Data Science Leaders

  1. 28 Oct

    Measure Everything Except the Thing

    The tower stood ten meters up in a stretch of Spain close to the Portuguese border so remote there was no cell signal to be found. Every twenty-four hours someone had to climb it, pull the memory card, and come back the next day. The reason? How much groundwater were the oak trees here actually drinking? Since the ecologists couldn’t measure it directly, they measured everything around it instead. Over 10 years later, one of those ecologists, Leo Reyes, is Global Head of Data Science for R&D at WPP, where the measurement problem looks different, but is fundamentally the same. Identifiers are disappearing, client data will not leave client systems, and his organization has gone from one or two AI agents to nearly a thousand. He leads four hundred data scientists through it with an ecologist's instincts: think holistically, account for what you cannot see, and when the water keeps rising, stop building taller walls and go fix the forest upstream. Leo brings: Why the fastest way to measure something is often to measure everything that it isn'tWhat changes in AI governance when you hand teams a token budget instead of a policyWhy accuracy is table stakes and transparency is the thing clients actually buy

    Measure Everything Except the Thing

  2. 6 Oct

    The Data Behind the Fastest Vaccine Ever

    In January 2020, Stephen Hahn, M.D., had been running the FDA for just a few weeks when the COVID-19 virus sequence was published. Despite the odds, in just eleven months, the first mRNA vaccine was authorized. It was the fastest development of its kind in history. And the part Hahn can't stop thinking about isn't how hard it was. It's what it proved: medicine can move that fast, even though it usually doesn't. Now, as Chief Executive Officer of Nucleus RadioPharma, he makes a new argument for data science leaders: the hard part in medicine isn’t the science. It’s what we do with the data. Stephen brings: Why he calls AI in molecule discovery “table stakes”What leading the largest real-world experiment in history taught him How the FDA compressed years into months, and how we can do it again

    The Data Behind the Fastest Vaccine Ever

  3. 20 Aug

    Becoming the Builder-Conductor

    Justin Johnson sat down one afternoon to build a new capability for ARIA, the AI research agent he runs on a supercomputer that sits on his desk. Before writing a single line, he checked what was already there and found that his own system had designed and built the exact thing he was about to start. Three months earlier. While he was asleep. That was the moment Justin went, in his words, from first mover to second mover on his own project, and he's still working out what that means. Justin brings: How the “second mover” gap is wideningWhere most senior data science leaders really fall on the copilot-versus-harness divideHow the old trade-off between mission and frontier technology is collapsing in biopharma Be sure to check out Justin’s book, Builder-Leader: The AI Exoskeleton That Crosses the Gap, and his blog, Run Data Run.

    Becoming the Builder-Conductor

  4. 2 Jun

    The Cave: Pharma's Data Problem

    Dave Johnson’s first pharma job wasn't in a lab. It was in a room, dark and cramped, stacked floor to ceiling with 30 years of decaying discovery chemistry data on every storage medium imaginable. They called it “the cave.” A physicist turned data leader, Dave has spent two decades solving the same problem: scientific data is generated for one purpose, poorly captured, and left abandoned. Now co-founding Dash Bio after years leading data science at Moderna, Dave joins Thomas to make a case the industry would rather not hear: AI pilots keep failing because organizations can't understand their own data or tell whether anything they build improves how they work. Listen in to hear: Why "the cave" is still an accurate description of how most pharma companies manage dataWhy clinical trial numbers mean nothing without the metadata behind themHow the US needs to treat China’s clinical trial volume as a wake-up call

    The Cave: Pharma's Data Problem

  5. 1 Apr

    Turning Governance Into the “Yes” Guys

    When Cindy Tu first stepped onto a conference stage, it wasn’t part of a long-term plan. It was a turning point. A single speaking invitation shifted her role from quietly reviewing AI systems to actively shaping how governance is practiced across financial services. With a background spanning IT, data, and audit, Cindy brought a rare systems-level view to the table. Now a rising voice in enterprise AI risk, she’s influencing how institutions think about oversight, how governance frameworks evolve, and why people are at the heart of successful implementation. Her perspective is informed not only by technical expertise, but by lived experience. Cindy brings: How to frame governance as an enabler and not a gatekeeperWhy third-party risk keeps rising as gen AI adoption acceleratesHow to flip governance from the “no” guys to the “yes” guys

    Turning Governance Into the “Yes” Guys

  6. 19 Feb

    Building Trust for Transformation in Enterprise AI

    When Shub Agarwal joined an early conversational AI startup, he was building products in uncharted territory with emerging technology few had heard of. By late 2019, Google and Meta were aggressively recruiting him. But a sudden personal loss made him rethink his priorities, leadership, and the impact he wanted to create. From fast-growth startups to a financial regulator, he's codified a nine-step AI product framework, teaches at USC, and developed practical approaches to trust, governance, and AI agents in organizations. His story reflects intentional leadership in a rapidly evolving field. You’ll hear: How leaders should think about AI agents as part of their teams and workflowsWhy stepping back at key moments makes you a better leaderHow to evaluate AI systems beyond performance metrics

    Building Trust for Transformation in Enterprise AI

  7. 18/06/2025

    Engineering the Future of Health with AI and Data

    Daniel Kraft, physician-scientist and founder of NextMed Health, joins Domino’s Chris McSpiritt to discuss how AI, data convergence, and systems thinking are accelerating healthcare’s shift from reactive treatment to proactive, personalized care. With a background spanning regenerative therapies, digital health, and aerospace medicine, Daniel offers a wide-lens view of the challenges and opportunities shaping the next era of clinical innovation. From the limitations of “sick care” to the promise of personalized poly-pills and AI-powered digital twins, this conversation explores how to unlock proactive, personalized, and accessible healthcare at scale. Join us as we discuss: How exponential tech is enabling predictive, preventative care and what’s slowing it downWhy “data-to-action” is the next frontier for AI in life sciencesWhat data scientists and tech teams can do now to drive clinical impact Get more of Daniel’s insights at DanielKraftMD.net.

    Engineering the Future of Health with AI and Data

  8. 16/04/2025

    The Rise of the Self-Driving Organization

    As organizations race to become AI-driven, data has emerged not just as a resource, but as a strategic advantage. In this episode, Kjell Carlsson sits down with Doug Laney, author of Infonomics and Data Juice, to explore how generative AI is accelerating the journey toward data monetization and organizational autonomy. Doug shares why traditional approaches to data management no longer suffice, how digital twins and agentic AI are redefining business models, and why the future may belong to self-driving organizations. Tune in to hear: How AI is reshaping the economics of data and enabling new business modelsWhy organizations should embrace agentic AI and digital twins to stay competitiveWhat leaders must do today to build autonomous, AI-native enterprises

    The Rise of the Self-Driving Organization

  9. 02/04/2025

    The Cultural Shifts That Power AI Adoption

    AI strategy isn't just about technology. It's about transformation. In this episode, CDAO expert, Dr. Shahram Ebadollahi, joins to discuss what it takes to lead AI in an enterprise and why that leadership must go far beyond just selecting the right tools or models. Drawing on his experience building AI teams, Shahram explains why the Chief AI Officer role is one of the most complex, and most critical, positions in modern organizations. Here we talk about the cultural, organizational, and strategic shifts needed to embed AI deeply and responsibly, and how to move from experimentation to value delivery at scale. Whether you're leading AI or supporting it, this conversation offers a clear-eyed view of what success really requires. Tune in to hear: Why the Chief AI Officer must balance tech depth with business visionHow to structure teams and incentives for lasting AI successHow to move from AI experimentation to real business impact

    The Cultural Shifts That Power AI Adoption

  10. 19/03/2025

    The AI Race: Predictions for AI in National Security & the Public Sector

    What does the global race for AI look like? How has the US Department of Defense been adopting AI by engaging the private sector? And how should we expect AI policy to shift under the new administration?   In this episode – the last in our series on the future of AI – guest host Joel Meyer, President of Public Sector at Domino, sits down with General Jack Shanahan (Ret.) former Director of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center at the U.S. Department of Defense, and Lauren Bedula, Managing Director at Beacon Global Strategies. Join us as we explore: How the U.S. Department of Defense is accelerating AI adoptionThe global AI race: U.S., China, and alliesAI policy shifts under the new U.S. administrationPredictions for AI in the Public Sector for 2025 and beyond Also, hear more of Lauren’s thoughts on national security and tech innovation on the Building the Base podcast.

    The AI Race: Predictions for AI in National Security & the Public Sector

  11. 05/03/2025

    The Future of Enterprise AI? AI in Production!

    What does the near term future of Enterprise AI look like? A scramble to get valuable, cost-effective, enterprise-grade AI solutions into production, with rigorous governance at scale. If that sounds like a tall order - that’s because it is! However, large advanced organizations (yes, even outside of the tech sector) are already seeing success deploying AI solutions and we can expect the pace to accelerate rapidly in the next 1-2 years. To find out how enterprises are gearing up for this challenge we speak with Richard Swakla, AI and ML Specialist at NetApp and get the inside scoop on the trends that are underway and the strategies organizations are putting in place to operationalize meaningful AI outcomes.   Join us as we discuss:The pressure to shift from experimentation to productionBreaking down the data, infrastructure and organizational silosBest practices for tackling governance, security and cost challengesExamples of AI efficiency gains in healthcare, pharma, and beyond

    The Future of Enterprise AI? AI in Production!

  12. 19/02/2025

    The Silent Future of AI in Financial Services

    AI is transforming financial services and insurance, but rarely in the headline-grabbing ways you might expect. From intelligent process automation to fraud detection and risk management, AI is being embedded across operations, but as AI adoption grows, so do the challenges—cybercrime, rapid technological changes, and ever-evolving regulatory frameworks. In this episode we sit down with Adam Gale, Field CTO for AI & Cyber Security at NetApp, and Mike Upchurch, VP of Strategy for Financial Services and Insurance at Domino, to explore:The "silent revolution" of AI in financeUnlocking the potential of unstructured dataAI governance for innovation and regulatory complianceStrategies for driving AI adoptionTop predictions for AI in 2025 in FSI

    The Silent Future of AI in Financial Services

  13. 05/02/2025

    Pharma Is the New Tech: The Future of AI in Life Sciences

    AI is transforming drug discovery and clinical trials, making what was once cutting-edge the new standard. Pharma companies are evolving into tech companies, leveraging AI to revolutionize every phase of drug development. In this episode, Chris McSpiritt, VP of Life Sciences Strategy at Domino, discusses how AI is no longer a niche capability for select firms but an essential capability for all biopharma organizations. We explore AI-based digital organisms, the increasing reliance on AI in clinical trials, and the shift toward personalized medicine. Join us as we dive into: How AI will drive the majority of new drug discoveriesThe role of AI in clinical trialsThe growing need for pharma companies to adopt a tech company mindsetThe impact of AI-driven automation on regulatory compliance and reporting

    Pharma Is the New Tech: The Future of AI in Life Sciences

  14. 22/01/2025

    AI Predictions for 2025: The Boogeyman, Agentic AI & Governance

    What’s next for artificial intelligence in 2025? In this episode, Dr. Kjell Carlsson delivers his annual predictions about the immediate future of AI. From AI becoming the universal corporate scapegoat to the rebranding of generative AI as "agentic AI.” Discover why commercial AI solutions remain scarce, the pivotal role of workforce upskilling in achieving transformative AI outcomes, and how governance is shifting from regulation-focused to impact-driven. Want to see how Kjell fared in his 2024 predictions? Look no further than Data Science Leaders podcast Episode 62: AI in 2024: Predictions on the Future of the AI Revolution.

    AI Predictions for 2025: The Boogeyman, Agentic AI & Governance

  15. 08/01/2025

    Realizing AI Value Through Governance in Insurance

    Innovation and AI governance aren’t at odds. Done properly, governance practices can be the key to accelerating implementation of even the latest GenAI use cases. In this interview from RevX London with Raj Mukherjee, Head of Data Science and AI at Direct Line Group, we find out how they embraced the principles of a lean startup, adopted a product mindset and became the first major insurance company to implement a GenAI solution to accelerate customer service. Come find out how they were able to overcome the challenges of legacy infrastructure, build trust and do the seemingly impossible — make compliance fun.

    Realizing AI Value Through Governance in Insurance

  16. 25/12/2024

    Mastering AI Governance with Forrester & the Federal Reserve

    How can organizations drive transformative AI innovation while effectively managing its inherent risks? Is governance a bottleneck or can it become a catalyst for AI success? In this webinar, we explore the critical role of AI governance with Brandon Purcell, VP Principal Analyst at Forrester Research, and Theo Linnemann, Data Scientist at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Together, they share actionable insights into the principles, practices, and policies necessary for ensuring the safe use of AI that drives real-world impact. Join us as we discuss: The evolution of AI governance and why it has become a top priority for AI teamsFrameworks and practices for identifying and managing AI risk The growing importance of automation for effective governanceFairness, business, and other metrics for AI governanceHow to govern an Agentic AI future

    Mastering AI Governance with Forrester & the Federal Reserve

  17. 12/12/2024

    Crossover: Ethical Machines and AI Governance

    This episode is a collaboration with the Ethical Machines podcast featuring Reid Blackman — CEO of the AI ethical risk consultancy Virtue — and Nick Elprin, cofounder and CEO of Domino Data Lab. Join us as they discuss:The differences between AI ethics and AI governanceHow the AI governance challenges have changed (and where they haven’t)The people, process and technology solutions for genAI governance (and how they are all intertwined)Predictions about AI maturity, slip ups and regulation

    Crossover: Ethical Machines and AI Governance

  18. 27/11/2024

    AI Transformation in Government: Lessons from Unit X

    Think you have a hard time driving AI adoption in your organization? Try driving AI transformation in the largest, most regulated organization on the planet – the Pentagon.  In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Chris Kirchhoff – co-author of Unit X: How the Pentagon and Silicon Valley are Transforming the Future of War and former Director of Strategic Planning for the National Security Council – to uncover how the Department of Defense is accelerating the adoption of AI. Dr. Kirchhoff shares invaluable lessons on managing disruption and fostering innovation at scale. Join us as we discuss:How leadership and experimentation drove the success of the Defense Innovation UnitThe importance of developing new frameworks for procurement for AI adoptionInsights from modern warfare: drone technology and the shift to consumer-driven innovationBest practices for scaling technological transformation across any large organization

    AI Transformation in Government: Lessons from Unit X

  19. 13/11/2024

    The EU AI Act: Key Strategies for Regulatory Compliance

    The EU AI Act, is it the first step towards comprehensive AI regulation that will make us all safer, or is it the scariest thing in AI today, or both? In this episode we speak with Adam Gale, Field CTO for AI and Regulatory Compliance at NetApp, to demystify the EU AI act and discuss future-proof strategies to ensure compliance.Join us as we discuss: The core requirements of the act and how they impact your use casesGray areas to look out for in the actCompliance with existing regulations such as DORA and GDPRCore governance capabilities that enable compliance for the EU AI act and future regulation

    The EU AI Act: Key Strategies for Regulatory Compliance

  20. 25/10/2024

    AI Governance in Action: Lessons from the Trenches

    AI governance is no longer a hypothetical consideration—it's critical not only to meet regulatory requirements but also to build trust, drive adoption, and deliver tangible impact with AI. In this episode, we bring together experts Jared Vaudrey and Dr. Dylan Bobby Storey, who have spent years developing AI solutions in heavily regulated industries. They share their hard-won insights on the realities of implementing AI governance across a wide range of organizations and use cases. Join us as we discuss: The value of AI governance for driving adoption and innovationHow governance principles apply to traditional ML and genAIThe common challenges of governance Real-world examples and best practices from advanced teams integrating AI governanceHow automation helps scale governance and provide the flexibility to support future regulation

    AI Governance in Action: Lessons from the Trenches

  21. 03/10/2024

    Demystifying the Top 5 Questions of AI Governance

    AI governance is more important than ever, but confusion reigns about basic questions such as: what it is, why it is important and what we should do about it. As an AI, data science, or business leader, you need to dispel these governance misconceptions in order to manage AI risk and ensure the safety and reliability necessary to drive adoption and impact. The ability of your organization to drive impact with AI, and potentially your career, depends on it. Join us as host Kjell Carlsson, gives an opinionated take on the basic questions of AI governance: Why you should care about AI governance (and why it goes beyond ethics and regulation)What AI governance is (and how it differs from ethical AI, responsible AI, and trustworthy AI)Why AI governance is difficult (and the gap between frameworks and practices)What AI governance looks like in practice (across the AI/ML lifecycle)What we need for AI governance (and the capabilities to do it at scale)

    Demystifying the Top 5 Questions of AI Governance

  22. 18/09/2024

    Operationalizing privacy in the age of AI

    Data privacy - why is it so important in the age of AI, why is it so difficult, and what should we be doing to improve it in our organizations? In this episode we speak with Dr. Rebecca Balebako, privacy engineer and Chief Privacy Officer at Lotic.ai, about why AI makes privacy more important than ever, the common misconceptions around data protection, who should own privacy, and the benefits and limitations of privacy enhancing technologies (PETs). Join us as we discuss:The value of privacy (~5% of annual profit)The many definitions of privacy.The top 3 misconceptions: no one cares, it can be fixed with a privacy policy, and privacy is a blocker.Who should own privacy in your organization.PETs vs. data hygiene For more on Rebecca’s consulting on privacy strategy, coaching and how to build a privacy advocate team see https://www.privacyengineer.ch/ and for more on privacy methods check out the book “Practical Data Privacy” by Katharine Jarmul.

    Operationalizing privacy in the age of AI

  23. 04/09/2024

    Optimizing Your Architecture for AI Innovation: BARC Survey Results

    What capabilities do you need to take advantage of AI and what changes will you need to make to your IT architecture? Well, let’s look at the data. In this episode, Shawn Rogers, CEO and Fellow at BARC US, shares the results of their survey on how enterprises are optimizing their architecture for AI innovation. Shawn unpacks data on everything from the biggest obstacles to delivering AI impact to how companies are sourcing their AI capabilities.  Join us as we discuss: The AI talent gap and the strategies that firms are using to close itThe myriad AI capabilities that high-readiness firms are implementingThe need to manage AI costs upfront to ensure deploymentThe perpetual question of build vs. buy (or both!)The crucial need for AI governance to ensure approval and adoption Download the full report here.

    Optimizing Your Architecture for AI Innovation: BARC Survey Results

  24. 21/08/2024

    Driving Digital Strategy with AI at OneAmerica

    How do you drive digital strategy and transformation with AI? Do you need an AI strategy or a business strategy that intelligently leverages AI? In this episode, we delve into the challenge of driving transformation with AI in insurance with Fu'ad Butt, VP Head of Digital Strategy and Automation at OneAmerica. Fu’ad shares his best practices for identifying and executing AI projects. These range from how to identify the most promising use cases (hint: focus on augmented intelligence, but tie it to business value) to executing them successfully (build a test and learn process, and use multifunctional pods).   Join us as we discuss:The role of AI in digital strategy today.Overcoming the challenge of aligning AI to business value.Experimenting efficiently with digital twins and a contrarian in the loop.Breaking hierarchies with multifunctional pods for faster impact.

    Driving Digital Strategy with AI at OneAmerica

  25. 07/08/2024

    AI-driven Marketing, Optimization, Consciousness and CAIOs

    AI is disrupting marketing, but the biggest threat isn’t AI systems misbehaving, it is the unintended consequences of AI systems performing exactly what they were intended to do. In this interview with Dr. Daniel Hulme, Chief AI Officer at WPP and CEO of Satalia, we discuss the ways that AI is transforming marketing – from accelerating content creation and maximizing activation to exploring the creative landscape and creating “brains” that ensure it is responsible and legal. Also, tune in for fascinating discussions of AI consciousness and what it means to be a Chief AI Officer.     Join us as we discuss:The greatest GenAI opportunities in marketing and beyondHow to maximize AI impact with decision optimizationResponsible AI and the challenges of AI systems going very rightThe emerging field of AI consciousnessThe Chief AI Officer: why you need one and the prerequisites for success   For more information about the new research organization focused on AI consciousness co-founded by Daniel Hulme see conscium.com and his interview on the London Futurists Podcast.

    AI-driven Marketing, Optimization, Consciousness and CAIOs