Data Radicals

In this episode, CDO Steve Pimblett of The Very Group describes the four pillars of extracting value from data and shares how he’s built a successful B2C data team. Steve shares his advice for CDOs just starting off or maybe years into the role. He discusses optimizing your data strategy, making your business more data-driven, leveraging account managers, and much more. -------- “Set up some sort...

With the data space more complex than ever, many people throw their hands in the air, and use solutions that fix many (but not all) of their problems. Today’s guest saw that complexity, and leaned into it.  Zhamak Dehghani is the creator of the data mesh. Where others saw chaos, she saw an opportunity. Zhamak dives into decentralization, all things data mesh, how data architecture can empower your...

What if you could combine data across industries and use cases? FAIR data is Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. These are the tenants that Francesco Marzoni, Chief Data and Analytics Officer of Ingka Group, has made central to his data-driven career.  In today’s episode, Francesco discusses the FAIR principles, data silos, the importance of data governance, and much more. --------...

While analysts in other fields face an ocean of data, those in social justice often face a desert. After all, those who abuse their power take care to conceal their crimes. How can data scientists hold the guilty accountable?  Today's guest has used data to uncover hidden human rights violations and uphold social justice. Tarak Shah is a Data Scientist at the Human Rights Data Analysis Group (HRDA...

In the era of “fake news” how do you know what to trust? Today’s guest, Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, has found the last dependable source of truth: Google. Armed with Google trends data, Seth illuminates hidden truths about racism, politics, and sexuality in our world today.  In today’s interview, Seth dives into his latest book Don’t Trust Your Gut: Using Data to Get What You Really Want in Life. He...

Business intelligence has dominated corporate conversations for years. It’s an integral component of making data-backed decisions and as well as an important tool for any Data Radical. Today, we’re lucky enough to speak with a business intelligence pioneer, Bernard Liautaud. Bernard is the Managing Partner of Balderton Capital and was the founder of BusinessObjects. In this interview, he and Satye...

Knowledge graphs are a critical tool in a Data Radical’s toolbox. But how can we make sure we’re leveraging them to the best of our ability? Today’s guest helps us out. Kendall Clark, is the Founder and CEO of Stardog. His non-typical data journey has given him a wealth of knowledge that we’re lucky enough to hear today. He goes deep into knowledge graphs, philosophy’s impact on management, and mu...

Information is power, and data is rarely as subjective as it seems. Savvy data leaders know one thing: data is political. And for many data professionals — that fact can feel discouraging. But it doesn’t have to be. Today, Wendy Turner-Williams, CDO of Tableau, brings us a fresh perspective on how to win at the game of data politics. Shifting corporate culture can be difficult. But with Wendy’s ti...

Data is one of our most underutilized weapons in our arsenal. In today’s battles, the ability to gather, disseminate, consume and act on information has become the fundamental capability in the war on terror. In this episode, Satyen speaks with Stan McChrystal, retired US Army General and Managing Partner of the McChrystal Group. They discuss Stan's experiences building a data culture in the US mi...

The role of CDO is constantly evolving, and Data Radicals need to stay ahead of the curve. Today's guest gives us the inside scoop on how to do just that. Randy Bean is the founder and CEO of NewVantage Partners and author of Fail Fast, Learn Faster: Lessons in Data-Driven Leadership in an Age of Disruption, Big Data, and AI . In this interview, he and Satyen discuss the adoption of the chief data...

The early founders of the internet argued that privacy was dead. But today’s guest was motivated to revolutionize data privacy instead. Michelle Finneran Dennedy, CEO of PrivacyCode and co-author of The Privacy Engineer’s Manifesto , is one of the world’s first Chief Privacy Officer. She and Satyen talk about how the role of CPO has changed throughout her tenure, the tough work of designing privac...

No risk, no reward. Kyle Kirwan, co-founder and CEO of BigEye, helps companies manage risk more intelligently through the power of data quality. In this interview, Kyle describes his experience as one of the first data scientists and analysts at Uber, weighs the pros and cons of build versus buy, and defines the modern data stack – with an eye to what’s next.  -------- “We're living in this Renais...

Science and data are powerful tools of discovery, but our expectations are often misaligned with what science can actually do. Interpreting and understanding science involves nuance, humility, and an open mind – muscles that we don’t always flex as often as we should. Today’s guest is Christie Aschwanden, journalist and NYT bestselling author. Christie is an expert in understanding the power – and...

The average CDO only lasts 18 months in their position. 18 months! With odds that dire, data leaders need all the inside scoop they can get to climb the massive mountain ahead of them. Luckily, today we’re giving you a roadmap. Today’s guest is Peter Jackson, Co-Founder and Director of Caruthers and Jackson. Peter shares his advice on how to up your odds of passing that 18-month mark with flying c...

Whether you’re a whistleblower exposing fraud or a new CDO with uncomfortable insights at an organization, “just the facts” alone won’t convince the crowd. You need buy-in, conviction, and the ability to tell a compelling story. In today’s episode, Dr. Margaret Heffernan, author, professor, and seasoned CEO, shares what she’s learned about leading teams to light. She shares insights on willful bli...

What can the tale of the blind men and the elephant teach us about our own blindspots in the world of data? Today’s guest helps us identify some of our data blindspots and learn how to attack them head on. Cindi Howson, Chief Data Strategy Officer at ThoughtSpot, shares how BI has transformed in recent years, what you can do to increase data literacy at your org, how your company can stay ahead of...

Corporate malfeasance is a cold fact. And when companies lie to the public, real people get hurt. Amir Efrati, Co-Founder and Executive Editor of the Information, exposes the truths big firms conceal. His reporting has brought corporations to justice, won numerous awards, and been cited by federal judges.  In this episode, Amir discusses the Facebook Papers, controversies around self-driving cars,...

The world of data is often elusive and nebulous. And as time goes on, different myths circulate the zeitgeist. Today’s guest walks us through some common myths, and serves as our own personal mythbuster. Michelle Hoiseth, Chief Data Officer of Parexel, uncovers the biggest data challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry, and shares how you too can be a data mythbuster, how you can lead a data j...

Anxiety about math. For most Americans, it’s so deeply ingrained it’s practically a personality trait. Unfortunately, this fear can linger in our psyches as we age. But, thankfully, Data Radicals like Caroline Carruthers are here to confront that fear and educate our data-anxious peers. Caroline is the co-author of “The Chief Data Officer's Playbook,” and today she’s explaining why CDOs play a cru...

With stories of different space explorations constantly in the news—it’s an exciting time to be a space enthusiast. But with the habitation of Mars seemingly on the horizon it begs the question: is there going to be an HOA on Mars?  Figuring out how governance will work on Mars is a logistical problem that just stems more and more questions, not unlike data governance today. Similarly, we’re in th...

We spend our lives surrounded by stories—the ones we hear, read, and watch. Stories are how we learn how to navigate life. Some have played a major role in pivoting how entire industries approach storytelling like The Sixth Sense movie and maybe, if you listen to today’s episode, your next work presentation. Today, we’re hearing from Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic, Founder and CEO of storytelling with da...

Communication—or lack thereof—tends to be at the core of most of life’s issues. Although most of us know this, few of us set out to create systems to address the problem. Today, we’re learning from two people who did:  L.L. Zamenhof and Bob Seiner. L.L. Zamenhof saw the crucial role words played in dividing people, and wanted to create a language that would unify the world. His language, Esperanto...

You may not realize it, but data literacy is an issue that affects everyone. From the mom-and-pop shop around the corner to the Fortune 500 C-suite, everyone has skin in the game. Yet, how to teach data literacy is still not widely understood or prioritized by data leaders. That needs to change, and the first step is listening to today’s episode. We’re talking with Jennifer Belissent, Principal Da...

Growing up, we’re all asked what we want to be when we’re older. Our answer is normally met with an explanation of the years of education and dedication we’ll have to go through to get there. Whether it’s trade school, medical school, a PhD, or apprenticeship, we start to understand that we’ll need years of specialized training to get to where we want to be. But what if that whole way of thinking...

Data confers immense power. With it, we can transform the world as we know it. But, despite all that potential—too few people know how to wield data. 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are created every day. Saul Alinsky famously said “If people don’t think they have the power to solve their problems, they won’t even think about how to solve them.” Translating that information into meaning is one of th...