GET TO KNOW changing my eating habits. Swimming, especially in the colder months, also encourages me to face fear. Which I suffer from at times but refuse to let it take over.
Instead, I channel this fear into energy for the things I enjoy doing outside of work, like running. I have found a community through sports and have made many lifelong friends.
I also love cooking for two reasons. As a creative outlet and for the way it works as a catalyst for bringing people together. During the pandemic, I found that cooking was extremely therapeutic – and it made me more creative than ever.
If you could go back and change one career decision, what would it be?
Another challenge associated with AI adoption is related to agility and whether organisations have the ability to be flexible with their infrastructure models in areas like vendor lock-ins and scaling along with the integration issue I touched on earlier.
As AI adoption and the use of Generative AI continues to evolve and grow at speed it needs a data model that can scale at the same pace. The data platform should be driving the AI platform. Unfortunately, rigid infrastructure can hinder innovation and slow down the development and deployment of AI applications.
What changes to your job role have you seen in the last year and how do you see these developing in the next 12 months?
I’ ve always wanted to be a shoe designer. My dad, being an architect, didn’ t want me to pursue anything in the arts. I also had a goal of getting to the 1986 Olympics as a swimmer. I often wonder what could have been if I had taken either of those pathways and followed my passions as opposed to business and financial security.
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry?
Security and risk mitigation are key areas of investment, fundamentally supported by data management. As organisations transition to cloudbased systems, it’ s crucial to operate within a secure environment that efficiently manages their business information. Data, being a highly valued asset, presents a challenge for businesses. They must balance the transformation of raw data into a monetisable product while maintaining ethical standards and privacy.
The automation of manual data processes through AI can yield valuable insights derived from data,
transforming raw data into actionable information.
What are the region-specific challenges when implementing new technologies in APAC?
AI is the modern technology that organisations are struggling with when it comes to implementation. AI models require access to vast amounts of highquality, diverse data, and we have found that enterprises often struggle to integrate their data silos in a way that ensures trusted data, secure data and seamless data access.
One thing that has been consistent in the past 12 months has been the act of change itself. In terms of how this has impacted my role over the past year, I would say that having the ability to adapt quickly and where needed adapt our business model, has been crucial.
With change being constant, the other critical thing for me has been accelerating the pace of my own learning.
Looking forward, I see my role evolving further to ensure as an organisation we continue to keep up with the rate of change. This will include ensuring I stay current with the latest advancements in AI and data management while also fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement within my team.
When it comes to building a strong team, I am passionate about workplace diversity and changing the way we hire. For me, this means bringing in people from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. After all, some of the best data engineers, scientists and academics have emerged from unexpected places. Diversity of thought also fosters innovation and helps ensure we are future proofing our sector.
What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain a C-level position in your industry?
Be authentic, develop business acumen skills and focus on the outcome and the customer. Good leadership is not just about generating revenue but bringing everyone along on the journey and helping them succeed. Emotional intelligence is crucial. If you can’ t empathise and tell when someone is having a good or bad day, then all the business acumen and revenue numbers in the world will not make you a good leader. p
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