Customer Insight Leader podcast

In episode 69, I'm joined by Jesse Anderson from Lisbon. Jesse is the founder of the Managing Director of the Big Data Institute and we chat about how Data Engineering especially has developed over the years. Plus, Jesse has some challenging things to say to the training industry.

Jesse explains why leaders need to be clear on the depth of data engineering skills they require & the vital role of specialism in this field. He also shares the results from his latest annual survey of data teams which you can find here: https://www.jesse-anderson.com/2023/03/data-teams-survey-2023-results/

A self-taught data leader, Jesse's practical perspective & technical depth is well worth hearing in a data science world that can be in danger of valuing qualifications above delivered value.

For episode 66, I am joined by Bettina (or Betty) Schirrmeister. She leads an exceptional group of data scientists at MoneySuperMarket. She and her team work on intelligent product recommendations, personalisation, and optimised pricing investments there.

One thing that makes Betty a new and different voice on our podcast is her science background. Having received a PhD in Evolutionary Genetics from the University of Zurich and worked as a senior researcher at the University of Bristol for several years only then did Betty make the transition into data science & industry.

In our conversation, we explore what scientists can bring to the world of data science. Transferrable skills & attitudes that help them lead or strengthen data teams. It should also be a chat that encourages any scientists who think they have left it too late. You can still make the move across to data science, just listen to Betty's enthusiasm and recommended resources.

For episode 65, my guest is Sophie Carr who is the founder of Bays Consulting, which she apparently founded to share her enthusiasm that analysis is both fun and provides clarity. Following gaining a PhD from Cranfield University, Sophie has now led Bays Consulting for over 13 years and continues to have the admirably straightforward job title of Mathematician.

Her consulting work is motivated by a belief that at the heart of business issues is a need to reduce uncertainty & gain clarity. As well as applying a broad range of her maths, engineering & leadership skills to such work, Sophie has a specialism in Bayesian Networks. 

During our conversation we explore both her career history & the benefit of becoming a Chartered Statistician or Mathematician. Sophie also reveals a great deal about her leadership style, the company culture and a more inclusive approach to hiring technical talent. Beyond that we explore how she has developed as a leader and the lessons she has learn as her business as grown. Finally she has practical advice for those earlier in their careers that is well worth hearing & reading. I hope you enjoy listening to Sophie as much as I enjoyed this conversation.

"When I'm 64...", well that episode anyway, my guest is Priyank Patwa who is CDO for sustainability data start-up Maanch.

Priyank is an experienced Data and Innovation leader, working at the intersection of Finance, Sustainability and Data. Priyank is currently a Senior Strategic Advisor and Interim Chief Data Officer at Maanch. Previously, he was an ESG Product Director at Morningstar and Head of Innovation & ESG Transformation at M&G where he has led the conception and creation of large-scale data-led capabilities and solutions.

During our conversation, we explore Priyank's career journey and the lessons he has learnt along the way. We learn about the continuing opportunity to apply Data Science to how organisations are managed, as well as how to build trust with your senior leadership. Priyank shares some great examples of motivating & deploying diverse global teams and we focus on his work in the field of ESG data. Learn how Data Science can help investors & firms see past all the spin to truly rate business performance on ESG criteria. 

I hope you are inspired to make a difference with your skills too.

For episode 63, we return to the topic of AI ethics via my conversation with Daniel Hulme, the CEO of Satalia. That business describes itself as a different type of Artificial Intelligence company and in fact a different type of company altogether. Its stated aim is to solve industries' hardest problems by building AI solutions that utilise state-of-the-art ideas and thinking from academia. Plus, they say they’re building a new operating system for how a company can be run, grounded in deep psychological and philosophical theory.

In addition to his role at Satalia, Daniel is the Chief AI Officer for the global advertising agency WPP. Plus, he comes to these roles following nearly 12 years at University College London, including being their Entrepreneur in Residence. So, there is plenty of innovative thinking in this conversation, as well as philosophical musing about the purpose of not just AI but work in general.

During our fascinating chat, we explore Daniel's career journey and lack of internal dialogue. We revisit the benefits of hiring neurodiverse data scientists and the characteristics to seek in such talent. Plus we debate the purpose of businesses and what motivates us about work. I hope you find it inspires your own musings and perhaps insights into what you want to achieve with your gifts and working life. Plus, it's the first time I've had a parrot as a guest too!

For episode 62, my guest is Gabriel Straub. He is the Chief Data Officer at Ocado Technology. There he’s led their data & data science efforts for over two years, following successful data science leadership roles at the BBC & Tesco amongst others. Gabriel is also a guest lecturer at the London Business School and an Honorary Senior research associate at UCL, so he is also still active on the academic side.

Gabriel describes himself as a passionate data science strategist, who believes that clever analytics & big data can make life less complicated for customers & colleagues. During our conversation we explore both his career to date & why Grocery Retail is a great sector for Data Science leaders to consider.

We also explore Gabriel's choice of studying an MBA (rather than a Masters or PhD in a Data subject) and how he came to clarity about his key skills. Gabriel shares loads of useful life experience and advice for developing as a data leader & the skills data scientists will need during their career. So, there should be nuggets for everyone to find helpful.

In episode 61 my guest is Sanjeevan Bala, who is ITV’s Group Chief Data & AI Officer. He is responsible for transforming the broadcaster to fully leverage the value of Data and AI & to create value for all areas of their business. Prior to this he was Channel 4’s Head of Data Science where he built a multi award winning team which combined human creativity with machine intelligence to drive growth and innovation.

Sanjeevan is consistently ranked most influential in Data and AI globally and under his leadership his teams have won numerous awards for Innovation. He has also expanded his executive career as a Non Executive Director (NED) at Bakkavor and Scholars’ Educational Trust. During our chat we explore both how his background in consultancy & startups helped developed the skills he needed for these roles & how leaders can amplify their impact by taking on NED roles later in their careers.

He is also very open with us about his experience of racism & exclusion earlier in his life. We discuss how he coped with this & emerged as a whole person during his career. Sanjeevan also shares his advice for those earlier in their career & what organisations need to do to encourage more genuinely inclusive organisations that nurture talent. Plus, you'll learn why he now embraces "not knowing". 

For episode 60 I am joined by Laura Rodgers who is Head of Performance Insights for NatWest Group, one of the major banks here in the UK. She has worked within Royal Bank of Scotland (which became part of NatWest Group) for over 16 years, holding management roles responsible for data & wide range of Business Intelligence and reporting services. She also describes herself as passionate about championing diversity and inclusion within the data and technology communities. 

During our conversation, Laura shares her background and how a grounding in IT & Data Engineering set her up for success in later roles. We also explore how the work of a BI or Reporting team can be so much more interesting & motivating than you might realise. Along the way, Laura shares her tips for introverts, those lacking confidence & those at the start of their data careers.

We also extend the conversations that we have had about diversity in previous podcast episodes. In this conversation, Laura shares what she has experienced that helped support and get the best out of Neuro Diverse members of her team. We learn about the importance of empathy, curiosity & treating every person as an individual. Not an easy job when you lead 170 people. Well worth other BI leaders hearing & considering for their teams.

For episode 58, I am in conversation with Olivia Gambelin, who joins us from Brussels. Olivia has the exciting job title of being an AI Ethicist and is the founder & CEO of Ethical Intelligence. 

As you will hear in this episode she has a background across organisations including CAKE Corporation, Save the Children, Springer and being an Advisory Board member on several influencial AI & Ethics groups. We explore more of her journey from an MSc in Philosophy to such critical roles in today’s use of data & AI. Along the way we consider the benefits of a broad interest in technology, wide ranging conversations with your network and how we need much more than GDPR compliance.

An emerging theme from our conversation (one that has stayed with me) is the benefit of being a polymath. At least the benefit of gathering people together to share knowledge across disciplines. Olivia paints a compelling picture of Data & AI Ethics as being a field where you can think & work broadly. A great opportunity for those with many interests or wanting to connect more with their values as well as apply their technical knowledge. I hope you find Olivia's openness and many stories as fascinating as I did.

For episode 57, I'm in conversation with Charlie Ballard who is the Marketing Science Enablement Lead at Meta. He has been a lifelong technology and data evangelist and shares with us on the basis of his experience working in and with firms including General Motors, American Express, BT, Tripadvisor & now Meta.

Our conversation is wide ranging and includes plenty of tips from Charlie's experience. He is one of my guests whose background was originally within market research and who has developed into data & analytics & marketing leadership roles. As well as exploring Charlie's career story we discuss a number of topics that will be relevant to all such leaders.

Charlie shares advice on speaking both business & technical languages, silent starts to meetings, going bigger on your projects & considering new data sources. Well worth a listen and prioritising which ideas could work for you in your role. I hope you enjoy this chat as much as I did.

In episode 56, I'm in conversation with Aparna Bharadwaj, an MD & Partner at BCG who is also their Global Leader of the Centre for Customer Insight. During her interview, you will have the opportunity to hear why she is passionate about customer insight & the difference it can make in businesses.

Prior to her very successful career in BCG, Aparna learnt her marketing trade at Coca Cola & has an MBA from Harvard Uni. So, she has a great commercial grounding for her perspective on customer insight & what businesses really need. Together we explore the power of focussing on empathy, simplification & impact. Aparna brings to life how this helps researchers & analysts deliver insights that actually drive sustainable changes.

We also follow up on Aparna's highly praised talk for International Women's Day by exploring the benefits of diversity & more global awareness for both customer insight leaders and analysts. Aparna is my second guest from Singapore (following Avis Easteal in episode 43). During our conversation, she really brings to life how greater cultural awareness & empathy for people can improve the quality of the insights produced. Enjoy!

For episode 55, I am joined by Rob McLaughlin the founder of the Loop Horizon agency. Rob is an experienced digital marketing professional and a proven leader in the field of data & analytics, with a track record of bringing customer data into the complex marketing and technology landscape. 

Prior to founding Loop Horizon, Rob has led data & decisioning teams at Sky, Digitas, Barclays & Canon. So, he has plenty of real world experience to share with us in both leading data teams and applying data to deliver improved marketing or customer experience. Some of which we are going to try and mine during this conversation.

We start by exploring Rob's career story & the lessons he has learnt about where he was best to specialise. We discuss the benefits of working within the business & being close to the action with regards to your ability to 'activate' data. During our chat we also touch on the power of creating your own data & when you might consider the move to consulting or even setting up you own agency.

Plenty of nuggets of wisdom and some controversial opinions along the way - I hope you enjoy it & can't wait to hear your thoughts. Thanks again to Rob for his time.

For episode 54 my guest is Peter Jones, who is Head of Data for Internal Audit at the UK insurer Legal & General. During our conversation, we explore many lessons that Peter has learnt during his career. These include how he became a data leader without even a Maths 'A' level, as well as the lessons learnt from integrating identity systems, switching sectors & delivering a data warehouse.

But what is most unique about this episode is our discussion about the growing use of data & analytics within Internal Audit functions. You may not of considered that department as a career opportunity for data or analytics. So, listen to Peter describe why it's "hot" as an opportunity with fresh challenges for those who possess the data & critical thinking skills needed. Well worth considering as a new opportunity area for analysts.

For episode 53 my guest is Dan Kellett, CDO at Capital One in the UK. Dan has great experience to share with us, with many years of hands-on experience in leading & developing data & analytics teams.

Unlike my well travelled guests, Dan has spent the vast majority of his career with one employer, Capital One. He shares why & the benefits that he's seen from such a choice. He also shares the value of focussing on practical commercial work rather than academic qualifications (so a contrarian view to that of my guests with PhDs).

More importantly, Dan shares practical tips from his experience of bringing together diverse technical teams and developing commercial awareness as well as technical skills. We debate the added value of Data Science beyond the Statistical approaches in Analytics that pre-date that label. Dan is a humble and eloquent leader with much real-world proven experience to share. He also has a passion for developing his team, so I recommend that other data leaders tune in to hear his perspective.

For episode 52 I chat with Adam Sroka. He is Head of Machine Learning Engineering at Origami Energy, an energy trading software start-up. During our conversation we explore the benefit of starting your data career in the culture of a start-up. Adam shares what motivates him as a gamer & self-confessed nerd, including the importance of the social impact that Origami is making. 

Along the way we explore the branches of Data Science and the diversity of communities, meet-ups & mentors that can help you develop the skills you need. Adam brings to life the benefits of raising your profile to 'show your work' (recommending the book you can see via that link).

Finally we also explore the benefit of having a commercial solution to meeting social needs. Worth hearing his balanced assessment of the importance of domain knowledge as well as technical skills, plus the benefit of adding commercial expertise to your team. Those transitioning to a management role from a technical doer will also benefit from a number of tips that Adam shares during our chat. 

I hope you enjoy yet another different voice as together we hear from the wide diversity of successful data leaders in the world today.

In episode 51, I chat with Stuart Hayes who is Head of Data & Analytics for OSN in Dubai (the Sky TV equivalent for that region). He has helped many businesses over his decades of work as a consultant and a data leader, from the FT to Sky Betting and many more.

During our conversation we reflect on Stuart's career and wanderlust. He shares how so much travel has helped him develop as a data leader. he also shares his take on Data Science, the benefits of starting your career at a start-up & why you still need a SCV. Like me, Stuart has also led a Market Research team as well as data & analytics teams, so we explore that transition too.

Plenty of practical tips and advice from a gent with the benefit of decades of hands-on data leadership roles, so well worth a listen to see what ideas Stuart may spark in your own thinking. Don't miss the Spice Girls analogy for a real groan/laugh out loud moment.

For the milestone of episode 50, we return to the world of Data Visualisation. This time my guest is Neil Richards. Neil is a current 3 time Tableau Zen Master & Public Ambassador who works as a Business Intelligence Lead at JLL in the UK.

He is probably best known as being very active in the UK’s data visualisation community. He’s a former Knowledge Director of the Data Visualization Society and current Editorial Director at Viz for Social Good. Neil also blogs at questionsindataviz.com where he regularly discusses & demonstrates his personal (and often unorthodox) data visualisation projects.

In our conversation we explore his data career & last 6-7 years learning data visualisation. We have opportunity to explore the benefits of data viz being a passion outside your working hours. Plus, how Neil has benefited from communities, inspiration and feedback. Plenty of tips to help those who are also working on improving their data visualisation skills this year.

Episode 47 is our second podcast recorded live in front of an audience at Big Data London 2021. My guest for this episode is Souvik Saha. He heads up the Consumer Data & Analytics teams of Citibank in the UK. He's also a member of their UK consumer leadership and data leadership teams.

Starting as a data analyst 15 years ago, Souvik has been on an exciting journey living in 5 countries and managing various data verticals over the years. Even before commencing his journey as a data professional, he was passionate about data & says he considers himself extremely lucky to be working in his area of passion. He stepped away for 3 years from core data verticals and headed Sales Performance Management to experience the world outside data. There he managed to combine analytics and execution to drive a 30% increase in sales productivity. He’s now focused on building a team which can use the latest data techniques to drive business value along with effective data governance.

In this conversation we explore both Souvik's career story and what he has learnt along the way. We explore how he benefited from moving into a business leadership role & working in other countries including Russia. Souvik also shares how he has got offshoring of analytics working effectively. Then we finish with his tips for others for their analytics & leadership development.

A first for episode 46, our first-ever Customer Insight Leader podcast Live! This interview with Tom Spencer was recorded live in front of a studio audience at the Big Data London 2021 event at Olympia, London.

Tom is the Head of Customer Data Science at Aviva. In our conversation, we hear his career story, including fourteen years’ front-line experience at Dunnhumby (yes another podcast guest who has been through that training). Tom’s career highlights include establishing Dunnhumby Korea as analytics lead, heading up the Asia region’s analyst teams, and leading the South Korea business as Country Head.

We also explore the critical topic of culture & how to create a great place to work. Given Tom’s team at Aviva have won the ‘Best Place to Work in Data‘ at the DataIQ Awards in 2019 & 2020 he is well qualified to advise us on a winning formula. There is so much to enjoy in our conversation & I hope you find our first foray into taking the podcast on the road delivers some really useful insights.

In episode 45, my latest guest is Peter Sueref. Peter has worked with data his whole career since graduating in Computer Science at Cardiff University. As the Data Science Director at Centrica he worked on some of the biggest problems in energy today.  While at Centrica he also launched their first Blockchain project, set up the first group-wide Data Science Team, built their Digital Accelerator Hub and set up the first Knowledge Transfer Partnership around data innovation. This year, he left Centrica to set up a Data Science startup, Empirisys, where he is the CTO and co-founder. 

In our conversation we explore Pete's career story, how he leapfrogged from Data to Data Science and the power of honesty & transparency as a data leader. We even hear how Pete put this into practice with Bring Your Own Data days at Centrica. I hope you hear some tips to inspire your data leadership development.

For episode 44, I am in conversation with Gillian Docherty OBE. She is CEO of the The Data Lab Scotland and in this conversation we explore both the work of The Data Lab and other lessons Gillian has learnt during her career. Her background includes over 20 years working within IBM, but our conversation begins with a family row on the eve of her Maths O-levels.

From there we track the course of Gillian's career journey towards data leadership and explore what her experience might teach other leaders and aspiring leaders. We consider the importance of both an IT background and sales skills for data leaders. We also consider why the Data Lab Scotland model has been so successful and what that could mean for other parts of the UK or other countries. 

Finally, Gillian leaves us with some advice for analysts or data scientists on the skills they should develop, as well as what she has changed her mind on in recent years. Listen out for the Decision Diamond she has developed at the Data Lab, those 5 questions might help you prioritise too.

For episode 43, we hear from an experienced data & business leader in Asia. Avis Easteal is currently Head of Consumer at Luxasia (an omni-partner of many globally recognised luxury lifestyle & personal care brands). She joins me from Singapore. Avis explains her work as connecting people, data, marketing and customer experience, to translate business to IT and vice-versa in order to digitally transform companies. 

During our conversation we explore her career history and what she has learnt along the way. We dig into the need to ask questions to get to the real business need and the challenge of moving from agency-side to client-side leadership roles. Avis also reflects on whether the role changes she has made along the way were brave or not. We usefully explore why data leaders can make very capable business leaders & the benefits of considering a move into CX, sales or marketing roles.

We also explore Avis' passion for digital marketing and the difference that analytics-led personalisation can make. Then to close, Avis shares her answers to two of my perennial questions (advice for less experienced analysts & what she has changed her mind on). There is plenty to learn in this episode from a woman who has proven her ability to improve businesses through data-led thinking.

For episode 42 we again venture to the USA and talk with Randy Krum the creator of the famous CoolInfographics website. Randy is a data visualisation designer with his own design agency (InfoNewt), teaches a University course and is a published author. His book is “Cool Infographics: Effective Communication with Data Visualisation and Design” and he's also active in organising Data Viz Meet-up groups. So, we had plenty to chat about.

In this conversation we explore Randy's career story, including the role for blogs to visually share others' content & showcase your work. We also discuss the continued role for infographics, as well as solely effective data visualisations. Randy shares what has helped him through his career & we consider when firms might choose to bring in an external design agency. Well worth a listen, especially for those interested in the role of visual communication beyond just charts.

In episode 41, I have a great conversation with Sarah Barr Miller who is Head of Data & Automation for British Airways. We chat over her career history & what she too learnt from working at dunnhumby. During that we explore the continued relevance of single customer views & the benefits of a clear demarcation between data & analytics teams.

Sarah shares what she learnt from working internationally & the challenges she overcame as a woman in a male-dominated data world. Lots to consider and a great opportunity to reflect on the skills both leaders and more junior analysts need to succeed today. What could you learn?

For episode 40, I chat with James Blagg who is the Head of Data for Principality Building Society. Based in South Wales, like your host, James shares with me his journey into a data leadership role and some lessons he's learnt along the way.

Our conversation explores the importance of breaking down silos to help connect business & technical teams. We reflect on what James has learnt from his roles in risk & change leadership. He also shares how he has persuaded risk adverse leadership teams to invest in their data capabilities. Plus, James openly shares his own leadership challenges. Another opportunity to hear the reality, behind the spin, of data leadership in today's businesses.

For episode 39 we cross the pond again to talk with Graham MacDonald, who is the Chief Data Officer for the Urban Institute (a US non profit dedicated to elevating the debate on social & economic policy). During our conversation we explore how Graham has successfully influenced his organisation to develop both a data visualisation and a data science capability.

I quiz Graham on how he achieved those decisions and other lessons from his career story. We explore hiring decisions, the importance of developing domain knowledge and caring about your organisation's purpose. Graham also brings a fresh perspective to both how he is developing as a leader and tips for those earlier in their career. I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I enjoyed Graham's warm friendly company. Data with a purpose brought to life.

For episode 37, I am in conversation with Aaron Peck who is the North American President & MD of the global Market Research consultancy MetrixLab. While the majority of people I've interviewed on this podcast are leaders in data, analytics or data science, this time we ring the changes. I am delighted to focus for a change on the world of Market Research and Customer Insight, including the sales side of that world.

During our chat, Aaron and I explore his career journey and the continued need for Market Research in today's data obsessed world. We consider how an in-house research team can best work with their agency partners. Plus, Aaron has recently been promoted to President so we also explore his experience of that key leadership transition.

As normal, we finish by hearing how Aaron is still developing as a leader, plus his tips for those who are starting out. We close with what Aaron has recently changed his mind about. I hope you find our chat insightful.

For episode 35, my guest is Richard Pugh who is Chief Data Scientist & co-founder of the data science agency Mango Solutions. Richard has decades of experience in helping businesses make better decisions through data & is also a passionate member of the R & Data Science communities in the UK.

In our conversation we explore Rich's career story & the reality of what Data Science offers over and above traditional Statistics & advanced Analytics. We also chat about what it takes for organisations to be ready to adopt Data Science, how Mango's 'Radar' helps them hire & the continued benefits of R as a language even as others grow in popularity. Finally he shares both his own development focus & tips for those starting off in the Data Science careers. A must listen for those wanting to learn from a man who has proven the value he can add to business through applying Data Science.

For episode 27, I am joined by Rob Kellaway who is Head of Data Ops at Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM). Rob has held a variety of IT & Data leadership roles within Financial Services. In this conversation we explore some of the lessons learnt during his varied career. We focus on data roles inside and outside IT. We also explore the rise of Data Ops as a function & the long view of the reality behind the hype surrounding Big Data & Data Science. Rob shares plenty of pragmatic advice from his experience as a hands on leader as well as tips for less experienced analysts. Enjoy.

In episode 19, I speak to Jason Bartram (while he was at the Ombudsman Services, prior to his new role at eBay). This is another recording from my archives, but a conversation well worth revisiting. In this interview we discuss his current role and career path, including lessons learnt in the hotel trade. He has a great anecdote involving the then Home Secretary and a fight in the kitchen. Jason also explains the importance of developing resilience as a leader and how different roles have helped him develop.

We then talk about some of the interesting work that Jason is currently doing at the Ombudsman Services. This includes an interesting application of speech analytics to identify different personality types. The timely topics of measuring emotion and GDPR also make an appearance. Many thanks to Jason for his candour and for sharing his advice for developing as an analyst and a leader. Listen out for his advice on coping in the ‘panic zone‘, as well as focusing on analysis that can be actioned. Execution is key to making a difference, I agree with Jason on that priority. Hope you enjoy our conversation and it helps inspire you in your role.

In this eighteenth episode, I chat with Alan Crawley, Founder & CEO of Optima Partners. As you hear in our conversation his boutique consultancy focusses on analytics for interaction optimisation, customer strategy & innovation. He also has a background as a marine biologist which we explore as a great starting point for his career in data science. We discuss the advancements in data, data science & AI that are really helping businesses. Plus, the need for commercial awareness & Alan's tips for leaders or those starting their career. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

For our seventeenth episode, we turn our attention to Analytics and how analysts & their leaders can succeed in their careers. On this episode, I am joined by Harry Wilkes, Head of Customer Analytics for RELX.

During our chat we discuss his current role and career path, including the value of commercial focussed Database Marketing or lead generation roles. We review both technical and softer skills that can help leaders effectively manage their teams and analysts develop the skills they need. Out chat also includes lessons learnt from the book that Harry recommended in this blog post.

Harry shares his own experience and what is working for him and his team in their global consulting role supporting a wide range of businesses. A fascinating new perspective on common challenges. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed catching up with Harry.

For our sixteenth episode, we return to interviews with Data Science leaders working in business today. I am joined by Gwilym Morrison who leads Data Science at the UK mutual insurer, Royal London. During our chat we discuss his current role and career path, including his transition from analyst to a people leader. Gwilym usefully shares the 6 skills that he has identified as needed within Data Science teams. These are well worth hearing and reassuring, as they map across to a number of topics we have already covered on Customer Insight Leader blog. He also calls out the Data Science Radar framework from Mango Solutions, who have previously shared their view on achieving Data Science readiness.  So, plenty of tips for other leaders and I hope you really enjoy our conversation.

In this fourteenth episode, we go deeper into leadership & psychology. I interview Ty Francis, founder of Meus, Gestalt leadership coach, consultant and filmmaker. Together we explore the need for the work he does with leadership teams seeking development, transformation, culture change and communication. This blossoms into a conversation about human beings, real transformation, Gestalt principles and creativity. We consider, more deeply, how leaders (including technical leaders) can more fully express themselves and serve the wider organisation. This includes the role of filmmaking & poetry. A lot to enjoy in this longer episode, so settle down to savour this one.

In this twelfth episode, I interview Tom Lloyd who is the Managing Director of MetaMetrics. As you hear in our conversation, his agency focusses on applying Econometrics and helping clients measure what drives their sales. With so much experience of applying marketing analytics & modelling for clients, Tom has plenty of practical advice to share with us. During our conversation, we covered a number of topics that I know readers of our blog have raised. From econometrics to customer insight, analytics to marketing & business questions. His experience “in the trenches” with clients shines through when we discuss topics like entrenched hypotheses & managing analysts differently. Hope you enjoy this one.