Dave Monks is Global Vice President of Data and AI at Brambles Ltd, with more than 25 years’ experience in data and analytics across major global organisations in FMCG, beverages, manufacturing and supply chain–led businesses. Over the past 14 years, he has led large-scale global data and AI transformations at Brambles, Reckitt, Diageo and Yildiz Holding (pladis), building federated operating models and multi-regional teams that deliver measurable business value.
Dave’s leadership style has been shaped by his neurodiversity, giving him a distinctive perspective, strong focus and a practical approach to problem solving. He is a vocal advocate for neurodiversity in the workplace, believing that diverse teams consistently deliver stronger outcomes, higher engagement and better performance.
In recent years, Dave has seen a significant shift in the role of data and AI across organisations. Rather than being confined to technical specialists, AI is now widely expected to improve performance, productivity and decision-making across both senior leadership and frontline teams. This change has increased expectations and scrutiny, requiring deeper stakeholder engagement, robust governance and effective change leadership.
In his current role, Dave operates at enterprise scale across all Brambles geographies, leading global transformation programmes alongside software engineering, user experience and governance functions. He is known as a pragmatic, delivery-focused leader with a clear emphasis on value creation and on building adaptable teams capable of moving from experimentation to scalable, sustainable impact.
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?
Effective data and AI leadership today requires a combination of commercial focus, adaptability, and strong judgement. One of the most important traits is the ability to stay across rapidly evolving technologies and trends, and clearly separate genuine value from marketing hype. With the sheer volume of vendors, tools, and opinions in the market, leaders must act as a trusted filter for the organisation.
Another critical skill is leading highly diverse, global teams and retaining the right talent and capabilities. While the pace of hiring has slowed, the competition for experienced professionals remains strong. Leaders must create inclusive environments, adapt their leadership style across cultures, and focus on developing and keeping high-performing teams.
Equally, the role has shifted from being a back-office capability to a front-office partner. Data and AI teams are now expected to operate with greater transparency, engage directly with senior stakeholders, and clearly demonstrate impact.
At Brambles, the most influential traits are creating real value through delivery while balancing governance and risk. Strong controls around ethics, data quality, and compliance provide the foundation to scale AI responsibly and enable faster, more confident execution.
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?
“One piece of non-traditional advice I was fortunate to receive early in my career was to truly understand your partners, what drives them, and the challenges they face day to day. Building empathy is critical. I’ve always made a point of spending time across operations, finance, technology, and frontline teams, and where possible, doing the work myself. This creates stronger collaboration, better solutions, and greater trust.
“The second part of that advice was not to only focus on the high-profile or exciting projects. Real impact often comes from improving the less glamorous but essential parts of the business. Taking on these challenges builds credibility, deepens operational understanding, and shows you are there to deliver outcomes, not just chase the latest trends.”
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