THE PRAGMATIC CDO:
CHALLENGINIG ASSUMPTIONS,
DRIVING TANGIBLE RESULTS
Agenda Day Two
8:00 am - 8:30 am
REGISTRATION & COFFEE
8:30 am - 8:35 am
OPENING REMARKS FROM THE CHAIRPERSON
8:35 am - 8:40 am
LIVE POLLING
8:40 am - 9:10 am
Keynote Presentation: MAXIMISING BOTH TRUST & INNOVATION THROUGH AGENTIC AI GOVERNANCE
Inga Rós Gunnarsdóttir -
Chief Data Officer,
City of Reykjavik
In an era when AI is rapidly transforming decision-making processes, all organisations face unique obstacles to maintaining public trust and accountability. There’s an increasing temptation to rely more heavily on AI systems’ recommendations, however maintaining transparency, fairness and human oversight is paramount.
- Hear a case study from a CDO of a public institution in how they are maintaining public trust by leveraging AI’s potential without relinquishing control over crucial decision-making processes.
- Discover strategies for developing an AI-proof governance framework ensuring that AI remains a tool for enhancing human decision-making rather than replacing it.
- Design comprehensive training programs for data teams to effectively interpret, challenge and augment AI-generated insights and recommendations.
9:10 am - 9:40 am
Presentation: DATA WITHOUT BORDERS – NAVIGATING COMPLIANCE FOR GLOBAL DATA COLLABORATION
With the scaling of business operations across borders and the tightening of contrasting data & AI regulations throughout the globe, the stakes for compliant and ethical data sharing have never been higher. CDOs must strike a balance between enabling seamless global collaboration for maximum impact and adhering to legal obligations that will futureproof your organisation’s data sharing efforts.
- Learn how to establish clear frameworks for secure and compliant data sharing across internal teams and external partners in multiple geographies.
- Explore best practices for navigating data regulations (including EU AI Act, Data Act 2024 & GDPR) when sharing data internationally, including managing transparency and accountability requirements.
- Discover tools and technologies that facilitate secure cross-border collaboration while maintaining control over sensitive data.
CDOs face a critical decision whether to build custom data solutions in-house or purchase on-the-shelf solutions from vendors. This choice goes beyond mere cost considerations, with a focus on fundamental aspects of organisational strategy, competitive advantage and long-term flexibility. As data becomes increasingly central to business operations, the build vs. buy decision has far-reaching implications for a company's ability to innovate, adapt, and maintain control over its data assets.
- Learn a framework for when to build for strategic advantage and when to buy for operational efficiency.
- Understand the hidden costs and benefits of both approaches, including long-term maintenance, scalability and integration challenges.
- Explore strategies for hybrid approaches that combine the best of both worlds, such as customizing off-the-shelf solutions.
As organisations recognise the immense value of data democratisation, a new paradigm is emerging: one where every employee becomes a data owner, accountable and responsible for data assets. This session explores the power of having "skin in the game" and how integrating data into people's day-to-day lives can drive innovation, improve decision-making, and ultimately make the traditional CDO role obsolete.
- Learn strategies for implementing a data ownership model that empowers employees at all levels.
- Discover techniques for integrating data into daily workflows, making data usage intuitive and essential.
- Gain insights into redefining your role as a facilitator of data culture rather than a gatekeeper of information.
11:30 am - 12:00 pm
Presentation: BRIDGING THE GAP – FOSTERING COLLABORATION BETWEEN DATA TEAMS AND SELF-SERVICE USERS
Organisations are increasingly adopting self-service analytics to empower business users. However, this shift can lead to unintended consequences, such as under-communication and misalignment with the overall business objectives. As self-serve analytics becomes more prevalent, it’s crucial to maintain strong connections between technical data professionals and business users. As a CDO, how do you find a sustainable equilibrium to forge data accelerating synergies?
- Learn effective communication strategies to bridge the gap between data teams and self-service users throughout the business.
- Discover best practices for aligning self-service analytics initiatives with overarching commercial objectives.
- Explore techniques for cultivating a collaborative data culture that balances autonomy and expert support.
12:00 pm - 12:15 pm
Ted-Talk Presentation: Opinion 1 REALITY CHECK – ALIGNING DATA EFFORTS WITH PRACTICAL BUSINESS GOALS
Lars Wikstrom -
Global Head of Data Architecture,
Danske Bank
In today’s data-driven business landscape, CDOs must demonstrate tangible value to secure organisational support and resources. This discussion invited you to consider a pragmatic and results-driven mindset.
While innovative and visionary data efforts sound good to the board, there is risk of overpromising and underdelivering, hindering any real efforts to prove tangible value and positioning yourself in the firing line.
- Discover the real commercial impact that practical data efforts can have on organisational objectives, proving tangible value.
- Realise the value of building momentum through consistent and realistic data initiatives to secure your organisational reputation as a results-driven data leader.
12:15 pm - 12:30 pm
Ted-Talk Presentation: Opinion 2 VISIONARY DATA – TURNING BOLD DATA IDEAS INTO ACTION
Jeroen Scheer -
Chief Data Officer,
Shell
In order to stay ahead of the curve, you must embrace radical change and visionary technical data initiatives. In contrast to the previous session, this discussion invites you to adopt an optimistic and forward-thinking mindset.
While practicality is essential, the future of data lies in its potential to inspire innovation and experimentation, driving transformative change across your organisation. By looking beyond current constraints and focusing on possibilities that data can unlock, your organisation can position itself as a data pioneer.
- Embrace your future data decisions with a positive growth mindset to drive transformative change through data initiatives.
- Uncover unforeseen synergies from motivating teams in your organisation through the development of collaborative and cutting-edge data strategies.
- Position the your role as integral to your business by transforming the organisation to adopt a reliance and focus on data.
12:30 pm - 12:50 pm
Roundtable Discussion
Discuss whether you should take a more pragmatic approach, focusing on meeting practical business objectives through quick wins of short-term data initiatives? Or should you focus on futuristic and somewhat visionary data projects to impress the boardroom to gain executive buy-in?
12:50 pm - 1:50 pm
Lunch
CDOs are successfully implementing widespread data literacy initiatives across their organisation. However, the development of data literacy programs must go beyond basic data comprehension, focusing instead on equipping teams with skills and strategies to leverage data into a commercial asset.
- Understand the tools that emphasise the commercial relevance and practical application of data insights when teaching employees at your organisation.
- Develop frameworks to help employees translate data findings into actionable business strategies.
- Establish a rich culture of data-driven decision-making by consistently linking data literacy to tangible business outcomes and organisational objectives.
3:00 pm - 3:45 pm
Panel Discussion: FEDERATION OR FRUSTRATION – CDOS WEIGH IN ON PRACTICAL DATA DEMOCRATISATION STRATEGIES
Susana Molina -
Head of Data Fabric,
Equifax
Nick Martijn - Global Director, Data Management & Data Platform, IKEA | Ingka Group
Nedal Moslmany - Head of Data Strategy & Governance, KWS Saat
Maria Ana Liz - Head of Data Analytics, Ericsson
42% of CDOs prioritise investment in capabilities enabling effective data sharing and democratisation. Pursuing the federated data model is becoming more and more commonplace across industries. But it’s imperative to remain aware of the problems it could create. Should you continue on the track towards democratised data ownership?
- Take stock of both the unforeseen issues caused by implementing innovative federated data models and the long-term benefits of empowering your teams to have skin-in-the-game.
- Listen to a cross-industry panel discuss a range of opinions on the federated model to gain a more informed understanding of the practical implementation of the federated model.
