This is a profile from the 2022 version of the DataIQ 100.
The latest list is available here.
Robert Kent, chief data officer, Pets at Home
What has been your path to power?
I was a lifelong technologist which subsequently found me in business-facing technology roles for a large part of my 30-year career. I then hit a fork in the road and in 2010 I led data and analytics as a business function. I spent many fruitful years at the Royal Mail, eight years of which as their inaugural chief data officer leading the company’s group business intelligence and data science function created from a blank sheet of paper and growing to over 120 people of exciting data and analytical professionals. For the last two years, I have been part of the executive team at Pets at Home to set out and establish the bold strategy of harnessing the power of data and analytics that will continue to grow the UK’s premier pet care business.
What impact has the pandemic had on the role of data in your company/organisation?
Having recruited and established a great team just before lockdown 1.0, the pandemic threw the team unexpectedly into the spotlight as we scrambled to understand the impacts to our customers, colleagues and the broader business as we were seen as an essential retailer. Insights and data science became a staple to support the business at a critical time and I can’t imagine a better baptism of fire! This is has now matured further over the last 12 months to allows us to focus on strategic change and using D&A to influence strategic decisions.
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