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Kinnari Ladha, Chief Data Officer, Merlin Entertainments

Kinnari Ladha

This year marks my 23rd in the data industry, and I genuinely believe I have the best job in the world. My journey from hands-on data practitioner to Chief Data Officer has been filled with passion, growth, and transformation. Starting out, I immersed myself in the fascinating intricacies of data, learning across diverse industries and […]

Kevin Smith, Chief Data Officer, Tokio Marine HCC

Kevin Smith

My career began at ICI Paints as a Junior Programmer and Customer Field Support for a crash repair software package. After seven years, I transitioned to the IT contractor market during the Y2K boom, where I co-developed a software product for the automotive industry. The successful sale of this venture allowed me to take time […]

Kate Sargent, Chief Data Officer, Financial Times

I studied an MSc in Operational Research before a chance job advert for an analyst role at the National Air Traffic Services provided my first introduction to analysis and data science. I moved around through several well-known consumer brands including easyJet, Tesco, Ocado, Sky, and TUI, each time expanding the breadth of my role and […]

Kate Jones, Head of Data Product and Strategy, Coventry Building Society

I joined Royal Mail as graduate and worked in various roles utilising my data and analysis skills across operations, planning and fleet management, while also developing my people management experience. I joined Royal Mail’s first Data Office ahead of the IPO, establishing trusted datasets and centralised reporting. This led on to leadership roles with a […]

Karl O’Hanlon, Chief Data and Analytics Officer, Veolia

I joined Veolia in 2010 as a data analyst, focusing on leveraging data to impact performance and advise decision-making. My career breakthrough came during the London Olympics, where I led the analysis of service disruptions and optimised planning across London.  I progressed to manage the Business Performance team for London, then the UK, before becoming […]

James Morgan, Chief Data Officer, The Crown Estate

I had a superb early induction to leadership as an Officer in the RAF, but my career in data began as an analyst, interrogating data to understand and explain business opportunities and challenges. I led analytics, modelling, AI, BI, insights and reporting teams for Sky, Hutchison 3G, and Telefonica.   While at O2, my focus shifted […]

Indhira Mani, Chief Data Officer, RSA UK & I

Across my career I have committed to putting data at the heart of organisations and helping unlock value. I have led transformations, from shaping 25 signature initiatives for the CDO at Danske Bank to making the data fabric buzzword a reality at Anglo American and delivering strategic data transformation initiatives at Barclays and now driving […]

Helen Blaikie, Chief Data and Analytics Officer, Aston University

I began my career as an accountant with Shell, progressing through senior finance leadership roles across sectors such as oil and gas, retail, and manufacturing. While at Michelin, I transitioned cross-functionally, leading sales teams and taking on commercial, strategy, and business development leadership roles. These experiences gave me a strong foundation in aligning organisational objectives […]

Gary Goldberg, Chief Data Officer, Supply Trading and Shipping, bp

I began my career on a trading desk with Jefferies before moving on to technology and change roles at Credit Suisse, London Clearing House, RBS, and BlueCrest Capital Management before joining bp in 2019.   Having both a trading and a technology background, has been a real plus as I navigate both the business and technology […]

Gareth Powell, Group Data Officer, Partner, Irwin Mitchell

I have 23 years’ experience in data and have held leadership positions in various industries, including retail and financial services, telecommunications, and professional services. During my time at N Brown, I successfully implemented personalisation approaches. At TalkTalk, I spearheaded a data transformation. By implementing churn diagnostics and prediction techniques, I developed effective customer strategies that […]

Di Mayze, Chief Data and AI Officer, Marks & Spencer

I was motivated by the opportunity of digital before data, beginning my career building websites for a glossy magazine company in 1999. I was lucky enough to start my data career at dunnhumby in 2006 which had an incredible culture for learning and intellectual curiosity.   I joined Boots to run their commercial insights team, and […]

David Hayes, Chief Data Officer, The Open University

I started on a graduate scheme with Anglian Water, where I qualified as an accountant and learned about management and leadership, before moving into finance roles in telecoms and into banking with Santander UK. Finance took me into analytics, which opened the door to data roles as controller, manager, and governance leader before being asked […]

David Castro-Gavino, Global Vice President of Data, HelloFresh SE

I have been in the technology and data industry for almost three decades, working across diverse roles and industries. My passion for data began during a placement at CACI, where I contributed to updating the ACORN classification with the 2001 Census data.   My career has spanned roles such as integrating the Wegener DM and DLG […]

Daragh Kelly, Chief Data Officer, The Economist

I started life as an economist working for the Irish government before joining the strategy function at Freeserve. It was in the data-rich environment that was Freeserve that I dived into the world of consumer data and learned my trade as an analytics and decisioning professional.   I moved back in-house to join Sky where I […]

Daniel Bos, Senior Director of Data and Analytics, Just Eat Takeaway.com

My career journey began in startups, evolved through scaling up to full-fledged corporate structures, and provided me with extensive experience in leveraging data-driven decision-making. This path led me to Coolblue, one of Europe’s leading online retailers and Just Eat Takeaway.com, one of the largest convenience delivery companies.   I serve as the Senior Director of Data, […]

Craig Suckling, Government Chief Data Officer, UK Government

I have spent 25 years in data and AI working as a CDO in the private and public sector, building and scaling startups and hyperscalers, as a management consultant and an advisory board member.   I fell in love with technology at university while studying computer science, having previously been a graphic designer. When I learned […]

Craig Day, Investment Bank Chief Data Officer, Barclays Bank

I joined Barclays 12 years ago and have worked in the Chief Data Office for the last seven, initially as the Corporate Chief Data Officer, and now for the Investment Bank. I have over 25 years’ experience in technology and data business transformation within the investment banking financial services environment.   I started my career journey […]

Chris Gullick, Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer, Ofgem – Cardiff

I began and spent the first 20 years of my career in the Big 4 consulting firms, moving from technology risk and governance into data governance and eventually data solutions and advanced analytics.   From consulting I moved into data leadership roles in startups and global organisations. I have always taken roles to change the way […]

Cengiz Ucbenli, Chief Data Analytics Officer, Centrica

I began my career as a data scientist after earning my PhD from an Ivy League institution, ultimately rising to the pinnacle role of Chief Data and Analytics Officer in the energy sector. Along the way, I gained invaluable experience in the financial services, telecommunications, and energy industries, where I built geographically distributed, high-performing data […]