Amy Lenander is Chief Data Officer at Capital One, where she leads the company’s enterprise data platforms, products, and data management strategy that serves more than 100 million customers. Over a 20-plus-year career at Capital One, she has held a series of senior business leadership roles in a bank founded on the belief that data and analytics should power core decisions.
Her experience spans leading the Loyalty and Rewards program, strengthening customer advocacy and digital engagement; serving as Head of International and CEO of Capital One UK; and heading the Navigator Platform, designed to simplify the car-buying experience. She has also led marketing, underwriting, and product development across credit card and lending businesses, giving her a deep understanding of how data drives growth, risk management, and customer experience.
Transitioning into a product and technology-focused role as CDO, Amy has worked to modernize and centralize Capital One’s enterprise data ecosystem. She has driven convergence onto shared data platforms to strengthen governance through automation and enable AI at scale, while advancing high-quality data products that allow teams across the company to access trusted, actionable information.
Recognized as the Number One leader in the 2025 DataIQ 100 North America, Amy is known for embedding data into Capital One’s operational DNA. She believes that preparing data to fuel AI and deliver measurable business outcomes is not a one-time initiative, but an evolving discipline requiring sustained stewardship, cultural commitment, and strong infrastructure to turn insight into action.
As a data and AI leader, which traits and skills do you think matter most, and which of those have been most influential for you in your current position?
“Of course, it’s critical to understand data and AI, data technology, how data is used, and the business and customer needs. However, I believe the skill that matters most to drive a data transformation across a company is influence.
“It’s critical to be able to identify and influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization and tell a compelling story about why change is needed. I believe influence is the most under-appreciated skill required to be a successful data leader today.”
Reflecting on your career, what is one non-traditional piece of advice (outside of technical skills) you would give to an aspiring data or AI leader aiming for the C-suite?
“Do a rotation that’s not a pure data role. Go and work in a team that uses data (ideally a business team with P&L accountability). Empathy and understanding of business needs is so important for data leaders, especially those data leaders in horizontal teams, and the best way to build that empathy is to put yourself in their shoes.”