I began my career as an accountant with Shell, progressing through senior finance leadership roles across sectors such as oil and gas, retail, and manufacturing. While at Michelin, I transitioned cross-functionally, leading sales teams and taking on commercial, strategy, and business development leadership roles. These experiences gave me a strong foundation in aligning organisational objectives with operational execution and cultivating cross-functional collaboration.
For the past 15 years, leading data teams has become an integral part of my career, even before formal data roles existed. Over time, I shifted my focus entirely to data leadership, relinquishing the comfort of finance directorships to pursue Chief Data and Analytics Officer roles. This transition has been challenging and rewarding, bringing together the skills I have developed into one role.
For me, being a CDAO is not a technical role but a business role, fully aligned with strategic objectives. It requires a deep understanding of the business and the ability to clearly communicate the value of data to diverse stakeholders. The influencing and communication skills honed throughout my career have been essential in driving cultural change, securing sponsorship, and demonstrating the transformative power of data.