Hub & Spoken: Data | Analytics | Chief Data Officer | CDO | Data Strategy

Creating a data-driven culture has become one of the most common ambitions in business. It's written into strategies, discussed in boardrooms and increasingly sits alongside AI transformation plans. But what if organisations have been approaching it the wrong way?   In this episode, Jason Foster, CEO & Founder of Cynozure, challenges the idea that culture is something you can create through awaren...

Agentic AI is moving beyond experimentation. Organisations are beginning to explore how autonomous agents can automate decisions, orchestrate complex processes and unlock new levels of productivity. But how do you build these systems in a way that is scalable, secure and trustworthy?   In this episode of Hub & Spoken, Jason Foster, CEO & Founder of Cynozure, is joined by Matt Clarke, Director of A...

Artificial Intelligence is often positioned as the great democratiser of knowledge. But could it also widen existing inequalities?   In this episode of Hub & Spoken, Jason Foster is joined by Dipi McKernan, Chief Controls Officer at Lloyds Banking Group, to explore the intersection of AI and social mobility.   Drawing on her own journey and extensive work championing socioeconomic diversity, Dipi...

In this episode of  Hub & Spoken , Jason Foster, CEO & Founder of Cynozure, speaks with Tom Spencer, Director of Customer Data Sciences at Aviva, about what it takes to build a genuinely customer-centric organisation using data and AI.   Tom shares how Aviva is using customer analytics, machine learning and emerging AI technologies to improve customer relevance, strengthen retention and create mor...

In this episode of Hub & Spoken, Jason Foster, CEO & Founder of Cynozure, speaks with Alessandra Di Lorenzo, advisor to CMOs, author of Adjust  and TEDx speaker, about how AI is reshaping the internet business model. They explore the rise of zero-click search, recommendation engines and feed-based commerce, and discuss why brand trust, direct traffic and consumer awareness are becoming more import...

In this special 10th anniversary episode of Hub & Spoken, Jason Foster, CEO & Founder of Cynozure, creates a time capsule for the data and AI industry: looking back at the last decade, reflecting on where we are today and exploring what the next ten years could bring. Drawing on voices from people who have seen the shifts, lived the challenges and done the work, Jason explores what the industry go...

What does it take to build a modern data and AI capability inside the organisation responsible for protecting information rights across the UK?   In this episode of Hub & Spoken, Jason Foster, CEO and Founder of Cynozure, speaks with Rob Holtom, Executive Director for Digital, Data, Technology and Customer Experience at the ICO, the UK's independent regulator for information rights.   Together, th...

In this episode of Hub & Spoken, Jason Foster, CEO and Founder of Cynozure, speaks with Lieutenant General Sir Tom Copinger-Symes KCB CBE, Former Deputy Commander Cyber & Specialist Operations Command at the Ministry of Defence.   Lieutenant General Sir Tom shares his journey from a traditional infantry career through deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan to leading one of the UK's most important cy...

In this International Women's Day special of  Hub & Spoken , Jason Foster, Founder and CEO of Cynozure, is joined by Kavita Sandhu, Client Services Manager, and Jane Usoskina, Senior Solution Architect, for an honest conversation about careers, confidence and change in the data industry. Together, they explore how data has shifted from a back-office reporting function to a strategic business capab...

As organisations grow, data teams face a familiar challenge - staying focused on what matters while supporting an increasingly complex operation.   In this episode of Hub & Spoken, Jason Foster, CEO & Founder of Cynozure, is joined by Rob Kent, Head of Data and AI at Greggs, to explore what pragmatic data leadership looks like in practice. Rob shares how he prioritises work, aligns data initiative...

In this episode of Hub & Spoken, Jason Foster, CEO & Founder of Cynozure, is joined by returning guest Pete Williams, former Director of Data at Penguin Random House, to discuss the findings of Cynozure's 2026 report, The Next Horizon: Data, AI and Impact.   Drawing on insights from senior data and analytics leaders, they explore a persistent challenge: while expectations of data teams have shifte...

In this episode of Hub & Spoken, Jason Foster, CEO & Founder of Cynozure, is joined by Roisin McCarthy, Founder of Women in Data®, to discuss why entrepreneurial thinking is fast becoming a core skill for data leaders.   Drawing on experience in data, technology and talent, Roisin reflects on how expectations of data teams have changed and why technical excellence alone no longer guarantees impact...

In this episode of  Hub & Spoken ,  Jason Foster , CEO & Founder of Cynozure, speaks with  Lindsay Mason , a senior data leader with 20 years of experience across retail and the public sector.   Lindsay shares her journey from analysing sales and forecasting trends at Debenhams, where frustration with poor data quality led her into data, to leading data strategy at John Lewis Partnership and movin...

In this guest episode of  Hub & Spoken ,  Jason Foster , CEO & Founder of Cynozure, is joined by  Kate Sargent , Chief Data Officer at the Financial Times, to discuss how customer understanding drives strategy, growth and trust in a digital-first organisation.   Kate explains how the FT has evolved from a traditional publisher into a subscription-led business serving audiences from classroom to bo...

In this episode of  Hub & Spoken ,  Jason   Foster ,  CEO and   Founder   of   Cynozure, is joined by  Blaire Palmer , author, keynote speaker and expert on leadership and the future of work . This episode is a candid conversation about what organisations must rethink if they want people and performance to thrive in an era shaped by rapid technological change. Drawing on her background as a BBC jo...

Most organisations don't struggle with change because of strategy or technology, they struggle because change is fundamentally human. In this episode of Hub & Spoken , Jason Foster , CEO & Founder of Cynozure, speaks with Sunil Kumar , Chief Transformation Officer, to explore why transformation so often stalls and what leaders can do to make it stick. Drawing on more than 26 years working across a...

In this episode of  Hub & Spoken ,  Jason Foster , CEO and Founder of Cynozure, speaks with  Shachar Meir , a data advisor who has worked with organisations from startups to the likes of Meta and Paypal. Together, they explore why so many companies, even those with skilled data teams, solid platforms and plenty of data, still struggle to deliver real business value. Shachar's take is clear:  the p...

In this episode of  Hub & Spoken ,  Jason Foster , CEO and Founder of Cynozure, speaks with  Roberto Maranca , data & digital transformation expert and author of Data Excellence. They explore what it really means to build a 'data fit' organisation, one that treats data capability like physical fitness by understanding where you are, training for where you want to be and making improvement a daily...

Busy isn't the same as valuable. Too many data teams fall into the trap of endless activity chasing the next tool, migration, or hype, without ever proving their impact. In this episode of  Hub & Spoken , Jason Foster , CEO and Founder of Cynozure , sits down with Maaike van den Branden , former Chief Data Officer at Compare the Market and Mumsnet, to uncover what truly makes a data team successfu...

AI is no longer a distant concept; it's here, reshaping the way we live and work. From coding and customer service to creative content, AI is already taking on tasks once thought to be uniquely human. But what does that mean for the future of work, and more importantly, for the role of leaders? In this solo episode of Hub & Spoken , Jason Foster, CEO and Founder of Cynozure, explores the real impl...

What if the future of leadership wasn't explained by another CEO, but by an AI? In this special episode of  Hub & Spoken , hosted by  Jason Foster, CEO & Founder of Cynozure , the guest isn't a data or business leader. It's  ChatGPT . Together, they explore one of the most pressing questions for organisations today:  What does leadership mean in the age of artificial intelligence?   The discussion...

In this episode of Hub & Spoken , host Jason Foster , CEO & Founder of Cynozure, is joined by James Lupton , Chief Technology Officer at Cynozure, to explore the findings from What Matters Most for Insurers Now — a new report shaped by insights from 35 senior leaders across the insurance industry. While the report focuses on insurers, its lessons resonate far more widely. Jason and James discuss h...

In this episode of  Hub & Spoken ,  Jason Foster , CEO & Founder of Cynozure, speaks with  David Germain , portfolio Non-Executive Director and former senior technology and transformation leader in banking, financial services and insurance. Drawing on 30 years of global experience, David shares how sustainable business growth depends on more than just strategy and technology - it's rooted in inclu...

Why is meaningful innovation so hard in insurance, and what can be done about it? In this episode of  Hub & Spoken , host Jason Foster is joined by  John Turner , a global underwriting leader and expert in life and health insurance, to explore the innovation imperative in one of the world's most traditional (and risk-averse) industries. They unpack the complex cultural, structural, and regulatory...

In this episode, we look at the real story behind transformation in data and AI, and why the classic big bang approach often fails to deliver lasting impact. Jason explores when large-scale transformation programmes do  make sense, like when you're starting from a fundamentally broken place, or when disruption is the goal. But he also digs into the messy reality of what usually happens: slow deliv...