Leaders of Analytics

In this episode, I’m joined by the remarkably versatile Akshay Swaminathan, a polyglot who speaks 11 languages and has carved a unique path from medicine to data science. Currently an MD-PhD candidate at Stanford, Akshay's work has taken him from building clinics in Bolivia to pushing the boundaries of healthcare through data science. Akshay's journey is not just about his professional achievements but also his personal commitment to continuous learning and making a global impact. His transition from medicine to data science was driven by his desire to leverage technology for social good, particularly in healthcare. We also explore Akshay's book "Winning with Data Science" aimed at business professionals seeking to integrate data science into their operations. In short, Akshay might just be the most interesting person you’ll come across this year. Previous episode: Ultralearning: How to Master Hard Skills and Accelerate Your Career with Scott Young Akshay's website: https://www.akshayswaminathan.com/ Akshay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akshay-swaminathan-68286b51/

My guest in this episode is Coert du Plessis, an impressive data and analytics executive, entrepreneur and general lover of life. Coert shares his wealth of knowledge and experience gained through a career and life full of interesting twists and turns. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk about: Coert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coertdup/ My new book, 'Data-Centric Machine Learning with Python': https://www.packtpub.com/product/data-centric-machine-learning-with-python/9781804618127

My guest on this episode is Nikolaj van Omme, CEO and co-founder of Funartech. Funartech is a Canadian company specializing in AI-driven solutions to complex industrial optimisation problems. The company’s secret sauce is combining the two disciplines of Operations Research and Machine Learning. Operations Research is about making the best decisions and solving problems in a structured way, using maths to optimize outcomes. Machine learning on the other hand, is really good at spotting patterns and making predictions from lots and lots of data. The cool part happens when we bring these two together. ML is the detective finding clues in a sea of information, and OR is the strategist, using those clues to make the best moves. By working together, they can tackle challenges neither could face on their own. Find Nikolaj on LinkedIn or via Funartech's website. Previous episode discussed in this interview: Using Data to Build a Better World with Dr Alex Antic

Sandy Iyer has been General Manager of Data Science at Sportsbet since the beginning of 2023, leading a dynamic team that leverages data in innovative ways. But what does it take to lead in such a data-driven environment? How does one balance the promotion of betting products with social responsibility? And how does data shape the strategy of a betting giant like Sportsbet? These are just a few of the questions we'll explore today. I’ve watched Sandy's career trajectory skyrocket in the last few years, and It's been nothing short of inspiring. In this conversation we explore the key elements behind her impressive progression, including the leadership lessons has she gleaned from her time in the trenches of data science. And more importantly, Sandy explains how can you apply these insights to your own career. From discussing unique data science use cases that have propelled Sportsbet's success, to exploring emerging trends that will shape the future of the betting industry, Sandy offers a wealth of insights. She also shares personal stories of challenges faced and overcome, revealing the qualities essential for any budding data scientist aspiring to become a senior analytics leader.

In this digital age, data is the lifeblood of business. Just as computer literacy became a non-negotiable skill in the 21st century, data literacy is now an essential competency in our increasingly data-driven world. Yet, despite its critical importance, it's an area where many individuals and businesses stumble. Understanding, interpreting, and effectively using data can be challenging, even daunting. The lack of data literacy skills can lead to misinterpretation, misuse, and missed opportunities for businesses and individuals. Many struggle to find a structured approach to elevate their data literacy skills, often feeling lost in the vast sea of numbers and metrics. My guest in this episode, Angelika Klidas, wants to change that. Angelika is a data literacy expert and author of the book Data Literacy in Practice. In this conversation, she shares her invaluable insights and practical tips on mastering data literacy. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned data professional, Angelika's expertise will empower you to upskill yourself, your team, and your organisation, one data project at a time. Angelika on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelikaklidas/ More about Data Escape Rooms here.

Many large organisations have the data to pull off sophisticated marketing strategies, but only if they avoid the common pitfalls that limit the potential. In this episode I interview Tejas Manohar on the huge – and typically unexploited – potential for data-driven marketing and personalisation. Tejas is co-founder and co-CEO of Hightouch. Hightouch is a reverse ETL platform that helps organisations synch their data warehouses with business facing tools and technology. Their products are used by big name corporations like Warner Music, Chime, Spotify, NBA, and PetSmart. In this wide-ranging conversation Tejas and I discuss: Tejas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tejasmanohar/ Tejas on Twitter (or is it X?): https://twitter.com/tejasmanohar

Every day, like invisible breadcrumbs, we leave trails of personal data scattered across the digital landscape. Each click, every search, every purchase - they all tell a story about us. But do we know where these breadcrumbs lead? Who's picking them up? And most importantly, what are they doing with them? In an era where data is documenting our lives across a host of platforms, understanding these trails and their implications is no longer a luxury but rather, a necessity. It's about our privacy, our rights, and our well-being in an increasingly interconnected world. In this episode of Leaders of Analytics John Thompson and I dive into his newly released book that should be on everyone's reading list - "Data for All". During our discussion, we'll delve into the eye-opening insights Thompson shares in his book, such as understanding the scope and consequences of companies manipulating and exploiting your data. We also explore the step-by-step guide he provides on how to navigate this changing landscape.

We’re definitely in AI hype mode at the moment largely driven by the evolution in generative AI. However, it seems like this progress is not necessarily driving lots of data-related innovation inside organisations that are not AI-first tech companies. A recent survey published by Randy Bean’s company, NewVantage Partners, confirms this. Here are the main findings compared to when the survey was last run 4 years ago: These numbers spell regression, not progress. Why is it so hard to become a truly data-driven organisation? In this episode, Randy and I explore the challenges facing Chief Data & Analytics Officers and their teams, including: Randy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randybeannvp/ Randy's website and book, 'Fail Fast, Learn Faster': https://www.randybeandata.com/book

In a world where data is the new oil, being able to understand, analyse and interpret it is a vital skill. As the saying goes, "knowledge is power," and in this case, data literacy is the key to unlocking that power. I argue that data literacy is as important to individual and organisational success as computer literacy, but unfortunately that is not a consensus view. For many organisations and their leaders, low data literacy is hampering their ability to make effective, data-driven decisions. What is the key to creating a data literate organisation and unlocking the true potential of your data? Who better to guide us through the many aspects of this question than data literacy expert Kevin Hanegan. Kevin is the Chief Learning Officer at Qlik and a renowned author of the books “Data Literacy in Practice” and “Turning Data into Wisdom”. In this episode of Leaders of Analytics, Kevin will be sharing invaluable insights and expertise from his books and his work at Qlik. Listen in as we explore: Kevin's website: https://www.kevinhanegan.com/ Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn. Learn more about the Data Literacy Project.

This episode of Leaders of Analytics features Dhiraj Rajaram, the Founder of global decision sciences company Mu Sigma. Mu Sigma serves more than 140 of the Fortune 500 and the company’s mission is to simplify complex problems through the science of decisions. Dhiraj shares his views on problem-solving in business, and how Mu Sigma's three core beliefs have been instrumental in the company's success. At Mu Sigma, they believe in "Learning over Knowing", "Extreme Experimentation", and "The New IP". Their data-driven decision-making approach has helped solve some of the toughest business challenges and has set them apart from the competition. As an entrepreneur or business leader, you'll gain valuable insights into using data to solve complex issues, as well as an insider's perspective on Dhiraj's entrepreneurial journey. In this episode we discuss: Mu Sigma's website Connect with Dhiraj on Linkedin.

In this episode of Leaders of Analytics, I am joined by Ada Guan who is one of the most innovative minds in the field of credit decisioning. Ada is CEO and co-founder of Rich Data Co, a company that helps lenders make informed and accurate credit decisions by leveraging AI and machine learning. Listen in as Ada sheds light on the role that AI and machine learning can play in transforming the lending industry and what the future may hold for credit decisioning. In this episode, we'll discuss: Learn more about Rich Data Co here: https://www.richdataco.com/ Connect with Ada Guan on LinkedIn.

Data is revolutionising our world, yet many companies fail to harness its value. What needs to be done for CEOs to see the value of having analytics as part of the executive inner circle? Unfortunately, many analytics teams struggle to move past the common challenges of fostering analytics literacy, getting executive buy-in for more investment in data and analytics and showcasing the value delivered into the business. How can analytics leaders make their discipline an indispensable superpower in their organisation? In this episode of Leaders of Analytics, long-time analytics C-suite executive Murli Buluswar gives us the formula for success. Murli is Head of Analytics, US Consumer Bank at Citi, and leads a team of almost 600 analytics professionals. He reports directly to the CEO and his team is responsible for supplying the rest of the organisation with insights and data-driven solutions that lead to better customer experience and engagement. In this episode of Leaders of Analytics, Murli explains: Murli Buluswar on LinkedIn Previous episode: Why Sport is Leading the Analytics Revolution with Ari Kaplan

“Being an entrepreneur is basically like going from one crisis to the next”. Those are the words of Michael Kingston, co-founder and CEO of Seeda. At a point in his career when Michael was thriving, he took the daunting plunge from successful executive to entrepreneur and start-up founder. Most people would be too scared to take such an enormous risk; however, this step has been Michael's key toward work-life satisfaction. Three years later, Michael and his co-founders have built Seeda, an AI-assisted marketing analytics product, purpose-built for Shopify-based eCommerce platforms. Seeda helps marketers make sense of the enormous amount of data coming at them from numerous sources and use it to optimise their marketing activities. Whether it’s SEO, email marketing or digital advertising, marketers are often stuck with a heavy burden of technical9 implementation and optimisation. Seeda’s product is the “AI analyst” that helps the world’s 5 million Shopify stores figure it all out, without needing to be a technology or analytics expert. If you’re curious about start-up life or are thinking about starting your own business, then this episode is for you! In this episode we discuss: Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-kingston-35707217/ Check out Seeda: https://www.seeda.io/

Digital transformation is rapidly changing the way we live and work, and governments should be leading the way forward, according to Victor Dominello MP. As the Minister for Digital and Minister for Customer Service in the State Government of New South Wales in Australia, Victor believes government should be playing a central role in fostering a digitally-enabled economy across government, private enterprise and individual consumers. Victor is a true servant leader and an inspirational figure in Australian politics, having served almost 15 years in the State Parliament of New South Wales, and 12 of those as a Minister. He has spent this time turning his vision for data and digital enablement into reality across a large number of ministries and government agencies. In this episode we discuss: Victor Dominello on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victordominello/

As the digital landscape evolves, privacy concerns and regulations are becoming increasingly important for advertisers. With the decline of third-party cookies and the rise of individual data usage consent, measuring advertising attention is more crucial than ever. One of the biggest challenges for advertisers in a cookie-less world is being able to accurately measure the effectiveness of their campaigns. Without cookies, it's harder to track user behaviour and understand how their ads are performing. However, measuring advertising attention through alternative methods such as viewability, brand lift studies, and surveys can be helpful, but they provide vague and delayed signals about advertising effectiveness. How can advertisers measure the attention and effectiveness of their advertising in real-time? To answer this question, I recently spoke to John Hawkins, Chief Scientist at Playground XYZ. Playground XYZ provides a machine learning-based platform for measuring and maximising attention on digital ads. The company’s Attention Intelligence Platform is a unique technology that uses over 40 different signals to track user attention as it happens. In this episode of Leaders of Analytics, we discuss: John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hawkinsjohnc/ John's book, Getting Data Science Done.

Inflation is rising, interest rates are up across the globe and cash is king again. How will this impact the flow of venture investments in start-ups and emerging technologies? While traditional investments may suffer during a recession, the venture capital industry has historically been able to weather the storm and even thrive. One reason for this is that venture capital firms typically invest in early-stage companies that are not yet generating significant revenue. In fact, some of the most successful companies in recent history, such as Uber, Airbnb and Snapchat, were founded during economic downturns. The downturns created opportunities for entrepreneurs to innovate and create new solutions to problems caused by the economic conditions. Mendoza Ventures is one such investor, but with a unique approach. Mendoza’s investment strategy is focused on the verticals of AI, fintech and cybersecurity and 80% of their investments go to founders from diverse and minority groups. I recently caught up with Scott Heyes, CFO at Mendoza Ventures to understand how a venture capital firm works in practice and how he and his colleagues think about investing in the current economic climate and beyond. In this episode of Leaders of Analytics, we discuss: Scott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottheyes/ Mendoza Ventures: https://mendoza-ventures.com Learn more about Annual Recurring Revenue in this episode.

30 years of “corporate social responsibility” has left our planet in dire straits. Biodiversity loss, climate change, water pollution, micro-plastic pollution, air pollution, species collapse, ecosystem collapse…the list goes on. What can we all do individually and collectively as business leaders and responsible humans to turn the situation around? According to Simon Schillebeeckx from Handprint.tech it is possible to create incremental financial value while regenerating the ecosystems we rely on. Simon and his colleagues at Handprint have written a manifesto for saving the planet, called Regeneration First, that tells us exactly how this can be done. In this episode of Leaders of Analytics, we discuss: Links: Simon on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonschillebeeckx/ Some promising carbon removal solutions discussed on the A16Z podcast. The Road to 100 Percent Renewables in Australia via Energy Insiders.

How does a traditional bricks-and-mortar retailer transform itself into an omni-channel business with strong digital and data science capabilities? In this episode of Leaders of Analytics we learn from Bunnings General Manager, Data and Analytics, Genevieve Elliott, how the company is transforming its operations using data and analytics. As Australia and New Zealand’s largest retailer of home improvement products, Bunnings is a highly complex organisation with a large physical footprint, a wide product range and an elaborate supply chain. Bunnings is almost 130 years old and has undergone tremendous growth over the last three decades. The company’s well-known strategy of “lowest price, widest range and best customer experience” is increasingly being driven by the company’s growing data and analytics capability. In this episode we discuss: Genevieve Elliott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/genevieve-elliott/

Is your company good at customer success and retention? Chances are that you could be better. For most businesses with a recurring revenue model, customer churn is a very costly affair. Whenever a customer leaves, you lose out on recurring revenue, forgo the opportunity of expansion (cross sell) revenue and have to pay for another round of acquisition costs to cover the loss. In my personal experience, customer retention is both art and science. Machine learning and other data science techniques can be used to identify customers who are likely to churn, but it is equally important to craft meaningful and delightful interactions throughout the customer lifecycle. So, what’s required to become a lean, mean retention machine? In this episode of Leaders of Analytics, I speak to Sami Kaipa to learn the best practices of data-driven customer retention. Sami is an experienced technology executive, serial entrepreneur and start-up advisor. He is co-founder of Tingono, an AI-driven customer retention platform. Listen to this episode as we discuss: Connect with Sami on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samkaipa/ Tingono's blog: https://www.tingono.com/blog

Do you really need a data-driven culture? Maybe not. According to Bill Schmarzo, the CEO’s mandate is to become value-driven, not data-driven. For analytics teams that means one thing: no one cares about your data, they want results! In this episode of Leaders of Analytics, Bill and I explore the economics of data & analytics and how to drive powerful decisions with data. Decisions that turn into business value. Bill is the author of four text books and one comic book on generating value with analytics. He is a long-serving business executive, adjunct professor, university educator and global influencer in the sphere of big data, digital transformation and data & analytics leadership. In this episode of Leaders of Analytics, we discuss: Bill's website: https://deanofbigdata.com/ Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmarzo/ Bill on Twitter: https://twitter.com/schmarzo