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Loretta Franks

Loretta Franks, Chief Data & Analytics Officer, Kellanova

Describe your career to date

 

I studied Economics, Physics, and Maths as a student, so I am a proud female in STEM. After studying Economics at university, I started my career at Kellogg Company as a Finance Analyst, getting fantastic experience through several different roles, while also qualifying as a Chartered Accountant. After a number of years staying within the Finance function, I entered into Project and Programme management, gaining breadth in experience across process and system transformations, organisational redesigns, as well as an exciting opportunity as the Finance Cutover Lead for Kellogg Europe for the acquisition of the Pringles brand in 2012. In 2015, I was excited to become a mother for the first time and I took time away from my career to focus on my family. I returned to a coveted opportunity to transition into my first global role as the Global Process Owner for Finance and Accounting, leading an incredible team of over 100 finance professionals across the world, providing services to all our regions. It was in that role that I got experience in managing large outsourcing partner contracts, leading diverse teams, driving global standardisation and optimisation, and delivering critical service and value for our organisation. Following my time in our Global Business Services function, the opportunity arose to lead our largest programme in the Data and Analytics (D&A) space implementing leading cloud technology and driving a transformation across our business, in partnership with our network of D&A Champions delivering improvements across people, technology, process, and data. This led to the role I am in today, entering my third year as Global Chief Data and Analytics Officer for Kellanova, following the completion in 2023 of the separation of our North American cereal business, WK Kellogg Co, resulting in two independent, public companies, each better positioned to unlock full standalone potential. I am privileged and humbled to lead a team of industry-leading talent, that are passionate about data and analytics and are change enablers for our organisation. I learn from my team every day and am inspired by the diverse skills and experiences that they bring. I am incredibly proud of my career to date. I am enjoying my learning journey both professionally and personally, and look forward to continuing to develop, grow, and lead this remarkable team to drive value for our company. 

How are you developing the data literacy of your organisation, including the skills of your data teams and of your business stakeholders? 

 

We are focused as an organisation on advancing our data literacy and embedding a data culture at Kellanova. We have several initiatives ongoing across our regions and functions to educate, excite, and empower our people to use, trust, and explore data. Our Data and Analytics talent play a critical role in this journey by developing engaging content, training, and translation that is then applied to business processes to enable faster decision making and unlock new insights. We have seen a huge increase in the end-to-end prioritisation of data throughout our business priorities, particularly around the role our people play. Data truly is a key enabler for our continued growth as a Global Snacking Powerhouse. 

Have you set out a vision for data? If so, what is it aiming for and does it embrace the whole organisation or just the data function?       

 

Data is a critical enabler to achieving our Differentiate, Drive, and Deliver Kellanova Strategy. Within my team, in partnership with the regions and functions, we have developed clear enterprise priorities and plans, focused on driving scalable speed to market of trusted data products to drive value for our business. We are focused on driving reusability, innovation, and scale underpinned by trusted, sustainable and ethical data foundations. Our mission is simple. Better Data, Bigger Possibilities. 

Loretta Franks
Loretta Franks
has been included in:
  • 100 Brands 2023 (EMEA)
  • 100 Brands 2024 (EMEA)

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