Helen Blaikie is Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Aston University, where she leads the institution’s data and analytics agenda.
She began her career in finance as an accountant at Shell and progressing through senior finance leadership roles across energy, retail, and manufacturing. Driven by a curiosity to understand what sits behind performance, Helen moved beyond traditional finance into commercial, strategy and business leadership roles, including leading sales teams and business development at Michelin. These roles gave her first-hand experience of how decisions are made, how incentives shape outcomes and why insight only matters if it changes behaviour.
For more than 15 years, data has been a central part of Helen’s leadership remit, long before data roles were formally established. She made a deliberate decision to step away from established finance directorship pathways to focus fully on Chief Data and Analytics Officer roles, bringing together commercial acumen, strategic thinking, and cultural change.
At Aston University, Helen built the data and analytics function from the ground up, aligning it closely to the University’s long-term strategy. Her approach positions data leadership as a business leadership discipline rather than a technical one, focused on value creation, trust and sustained impact, with technology acting as an enabler.
Helen is known for her ability to communicate the value of data to diverse stakeholders, secure executive sponsorship and drive cultural change. Her career reflects a consistent focus on aligning strategy with execution and using data to influence decisions that matter.
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 important trait for effective data and AI leadership is a deep understanding of business context. Without it, even the most technically impressive solutions struggle to deliver value. Data leaders must be relentlessly curious, asking the right questions, understanding the real problem, and being clear about what success looks like.
“Influence is equally critical. Data and AI leaders spend much of their time working through others, often without direct authority. The ability to communicate clearly, tell compelling stories with data, and articulate “what’s in it for them” has been far more influential in my organisation than any specific technical capability.
“Pragmatism matters. Knowing when to move fast, when to pause, and when to say no is essential, particularly as AI increases pressure to experiment. Strong judgement, grounded in ethics and risk awareness, is becoming a defining leadership skill.
“At Aston, these traits have enabled us to focus on value, build trust, and bring people with us on the journey. They’ve helped position data not as a specialist function, but as a shared organisational capability.”
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?
“Don’t lead with your expertise, lead with your curiosity.
“Early in my career, I assumed credibility came from having the answers. In reality, the moments that built trust and influence were those where I asked better questions: Why does this matter? What decision are we trying to make? What would change if we knew this sooner?
“Aspiring data and AI leaders often feel pressure to demonstrate technical depth. While that matters, what distinguishes great leaders is their ability to create clarity, align people, and navigate ambiguity. Spend time understanding how decisions are really made and how to communicate in a way that resonates beyond the data function.
“If you can consistently connect data to outcomes people care about, you’ll earn a seat at the table and keep it.”