It’s that time of year again. On this episode of The Data Chief, Cindi dives into three of the hottest book recommendations for data and analytics leaders and sits down with Dr. Barb Wixom, author of Data is Everybody’s Business, Vin Vashishta, author of From Data to Profit, and Asha Saxena, author of The AI Factor.Key Moments:Introducing Dr. Barb Wixom (2:10)Barb’s desire to continue helping people in the data industry (2:57) (Barb)The different types of organizational leaders (8:21) (Barb)Creating value from data (10:50) (Barb)The selling framework (16:42) (Barb)A financial services case study (21:56) (Barb)Introducing Vin Vashishta (27:18) (Vin)The importance of companies having a single playbook (28:08) (Vin)Benefits of a value-based approach (32:52) (Vin)Starting with a problem statement (34:58) (Vin)When a lack of data literacy becomes problematic (38:46) (Vin)Driving culture change (40:30) (Vin)Introducing Asha Saxena (46:12)What is Women Leaders in Data and AI? (48:27) (Asha)The four-quadrant framework for deploying AI (52:11) (Asha)Case Study: How an Animal Shelter leveraged AI (55:44) (Asha)How to use AI ethically and responsibly (59:32) (Asha)Mentions:From Data to ProfitData is Everybody’s Business: The Fundamentals of Data MonetizationThe AI Factor: How to Apply Artificial Intelligence and Use Big Data to Grow Your Business ExponentiallyRita McGrath, Professor at Columbia UniversitySatya NadalGoogle PaLMOpenAIJack RockartCapital OneBill Schmarzo (former guest on The Data Chief)LyftBBVAGet even more insights from data and analytics leaders like these on The Data Chief. Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org.

Not many CDOs get to enter a new role with a clean slate. But Geraldine Wong, CDO for GXS Bank in Singapore did just that. In this episode of The Data Chief, she explains how the bank has built a foundation of data literacy by providing employees the right tools, access, and knowledge to put data at the forefront of their workflow. This culture of education and understanding establishes trust, empowers departments to “self-serve” data for better productivity, and ultimately leads to stronger understanding of data for customers and employees alike.Tune in to learn:Starting from a “clean slate” as a CDO (1:32)GXS’s role and purpose as a new bank (3:49)Data security and consumer privacy (9:47)The GXS Bank data strategy (14:46)Using generative AI to improve data fluency (20:27)Advantages and disadvantages of being fully in the cloud (26:48)How higher education can better prepare workers for digital transformation (29:32)Why Singapore is a global leader in data literacy (37:24)Mentions:Data Protection TrustmarkSyntelGrabPersonal Data Protection CommissionIMDA Certification BodyGoogle PaLM 2Get even more insights from data and analytics leaders like Geraldine on The Data Chief.  Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org.

In this episode of The Data Chief, hosts Cindi Howson and Sonny Rivera interview Sumathi Thiyagarajan, the VP of Business Strategy and Analytics for the Milwaukee Bucks and Fiserv Forum. Sumathi discusses being a data leader in professional sports, building a data team from the ground up, and leveraging insights to continually provide the best fan experience. Tune in to learn:Making the transition to a professional sports team (2:42)The evolution of Sumathi’s role and team (4:58)The growing importance of data across the NBA (10:02)Unique challenges Sumathi faces in her role with the Bucks (12:01)Creating personalized fan experiences (14:38)Using data to increase the team’s visibility in the marketplace (18:12)Finding (and keeping) strong data team talent (22:31)Building a talent pool through a successful hackathon (26:20)Coaching and developing a diverse data team (29:07)Addressing the challenges of fragmented data (33:50)Driving innovation for the Bucks (and across the NBA) (37:35)Mentions:FiservMarquette UniversityRandy BeanGiannis AntetokounmpoMedical College of WisconsinDeer DistrictHBR podcastsRakutenGet even more insights from data and analytics leaders like Sumathi on The Data Chief.  Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org.

Alex Viana, VP of Data at Vercel, has had a truly unique career. Starting with a role at the Hubble Space Telescope, Alex found his way into the data space by way of data security and searching for leaked data assets. Today, he leads the data organization at Vercel, where he views building – teams, technology processes, and metrics – as his primary responsibility. In this episode Alex shares his thoughts on leading data teams at different (but fast-growing) tech companies, the importance of building scalable data platforms, delivering value through stakeholder engagement, and balancing long-term vision with short-term action as a key to success.Tune in to learn:The origins of Alex’s data journey with the Hubble Space Telescope (4:29)Alex’s unique approach to data leadership (6:12)About Vercel (8:25)Transitioning from growth-stage to more mature companies (10:38)The biggest challenges Alex faces at Vercel (14:12)Creating synchronicity across departments (16:59)Having vision as a data executive (21:54)The role of the data team in scaling a company (24:45)Determining your value as an executive (27:31)Building a positive data culture (33:10)The growth of generative AI in data (39:20)Mentions: Space Telescope Science InstituteHubble Space TelescopeNext.js ReactPostgresAnderson HorowitzRichard HammingHealthJoyCamille Fournier - The Manager's PathBio: Alex Viana is the VP of Data at Vercel. Alex has over 15 years of experience in data management and analysis, and has led teams of data scientists, engineers, and analysts in their previous positions. Alex is an expert in Python and SQL, and has used these skills to develop software platforms for managing and analyzing large datasets. Alex has also created databases of astronomical observations and predicted moon positions. In their current role, they are responsible for providing accurate data and insights to the organization and promoting data-driven decision making.Get even more insights from data and analytics leaders like Alex on The Data Chief.  

Each day, valuable patient data collected by healthcare systems. When used properly as part of healthcare analytics, this can help drive better outcomes for both patients and providers. However, when data management is not effectively implemented, organizations lose out on these benefits. Terry Myerson, CEO of Truveta, saw the need to unlock data’s potential while still ensuring privacy and security. In this episode, he discusses his company’s unique approach,  the urgent need for better data insights for treatment protocols, and how AI is creating both efficiencies and concerns when making sense of data.Tune in to learn:The origin of Truveta [6:28]Pulling data from the provider, not the patient [9:47]Fragmentation, privacy, and unstructured data [11:58]Healthcare data trends [15:50]Population-level data [17:49]Bringing in data from multiple systems [23:08]Why transparency earns trust [26:10]Language models and generative AI [28:10]Terry’s career journey [35:29]Mentions: Providence HealthcareCNNRogaineOzempicBoston ScientificNational Library of MedicineBloombergMicrosoftWorld Health OrganizationCommon SpiritTrinity HealthThe Emperor of All MaladiesMacklemoreGet even more insights from data and analytics leaders like Terry on The Data Chief.  Mission.org is a media studio producing content for world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org.