Marion Shaw, head of data and analytics, Chaucer Group

Describe your career to date 

I spent the first 27 years of my career working in the localisation industry which is the translation of software, documentation, and related material into foreign languages. As part of this, I have been a software engineer/tester, a project manager, an account manager, a public sector tender writer, process improver, and a data expert.

When you are managing software translation into 72 languages on a tight deadline and the software is still in development you get really good at multi-tasking, time management and people management. By far the most engaging, complicated, and worthwhile roles that I have worked in, have been in data.

My experience in multiple roles on complex projects has provided the experience and foundation which has underpinned my data career. I have the advantage of multiple viewpoints across a global company which has provided me with a unique insight into how data integrates cross-division, cross-border, and cross-industry. This has provided me with excellent logic and problem-solving skills which are invaluable.

I joined Chaucer, a specialty reinsurance group, in 2022 as a data leader. Since joining, I have had the pleasure of working with all parts of the business, listening to, supporting, and learning from them. I am a huge advocate of data first thinking, particularly in the current climate where data is everywhere.

People are sharing data all the time, sometimes unknowingly and everyone should understand what data they have, share and give-away. We all need to be data savvy. I believe every single person in the organisation has a role to play in entering, managing, and using data. My team works with the business to support them and enable them to find, use and analyse data to support them to make better decisions.