:45Tap to summarizeWelcome to another episode of the Data Debrief, the companion show to Driven by Data: The Podcast, where hosts Catherine Dowden-King and Kyle Winterbottom unpack Tuesday's episode, share what's been on their minds, and explore the realities of leadership, culture, and capability across the data and AI landscape.This week, Catherine and Kyle reflect on the conversation with Edward Chenard, diving deeper into what it actually takes to step outside your lane as a data leader, make yourself redundancy-proof, and shift the conversation from technical delivery to commercial impact.They cover:Why Edward's unattached, portfolio career status meant the episode landed differently, and why the growing constraints around PR and corporate communications are making truly candid guest conversations increasingly rare on podcastsHow the fractional and advisory model is reshaping what value creation looks like in data leadership, and why organisations often get more commercial clarity from a contracted external than a full-time hireWhy delivering exactly what the job spec asks of you is, in reality, a risky career strategy for any enterprise data leader or CDOThe mindset behind becoming redundancy-proof, and why Edward's firsthand experience of layoffs shaped his willingness to step outside his mandate rather than stay safely within itThe "ask forgiveness rather than permission" approach to data leadership, and why professional arrogance, done with nuance, is often what separates those who reshape mandates from those who get trapped by themWhy "talk numbers, not tech" should be on a post-it note in every data leader's office, and how reading the room determines whether your message lands or loses the room entirelyThe importance of knowing when to geek out with peers at industry events versus when to translate everything into conversion rates, revenue targets, and business outcomes at the board levelHow skill and will both play a role in whether data leaders break out of their comfort zones — and why going back to what feels familiar is the enemy of executive credibilityWhy sitting at "the children's table" is a mindset problem as much as a structural one, and what it actually takes to earn a seat in the room where the real decisions are madeThe growing challenge of getting guests to speak candidly on record as geopolitics and economic uncertainty push businesses toward risk aversion and comms-approved messagingKyle's thought of the week: why perfect conditions don't exist — and why waiting for the mandate to fix itself, the business to catch up, or the industry to finally get it right is a strategy that history has already proven doesn't work. The leaders who succeed are the ones who go and create the conditions themselves.Catherine's thought of the week: what happened when Orbition ran a NED webinar that LinkedIn declared a dead format — 67 senior leaders from across the UK, US, and Europe later, and the lesson is clear: don't let someone else's data point on what doesn't work override what your own experience and evidence tells you is worth trying.This episode is a practical, honest unpacking of what it means to go beyond the mandate, not by working harder or taking on more, but by having different conversations, building broader context, and being willing to step into rooms that weren't originally part of the brief.
Transcribe →S7 | Ep 7 | From Cost Centre to Revenue Engine: How to Make Data Pay for Itself (and Then Some) with Edward Chenard, Fractional CDAO
3w ago01:02:56Tap to summarizeIn Episode 7, of Season 7 of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom was joined by Edward Chenard, Fractional Chief Data and Analytics Officer, where they discuss how data leaders can break free from the cost centre trap and drive measurable, quantifiable business value, having personally delivered over $2.5 billion in revenue across Fortune 500s and start-ups alike, which includes;How a career in product management at GE laid the foundation for an outcome-first approach to data leadership.Why not having a seat at the table is not an excuse and why the biggest commercial wins came from several levels below the C-suite.How to read the type of organisation you are in and choose your influence strategy accordingly.Why the shift from AI-as-tool to AI-as-strategy matters for how data leaders position themselves now.Why data teams are correctly perceived as overheads.Building a personalisation platform at Best Buy that generated over $1 billion in revenue.Why identifying the metrics the C-suite actually obsess over is the only way to get and keep their attention.Why delivering what the job description says is the riskiest career move a data leader can make.How a predictive shipping tool built in four months turned a century-old logistics company into a recognised innovator.Why agreeing attribution with business stakeholders before the work starts is the only way to get the credit you deserve.Why the individual contributor mindset of doing what you are told actively works against data leaders when they step into leadership roles.Why data leaders need to think like intrapreneurs, owning a P&L and speaking the language of finance, VCs, and private equity rather than just tech.Why a background in international business and theology turned out to be better preparation for data leadership than a technical degree.Why philosophy and physics majors often outperform computer science graduates in data roles because thinking through problems without solid facts is the real differentiator.Why IT cultures that lead with process are structurally incapable of delivering transformation.Why training your team on AI regardless of what the C-suite thinks is a leadership obligation, not insubordination.How Edwards frameworks for moving data teams from dashboard builders to decision-makers are publicly available.Why it is human as the loop, not human in the loop, and why AI will quickly expose those who have been faking it.Thanks to our sponsor, Data & AI Literacy Academy.Data & AI 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 & AI literacy first.At Data & AI Literacy Academy, they don't just teach data skills. They empower individuals and teams to think critically, analyse effectively, and make decisions confidently based on data. They'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 & AI 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 they offer. They embed a deep data culture shift through a transformative change management programme.They 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.
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Data Debrief: Elephants, Driving & LinkedIn Debates
4w ago00:43:12Tap to summarizeWelcome to another episode of the Data Debrief, the companion show to Driven by Data: The Podcast, where hosts Catherine Dowden-King and Kyle Winterbottom unpack Tuesday’s episode, share what’s been on their minds, and explore the realities of leadership, culture, and capability across the data and AI landscape.This week, Catherine and Kyle reflect on the conversation with Dru Patel from the FA, diving deeper into the human side of data leadership, from storytelling and self-awareness to the commercial realities of what it actually takes to succeed at the executive level.They cover:Why Dru Patel’s approach to storytelling and communication stood out as one of the most compelling conversations the podcast has hosted to dateHow technical capability alone has become “table stakes” in data leadership, and why the differentiator is now influence, communication, and the ability to shape perceptionWhy “soft skills” might be the most damaging phrase in the industry, and how cultural buy-in and human-centred leadership are often the real drivers of ROIThe uncomfortable reality that working hard and being technically brilliant doesn’t automatically lead to progression, and why self-awareness is becoming a critical leadership traitHow data leaders can shift conversations away from platforms, dashboards, and governance, and toward decisions, business outcomes, and commercial impactWhy organisations still struggle with the perception of data teams as back-office technical functions, and how that perception shapes hiring, mandates, and ultimately failureThe difference between data literacy and data culture, and why culture is what happens when nobody is watchingHow lived experience, industry context, and organisational history shape expectations around data quality, trust, and value creationWhy many CDO mandates continue to fail, not because the individuals lack capability, but because organisations hire for technical delivery while expecting commercial transformationThe growing disconnect between what data leaders are hired to do and what boards actually expect them to achieveThey also dig into the future of data leadership and organisational accountability:Why businesses are now entering their third, fourth, and even fifth iteration of the CDO role, and what those repeated resets reveal about the maturity of the marketHow hiring behaviour has unintentionally incentivised technical specialisation over commercial leadership for more than a decadeWhy asking questions around decisions, KPIs, revenue targets, and business performance during interviews can quickly reveal an organisation’s true perception of data leadershipKyle’s thought of the week: why the debate around failed CDO mandates is becoming too polarised between “it’s the organisation’s fault” and “it’s the individual’s fault,” and why the reality sits somewhere in the middleCatherine’s thought of the week: what happened after asking LinkedIn for web developer recommendations, and what the overwhelming response revealed about vendor outreach, personalisation, and the growing problem of AI-generated sales noiseThey also discuss:Why AI has enabled many organisations to operate “badly at scale, but faster”How senior leaders increasingly avoid broad vendor engagement unless there is an immediate needThe importance of building trusted communities where candid conversations can happen openly and safelyWhy Orbition Group’s private membership community continues to grow as leaders look for more meaningful peer-to-peer discussion away from the public spotlightThis episode is a candid exploration of the skills gap that rarely gets discussed in data and AI leadership, not the technical gap, but the commercial, cultural, and human capability gap that increasingly determines who succeeds, who gets overlooked, and why so many organisations still struggle to realise value from data.
Transcribe →S7 | Ep 6 | Embracing Failure: The Human Side of Data Leadership with Dru Patel, Data Lead at The Football Association
4w ago00:57:33Tap to summarizeIn Episode 6, of Season 7 of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom was joined by Dru Patel, Data Lead at The Football Association, where they discuss how embracing failure fuels a human-centred approach to data leadership that unlocks adoption, trust, and real organisational change, which includes;How an unconventional background spanning Kenya, the Cabinet Office, and a life coaching qualification shaped a distinctly human approach to data leadership.Why hard work alone has a ceiling, and how the first ten years of Dru's career proved that technical output without soft skills will only take you so far.Why starting with the "why" is the most powerful tool a data leader has for driving engagement, adoption, and business buy-in.How asking "why" five times gets you to the real root of what a stakeholder actually needs, and why most data teams stop at the first answer.How the gap between data teams and the business is normal, and why failing to challenge it with the right questions is the real problem.Why data teams need to push back on the brief rather than just building what's requested.How a dashboard that stops being used isn't always a failure, and why it often signals that the business is ready to ask bigger questions of the data.Why data literacy and data culture are not the same thing, and what it actually takes to move from one to the other.How the six blind men and the elephant illustrates what happens when everyone is right in their own context and nobody is looking at the whole picture.Why treating data like the organisation's own money, rather than a technical function, is the mindset shift that drives real literacy.Why data leaders take failure far harder than anyone else in the room, and what a 1980 psychology study reveals about the stories we tell themselves.How building a PPE supplier system in six days during COVID taught Dru that perfection is the enemy of progress.Why owning failure openly builds more trust than silence, and how to reframe the conversation from blame to improvement.How imposter syndrome shows up in data leadership, why it never fully goes away, and what mentors and trusted voices can do to help reframe it.Why nerves and excitement are the same feeling, and how the most effective leaders choose which one to act on.Why listening, really listening, before jumping to solutions is the soft skill most data professionals underestimate.How a human-centred lens, not a technical one, is what ultimately bridges the gap between data teams and the decisions that matter.
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Data Debrief: Curiosity Is the New Python
May 700:38:44Tap to summarizeWelcome to another episode of the Data Debrief, the companion show to Driven by Data: The Podcast, where hosts Catherine Dowden-King and Kyle Winterbottom unpack Tuesday's episode, share what's been on their minds, and explore what's really happening across the data and AI landscape.This week, Catherine and Kyle reflect on their conversation with Richard Masters, VP of Data & Analytics at Virgin Atlantic, diving deeper into the themes that matter most right now, from decision-led data strategies to the realities of building for reusability in an AI-driven world.They cover:Why Virgin Atlantic's surprisingly lean fleet of 44 planes is a masterclass in doing more with less, and what data teams can learn from itRichard's astrophysics background and how the principle of signal over noise shapes his entire approach to dataWhy the North Star of any data function should be decision support, and how working backwards from decisions changes everythingThe shift from "collect all the data" to "what decisions are we trying to impact" — and why that transition is still hard for most organisationsThe move from single-use data projects to reusable, scalable products, and why building for one use case is the old way of thinkingHow AI is democratising business capability, the rise of the "builders vs coders" mindset, and what that means for how data teams are structuredWhy fewer platforms, used well, will beat a sprawling vendor stack, and what that means for the vendor community going forwardThey also dig into the future of talent and skills in data:Why critical thinking, curiosity, and imagination are becoming more valuable than technical qualificationsHow the widening talent pool challenges universities and educators to stop being anti-AI and start teaching people how to use it responsiblyWhy neurodiversity and unconventional backgrounds will be a competitive advantage in an AI-augmented worldCatherine's thought of the week: why data professionals have a duty to educate those around them as AI misinformation spreads, from the boardroom to the toddler groupKyle's thought of the week: why the CDO role may be heading toward a fractional, advisory model, and what that split between strategy and execution means for the future of data leadership hiringThis episode is a candid look at where data is heading, where the real value is created, and why the leaders who thrive will be the ones who connect commercial strategy to the decisions that actually move the needle.
Transcribe →S7 | Ep 5 | Signal Over Noise: The North Star of Decision Support with Richard Masters, VP Data & AI at Virgin Atlantic
May 500:48:47Tap to summarizeIn Episode 5, of Season 7 of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom was joined by Richard Masters, Vice President of Data & AI at Virgin Atlantic where they discuss how a "signal over noise” mindset helps cut through complexity, and enables better decision-making and real business impact, which includes;How an astrophysics background shaped a “signal over noise” mindset for data and decision-making.How reducing data noise and surfacing the right signal drives meaningful business action.Why decision support should be the North Star for every data team.How aligning data work to business strategy requires constant iteration, challenge, and course correction.Why iterative improvement wins the day.How data context and metadata are critical to trust, usability, and adoption.Why data lineage, governance and trust are foundational to scaling AI successfully.How prioritisation should be driven by impact vs feasibility, not technical curiosity.Why a product mindset enables reuse, scalability, and faster value realisation.How platforms act as the governed foundation for reusable data, AI and decision-making capabilities.Why simplifying to fewer platforms improves trust and speed of delivery.How observability and adoption tracking link data products to real decision-making and P&L impact.Why AI success depends on evaluation frameworks (“is it right?”) and human-in-the-loop validation.How AI is shifting roles from coders to builders using and diversifying D&A talent beyond traditional STEM backgrounds.
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