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! 

• What skills and roles define the modern data team in 2026?  

• Moving from data scientists and analysts to product managers, UX designers, and prompt engineers.  

• How to build fluid teams that evolve with tech and business strategy.  

• Leveraging low-code, GenAI, and automation without shrinking the talent vision.  

• Ensuring diversity of thought and domain expertise drives innovation.  

Speakers: 

Anna Gill, Global Digital Core Deployment Senior Director – Mars 

Sharada Khanna, Global Lead for Originations and Credit Bureau Data Strategy, Retail Banking - HSBC 

Beatrice Russell, MDM Global Implementation Leader - Technology – AON 

Martin Nelson, Data Platforms Adoption Lead and Product Owner- NFU MUTUAL  

James Davies, Chief Analyst Officer- By Rotation  

Great governance doesn’t get in the way — it guides without being seen. This session explores how to embed compliance and ethics directly into systems, without slowing teams down. 

• Building policy-as-code directly into platforms, data pipelines and AI models, so guardrails run silently in the background 

• Designing governance frameworks that respond in real-time to business events, not static rulebooks 

• Giving developers and data scientists built-in tools, defaults and nudges to support responsible choices without added friction 

• Moving from reactive compliance to proactive design — where trust and flexibility can scale together 

Speakers: 
Emma York, Chief Data Officer – London Stock Exchange Group 

Sanja Hukovic, Group, Director,Head of Model and AI Risk - London Stock Exchange Group 

• 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? 

• Adapting strategy when regulations evolve faster than your roadmap 

• Building credibility in the boardroom through risk-aware storytelling 

• Staying agile without weakening governance or trust 

• Leading teams through automation shifts without losing clarity or control 

Speakers: 

Francisco Mainez, Senior Director, Global Head of Financial Crime Strategy - Nium 

Subramanian Ramakrishnan, Director - Head of Data and Analytics – SquareTrade 

Pedro Liaño, Executive Director Data Intelligence- Bed Bath & Beyond 

Martin Nelson, Data Platforms Adoption Lead and Product Owner- NFU Mutual 

Premal Desai, Head of Data & AI - The Gym Group 

Privacy isn’t just a compliance box — it’s a foundation for credibility. Here’s how to use sensitive data responsibly, without eroding trust. 

• How to apply concepts like federated learning and differential privacy 

• Ways to stay compliant as global data laws evolve 

• How to balance innovation with user expectations on privacy 

• Communicating trust clearly, and what your data policy really tells users

• How to implement policy-as-code inside platforms and workflows 

• Making compliance adaptive to real-world business needs 

• Empowering data teams to move fast while staying within the lines 

• What effective, "quiet" governance looks like in 2026 

Speakers: 
Uzo Okelua, Associate Director, Systems & Data - Aviva Investors 

Elena Streltsova, Head of Data Analytics – Asahi Europe & International 

• As data volumes grow and AI reshapes workflows, teams risk burnout, disengagement, and “data fatigue.” This session explores how leaders can maintain momentum, inspire creativity, and keep purpose at the heart of data work. 

  • Recognizing the signs of “data fatigue” in teams and organizations. 
  • Building resilience and clarity when everything seems urgent. 
  • Storytelling and purpose as tools to keep teams aligned. 
  • Creating psychological safety in highly technical environments. 
  • Leadership practices for sustaining energy through disruption.
  
  

  Speakers: 

  Gael Decoudu, Director Data Science - Chetwood Financial Services 

Discover how leading organisations are transforming their data strategy by treating data as a true product. This session explores what “data as a product” really means, how to align ownership and delivery, and how to avoid the common pitfalls in execution. Learn how to turn vision into tangible business outcomes. 
 

• Treating data as a product change everything — how you plan, who owns what, and what gets delivered. 

• What "data product" really means beyond the buzz 

• Who owns what, aligning roles, delivery, and accountability 

• How to embed product thinking into data roadmaps 

• Common pitfalls in execution, and how to avoid them 

Vladimir Bendikow, Chief Data Officer – FirstBank UK Limited 

• Where governance and ethics collide with real-world business demands 

• How to align responsible data use with stakeholder pressure for speed 

• Cross-border challenges: What happens when global rules conflict? 

• What ethical operations look like under pressure 
    

Speakers: 
Francisco Mainez, Senior Director, Global Head of Financial Crime Strategy – Nium 

Gael Decoudu, Director Data Science - Chetwood Financial Services 

• Most enterprises are still figuring out what “agentic AI” means in practice — how to move from controlled pilots to production systems that can act, adapt, and deliver measurable value. 

  In this session, Amit Nandi, Vice President Solutions & Data Architect at Barclays Investment Bank, will break down the real-world challenges and technical shifts required to make that leap: 

  • From MLOps to AgentOps: what changes when models start taking actions, not just making predictions. 
  • Governance in motion: aligning autonomous systems with evolving business objectives, risk, and compliance. 
  • Future-proofing your architecture: balancing innovation with control to stay ahead of fast-moving AI trends. 

    

   
  Amit Nandi- Vice President Solutions & Data Architect-Barclays Investment Bank 

• How to make federated or hybrid data teams work in real life 

• Aligning pods or domains to shared goals and metrics 

• Managing data consistency without re-centralizing everything 

• Avoiding fragmentation across tools, talent, and vision 

Speakers:  

Elena Streltsova, Head of Data Analytics – Asahi Europe & International 

Atul Agarwal, Data Lead - Barclays Investment Bank 

• How to get business teams to act on insight, not just view it 

• Embedding data into real workflows, not PowerPoint 

• The tools and habits that close the "last mile" gap 

• Why relationships—not reports—drive outcomes 

Speakers: 

Subramanian Ramakrishnan, Director - Head of Data and Analytics - SquareTrade 
Vladimir Bendikow, Chief Data Officer – FirstBank UK Unlimited 
James Davies, Chief Analyst Officer- By Rotation 
Patrick Osborne, Head of Customer Insights & Analysis - QVC  

Good insights aren't enough — the real challenge is getting them used. This session focuses on making data operational, not just visible. 
 
 

• Why insights often stall after delivery, and how to design for adoption from the start 

• Embedding data into daily decision-making — integrating it directly into tools, processes and frontline workflows 

• Building stronger collaboration between analysts, business leads and product teams to close the “last mile” gap 

• Choosing the right tools, rhythms and architecture to turn insight into timely, trusted, and actionable outcomes 

Beatrice Russell, MDM Global Implementation Leader - Technology – AON   

Roundtable: Neurodiversity & Data: The Untapped Talent Advantage 
 

Some of the most powerful insights come from minds that work differently. This session explores how to make space for them. 

1. Building teams that embrace cognitive diversity, not just background or skillset 

1. Designing tools and workflows that adapt to different ways of processing information 

1. Making inclusion measurable — beyond recruitment, into retention and growth 

1. Creating cultures where neurodiverse professionals thrive, contribute, and lead 

Speakers: 

Elena Streltsova, Head of Data Analytics – Asahi Europe & International 

Atul Agarwal, Data Lead - Barclays Investment Bank 

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! 

Forget dashboards that no one reads. Today’s CDAO must translate complexity into clarity — framing insights in ways that resonate with CFOs, COOs, and the Board. Learn how to bridge the gap between data science and business strategy and become the storyteller who drives action at the top. 
 

• Craft narratives that align data insights with executive priorities 

• Move from reporting metrics to influencing business decisions 

• Translate technical outputs into compelling business value stories 

Speakers: 

Akhil Lalwani, Chief Data Officer – Allianz UK 

Deepika Adusumilli, Chief Data and AI Officer - BT Group 

Tom Trolez, Director of Global Data & Analytics Solution Deliver - Novartis  

Murtz Daud, Director of Data & AI – British Gas  

• From Technology to Transformation: How the Chief Data Architect role is evolving to shape organisational strategy and outcomes. 
•  Building High-Performance Teams: Turning data engineers and architects into change agents who can deliver at scale. 
• Data Foundations for AI: How to design resilient, secure, and adaptable data architecture to power responsible AI. 
• Governance and Agility: Balancing control and innovation in a public-sector context. 
• Empowering the Organisation: Driving data literacy and cross-functional collaboration across departments. 

Data trust isn’t a given, it’s engineered. This session explores how leading organisations are reshaping their data foundations to deliver transparency, accountability, and measurable business confidence at scale.  

Key takeaways:  

• Modernising data ecosystems to build trust and resilience  

• Turning governance into a business enabler, not a blocker  

• Creating full data lineage and auditability from source to insight  

• Embedding shared accountability across business, data, and compliance  

• Measuring trust: linking data quality, transparency, and confident decision-making  
   

Akhil Lalwani, Chief Data Officer – Allianz UK 

• How to build traceability into data and AI pipelines 

• Practical ways to manage real-time consent and provenance 

• What a functional “trust layer” looks like across tech, process, and teams 

• How to ensure transparency and accountability end-to-end 
   

Speakers: 
Masood Alam, Chief Data Architect – The Scottish Government 

Andy Isaacs, Director of Data & Analytics - UK TV 

If data is the new oil, where’s the balance-sheet line for it? This session looks at how to turn enterprise data into something financial leaders can track, value, and manage like any other strategic asset. 
 

• How to quantify data as an asset — from classification and valuation models to real-world accounting methods 

• Building frameworks that connect risk, quality, and usage to financial value, enabling more informed investment decisions 

• Working with finance leaders to define data ROI in terms they trust — not just dashboards, but economic impact 

• Shifting the CDAO role from enabler to asset manager, with accountability over data’s tangible contribution to the business  

 
JP Bhamu, Director of Data & AI - NHS Business Services Authority 

What You’ll Learn: 

• How governance models are evolving for faster innovation and self-service 

• How to balance agile data access with control and compliance 

• How to design governance for distributed architectures, AI workflows, and high-speed decisions 

Workshop Outline: 

• Modern Governance Today – Moving from gatekeeping to enablement 

• Agility vs Accountability – Avoiding over- or under-governance 

• Governance at Scale – Flexible frameworks that work across teams and geographies 

• Autonomous Governance – Policy-as-code and AI-driven compliance 

 
Speakers: 

JP Bhamu, Director of Data & AI - NHS Business Services Authority 
Calum Conejo-Watt, Head of Data Governance & Quality – Lombard Odier Investment 
Alan Strange, Head of Underwriting & Analytics - Sophro

• • Identifying hidden governance and compliance gaps when teams adopt GenAI tools outside approved channels — and what data leaders often miss 
  • Balancing the need for model customisation with the risks of using unverified datasets, breaching regulatory requirements, or exposing sensitive business information 
  • Creating clear data policies that define acceptable LLM use while enabling innovation and measurable business impact 
  • Educating teams on how LLMs really work — limitations, biases, data quality issues, and their impact on business decision-making 

   

  Speakers: 
  Kaushik Chaubal, Senior Director - BlackRock 

  Calum Conejo-Watt, Head of Data Governance & Quality – Lombard Odier Investment 

  Tom Trolez, Director of Global Data & Analytics Solution Deliver - Novartis 

  Felix Sanchez Garcia, Director of Data & AI - Unmind 

  Igor Stojkovic , Data Science Lead– ING

An informal, interactive session where you can ask your burning questions directly to a GenAI risk and data governance expert. 
Expect practical, on-the-spot answers about managing AI risk, navigating murky IP ownership, and ensuring human oversight in automated systems. Bring your questions: big or small.  

Speakers: 
Premal Desai , Head of Data & AI- The Gym Group

A sharp, audience-driven debate on where data ends — and decision-making begins. 

• Live audience poll to kick things off and see where the room stands — then again at the end to track any mindset shifts.  

• Debate on a big question: Should AI be trusted to act on its own during a cyber threat in FS?  

• Audience gets involved — ask questions, share views, and see how your take compares to the room.  

Speakers: 
Calum Conejo-Watt, Head of Data Governance & Quality – Lombard Odier Investment 

When everything can be automated, the real skill is knowing when not to. This session challenges leaders to make smarter, sharper calls on automation. 
 

• How to identify the business areas where automation delivers real, measurable value 

• Recognising the processes that should stay human-led — and spotting early warning signs 

• Balancing speed and oversight in decisions that affect customers, risk, and reputation 

• Moving from “AI-first” hype to selective, high-impact deployment across the organisation 

Francesco Di Costanzo, Chief Executive Officer- JAJA Finance 

• • Navigating federated vs centralised governance models and knowing when each works best 
  • Aligning cross-functional pods to shared metrics, business outcomes, and data accountability 
  • Avoiding fragmentation in tools, platforms, and decision-making culture across teams 
  • Building lightweight coordination mechanisms that preserve speed without losing cohesion 
  • Structuring roles and ownership so that autonomy doesn’t become chaos 

   

  Speakers: 

  Andy Isaacs, Director of Data & Analytics - UK TV 

  Subramanian Ramakrishnan, Director - Head of Data and Analytics - SquareTrade  

  Rickie Glasgow, Global Head of Data Governance -Northern Trust