David Keens is Vice President of Solutions for EMEA at Acxiom, with a career shaped at the intersection of data, technology, business outcomes and human impact. He began in technically rigorous roles, including research and engineering in healthcare informatics and systems analysis within financial services. These early experiences grounded him in the discipline required to design reliable, scalable, data-centric solutions for complex organisations.
Over time, David’s focus has shifted towards senior leadership roles that bridge deep technical capability with strategic and organisational responsibility. At Acxiom, he has held a number of senior positions across product and solutions leadership in EMEA, working extensively with consumer data, identity, marketing and advertising platforms in highly regulated environments. A defining chapter of his career was leading the evolution of Acxiom’s consumer insight products, integrating Privacy Enhancing Technologies to demonstrate that effective, relevant advertising can coexist with strong protections for individual privacy.
Alongside his commercial responsibilities, David has been a co-chair of Acxiom’s LGBTQ+ business resource group in recent years. This role has reinforced his belief that people remain an organisation’s most valuable asset, and that inclusive, supportive environments are essential for individuals and teams to thrive.
David’s perspective is grounded in the belief that data, technology, and AI amplify human capability, but that trust, creativity and shared purpose are what ultimately turn those capabilities into meaningful and 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?
“The most effective data and AI leaders combine technical literacy with strong judgement and communication skills. The ability to simplify complexity and to explain not just what systems do, but why particular choices are being made is critical. I believe this is especially true as AI capabilities become more pervasive in business decision-making.
“Equally important is the ability to navigate ambiguity. Many leadership decisions in this space involve imperfect information and competing priorities, particularly around privacy, regulation, and risk. Leaders must be comfortable making trade-offs explicit, balancing data, and human intuition.
“Within my organisation, collaboration and pragmatism have been especially influential. Progress has come from listening carefully to diverse perspectives, adapting solutions to real operational constraints, and prioritising trust and adoption over perfect solutions. This applies both to client delivery and to how organisations use data and AI internally.
“Finally, integrity matters. As AI systems increasingly shape experiences and outcomes, data and AI leaders must be credible stewards of the consumer data that’s created by every interaction we have with a business.”
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?
“My advice is to be comfortable with ‘good enough’ and know when ‘good enough’ is the right option. In complex environments, waiting for perfect data or perfect AI models often delays progress.
“Leaders who can make sound judgments in the face of uncertainty, and then learn quickly from outcomes, build credibility and momentum. And don’t forget that even if the data and technology were perfect, many great initiatives fail because the organisation’s culture, attitude to change, and risk tolerance prevent action.”