CDAO UK schedule

During this 10-minute networking session, the aim of the game is to go and meet two people you don't already know.  Have fun! 

• How does effective data management serve as a catalyst for digital transformation within organizations? 

• Real-world examples where data management has significantly accelerated digital transformation 

• How important is cross-functional collaboration in implementing successful data management strategies for digital transformation? 

• What roles do technologies like AI, machine learning, and analytics play in transforming raw data into actionable insights that drive innovation and decision-making? 

Moderator: Byron Alcon, Chief Technologist Z by HP Edge and AI-HP 

Mohit Joshi, Director of Data and ML Platforms – COLLINSON 

Basit Tanveer, Head of Business Platforms & Data Engineering – LEBARA 

An informal, interactive session where attendees ask questions directly to an AI ethics and data privacy expert. The expert will answer questions on the fly, providing practical insights and advice on navigating regulations and building trustworthy AI systems. 

Kimberley Miles, Data Protection Officer- DUAL 

Martin Kander, Head of Enterprise Data - CDW UK 

James Finlason, Head of Data Governance - JOHN LEWIS PARTNERSHIP 

Focus Areas: AI ethics, data privacy, regulatory challenges.  

AI hype is softening as leaders expect value and results from AI investments. Don’t get caught holding a bag of empty promises. Learn key strategies for getting value from your AI initiatives today while also preparing for long-term success.  Benefit from the lessons learned from our over 40,000 customers, industry advisors, and Qlik itself — all distilled into an easy-to-follow approach to drive AI success today and tomorrow. 

As Channel 4 embarks on its new Fast Forward strategy, we will explore how we’re supporting the business through the development of a new centralised Analytics function. Will it be happy ever after? Or will the business stand us up at the altar? 

• Things we’ll cover: 

• How we changed our operating model to overcome siloed data and insights teams. 

• How we plan to overcome functional silos between Analytics, BI and Research to deliver a source of truth to the business. 

• How the structure has enabled us to deliver holistic insights about our audiences. 

• The early wins we’ve had and lessons learned as we’ve gone through this transformation.  

Adam Sangster, Analytics Lead – CHANNEL 4 

Dr. Parves Khan, Lead Business Transition Partner – CHANNEL 4 

• How can data strategy be better aligned with overarching business goals? 

• What are the most effective ways to measure the business value generated by data investments? 

• How do you ensure that data-driven decisions lead to operational improvements? 

• What are the common challenges in translating data into actionable outcomes, and how can they be overcome

Moderator: Steve Holyer, Data Platform and Governance Leader EMEA North - INFORMATICA 

Patrice Gourlet, Head of Data Strategy, Governance and Architecture – IMPERIAL BRANDS PLC 

Data is everywhere but turning it into measurable business outcomes is still a challenge for many organisations. In this session, Brendan Buckingham from IBM will share specific strategies and tools that enterprises are using to overcome these hurdles. Focusing on real-world examples, Brendan will demonstrate how companies are using AI to extract value from their data, tackle organisational barriers, and deliver results that matter. 

Expect actionable insights as Brendan unpacks the nuances of monetising data in today’s fast-paced business environment. 

• Leadership in Action: Hear how leadership decisions have played a pivotal role in turning data initiatives into revenue-generating opportunities. 

• Breaking Barriers: Learn how to address key challenges such as fragmented data sources, scepticism among stakeholders, and operational silos. 

• Real Results: Discover how global enterprises across industries are leveraging AI to drive outcomes like increased revenue, operational efficiency, and new customer value. 

In this session, Danielle Timmins, Chief Data Analytics Officer at Freerange Creatives, will delve into how innovative applications of AI and data collaboration can enhance financial inclusion. Drawing on her experience addressing systemic barriers to financial access, Danielle will present real-world examples of ethical data usage driving transformative change. The talk will focus on actionable strategies to leverage AI for bridging gaps in financial access, empowering underserved populations, and fostering sustainable economic development. 

Takeaways: 

• Ethical AI in Practice: Discover how AI and data can be used responsibly to combat financial exclusion. 

• Collaborative Models: Explore frameworks for partnerships between organizations to address systemic challenges. 

• Scalable Solutions: Gain practical strategies to implement AI solutions with measurable impact. 

• Case Studies: Learn from financial inclusion initiatives making a difference globally.

• How can organizations cultivate a leadership approach that values data as a strategic resource? 

• What are the persistent barriers that prevent organizations from fully embracing data confidence? 

• Why is it crucial to shift the perception of data to make it accessible to all employees, not just analysts? 

• How does the integration of data literacy and leadership contribute to fostering innovation and accelerating business growth? 
  

Andrew Spires,  EMEA Data Integrity Lead- TRICENTIS 

Sally Bashuan, Head of Data – FEDERATED HERMES LIMITED 

Martin Lidl, CDO - Admiral Group Plc 

Join us for a lively roundtable lunch, hosted by Brendan Buckingham from IBM, as we dive into the real-world challenges Data Leaders face when trying to deliver measurable business outcomes with AI.  

Scaling AI Initiatives: How can we move beyond pilots to full-scale deployment and see tangible returns? 

Aligning Data Strategies with Business Goals: What does it take to integrate data strategies that genuinely drive business change? 

Managing Reputation in AI Monetisation: How do we strike the balance between seizing opportunities and safeguarding corporate integrity? 

Closing the AI Skills Gap: What steps can we take to build a workforce ready for the demands of AI-driven transformation? 

• • What to expect: A solution-oriented think tank where senior leaders can discuss challenges with real-time data infrastructure. The session will guide participants through a collaborative problem-solving approach focused on scaling real-time analytics. 
  • Participation: Come ready to engage in a dialogue about current challenges and opportunities in real-time data processing. Even if you don’t have a specific plan, you’ll contribute by brainstorming with other senior leaders on practical solutions. 

   

  Rajan Srivastwa, Engineering & ML Platform Lead - Personalised Products  - NATWEST 

   

  Danielle Timmins, Chief Data Analytics Officer – FREERANGE CREATIVES 

• What to expect: A practical discussion on how organizations are dealing with increasing regulations while maintaining data-driven innovation. Participants will work through governance frameworks that protect data while allowing for business insights. 

Participation: No preparation is necessary—just bring your experience with data privacy challenges and collaborate with others to develop workable solutions for navigating regulatory landscapes. 

Jawwad Rasheed, Senior Principal, Global Transformation Lead -ALTERYX 

Nikhil Asthana, Head of Data – GRANT THORNTON UK LLP 

Vladimir Bendikow, Chief Data Officer - FIRSTBANK UK LIMITED 

• How can organizations design a data governance framework that balances regulatory compliance, data security, and business agility? 

• What are the most effective approaches for integrating AI and machine learning capabilities within a data organization to drive innovation and maintain competitive advantage? 

• In the context of scaling data operations, what role do advanced data architectures and technologies (such as data lakes, data warehouses, and cloud platforms) play in enhancing organizational efficiency and data-driven decision-making? 

• How can senior data leaders foster a culture of data literacy and continuous improvement across the organization, ensuring that all employees are equipped to leverage data effectively?  

Moderator: James Finlason, Head of Data Governance - JOHN LEWIS PARTNERSHIP 

Mayesta Ewer, Digital Intelligence Exploitation - Head of Department - FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY 

Murtz Daud, Director of Data & AI – BRITISH GAS 

During this 5-minute networking session, the aim of the game is to go and meet two people you don't already know.  Have fun! 

Great Customer Outcomes are reliant upon great identification of who the customer is across all IT systems. We have all seen the internal shenanigans that go on to keep customer data in sync across different systems inside and outside an enterprise. 

One area that crops up consistently is the customer’s address, we move it around in numerous formats, validate it against the PAF, compare it with one another and basically write loads of code just to deal with the address, including how we share it from one organisation to another. 

This session provides a 12-step plan to solve that issue

Panel Discussion: Turning Insights into Action: Does Data-Driven Change Deliver? 

• How can we identify and prioritize which data to bring under governance when dealing with vast amounts of data? 

• What are the challenges of regulatory compliance when applying data governance, and how can we navigate them? 

• How can we enable versatile governance strategies to serve as a vehicle for tailored data accessibility? 

• What strategies can be employed to break up data silos across business units and accelerate data-led decision-making? 
• How can we achieve strong data governance by aligning stakeholder engagement with business culture and maturity?  

Moderator: James Davies, CDAO - BY ROTATION 

Kassim Hussein, Head of Data and Analytics (Director Grade) - CLEVELAND CLINIC LONDON 

Mike Leverington, Director of Data Capability – ITV 

Brendan Ellis, Head of Data & Business Intelligence – PANTHEON VENTURES 

• How do organizations navigate ethical complexities in advanced analytics and machine learning? 

• What proactive strategies can businesses use to address emerging privacy risks in the evolving landscape of big data and AI? 

• Beyond compliance, how can organizations innovate to integrate ethical principles into their core data strategies? 

• In the age of encryption and decentralization, how do businesses balance data privacy with the need for accessibility 

• What tools and approaches enable organizations to transparently communicate and address ethical considerations in complex data models within the era of explainable AI? 

Moderator: Janthana Kaenprakhamroy, Chief Executive Officer – TAPOLY 

Andi 曹-McAleer, Head of Data & AI Governance - FINANCIAL TIMES 

Gurpreet Muctor, Chief Data & Technology Officer – WESTMINSTER CITY COUNCIL 

Pedro Rente Lourenço,  Senior Vice President - AlixPartners 

Despite the critical role of data quality in AI and analytics, many organizations remain hesitant to invest in it. This keynote speech will explore the reasons behind the reluctance to address data quality challenges head-on. It will examine various factors contributing to this hesitation, from unclear value propositions to the temptation of launching AI use cases, perhaps prematurely. Many organizations still lack insight into the quality of their data, and even fewer understand how to extract maximum value from imperfect datasets. Few have developed effective strategies for leveraging less-than-perfect data. This talk will explore the real-world impact of data quality on business outcomes and customer experiences. 

• Leveraging decentralized data is critical to address how use cases provide impact at scale. How do we address this disconnected governance issue at the organization to provide maximum value?  

• What are the emerging technologies, strategies and best practices that are helping us achieve maximum ROI? 

• The opportunities opened by AI are vast - how do we make sure that we help foster visibility, transparency and trust within the AI context?  

• What are the lessons learned around positioning ourselves as not only output generators, but outcome providers? 

Moderators: Alexandra Teachout, Head of Product Marketing- IndyKite 

Tosh Pushparajah, Senior Product Manager, IndyKite 

Gurpreet Muctor, Chief Data & Technology Officer – WESTMINSTER CITY COUNCIL 

Anwar Mirza, Data Strategy & Governance - FedEx Express 

This session brings together data leaders to discuss how they are cultivating the next generation of data talent. What leadership skills are needed in future CDAO roles? How can senior leaders' mentor and upskill their teams to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving data landscape? Participants will share their mentorship approaches and discuss strategies for closing the talent gap. 

• Focus Areas: Leadership development, talent strategy, future skills. 

• Preparation: Minimal — 3 facilitators guide the discussion with key questions. 

• Objective: Encourages reflection on talent development and sharing of leadership strategies to help organizations grow their data capabilities from within  

 Moderator: Lee Edney, Head of Global Business Value Consulting- ATACCAMA 

Kevin Bould, Associate Director of Digital Data and Technology – TEENAGE CANCER TRUST 

James Davies, CDAO - BY ROTATION 

• What to expect: A conversational session where leaders discuss how they’re enabling non-technical teams to access and use data, while maintaining security and quality standards. Focus is on balancing accessibility with governance. 

• Participation: Simply join and share your organization's experience with democratizing data—whether it’s just getting started or fully implemented. No need for slides or formal input, just ideas and insights. 

Kassim Hussein, Head of Data and Analytics (Director Grade) - CLEVELAND CLINIC LONDON 

Rajan Srivastwa, Engineering & ML Platform Lead - Personalised Products -- NATWEST 

What You’ll Learn: 

Unlocking Business Growth with Data 

Discover how organizations can use data to drive strategic decision-making, improve operations, and create value beyond direct monetization. 

Opportunities & Challenges in Extracting Business Value from Data 

Explore key areas where data delivers business impact—efficiency, customer insights, product innovation—while addressing common challenges such as data silos, accessibility, and compliance. 

Measuring the Impact of Data Initiatives 

Learn practical frameworks and key metrics to assess the success of data-driven strategies and effectively communicate their value. 

Workshop Outline: 

1️⃣ Introduction: Data as a Growth Engine 

Overview of how organizations leverage data to drive business success beyond direct monetization. 

2️⃣ Business Value from Data: Opportunities & Challenges 

Explore different ways data enhances operations, customer engagement, and product innovation. Discuss common challenges and share experiences. 

3️⃣ Extracting Business Value: Overcoming Barriers 

Identify key roadblocks to maximizing data’s potential and discuss real-world strategies to overcome them. 

4️⃣ Measuring Success: Evaluating Business Impact 

Learn simple, effective ways to measure the success of data initiatives and communicate their impact to stakeholders. 

How You Can Participate: 

✅ No preparation needed! 

✅ Share how your organization uses data or brainstorm potential opportunities. 

✅ Engage in discussions, ask questions, and exchange insights. 

✅ If you don’t have direct experience, think about how data-driven strategies could benefit your industry. 

Moderator: Anwar Mirza, Data Strategy & Governance - FedEx Express 

Brendan Ellis, Head of Data & Business Intelligence – PANTHEON VENTURES 

Ayushman Saha, Head of Data Value – FINANCIAL TIMES 

Clemence Grocholska, Head of Data - NORTH TECHNOLOGY GROUP 

Data is everywhere but how much of it is communicated effectively? Lots of work goes into the curation of data sets only for it to fall at the last hurdle as the key insights are lost through poor visualisation and storytelling. This session will cover some of the foundations of data storytelling and data visualisation. This session will cover:  

• How important design thinking is in data visualisation 

• How to make numbers resonate to their audience 

• A framework for building best in class charts 

• How to tell and sell your data story 

• • With the exponential growth of data sources, leaders often face cognitive overload that makes it harder to discern valuable insights from noise. How can decision-makers prevent data overload from clouding strategic insights? 
  • Having more data doesn’t always equate to better decisions. What mechanisms can organizations put in place to prioritize quality over quantity in data use? 
  • The allure of new tools and metrics can lead to decision-makers getting distracted by trends rather than focusing on data that drives real value. How can executives balance the use of cutting-edge data analytics with the risk of chasing trends that don’t align with business objectives? 
  • As leaders increasingly rely on data, they can lose sight of the importance of intuition. What role should human intuition play in decision-making when data-driven insights seem overwhelming or contradictory?  

   

  Peter Jackson, Interim Global Head of Data Office – SCHRODERS 

  Pankaj Manek, Data Manager - CAMBRIDGE & COUNTIES BANK