Shows
The Data And AI PodcastEpisode 22: Bridging the Data Skills Gap - How to Upskill and Build Analytics CultureIn this episode of Harnham’s Data & AI Podcast, Harnham CEO Dave Farmer speaks with Rockborne CEO Waseem Ali about one of the biggest challenges facing organisations today: closing the data and AI skills gap while building a culture that uses data in everyday decision making.
Waseem explains why the gap is often misunderstood. Many companies focus on technical hiring or new tools, but the real issue is confidence and capability across the wider business. People need to understand how data helps them make better decisions, not just how a platform works. That shift takes leadership focus, cl...
2026-01-0932 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 21: GenAI breakthroughs, roadblocks and what to learn nextThis week on Harnham’s Data & AI Podcast, Senior Growth Manager Jayme Oshaben is joined by Ashish Bansal, founder of StarSpark.AI and former Google leader, for a grounded look at where generative AI is really heading.
Ashish reflects on the breakthroughs that brought us here: from seq2seq models to Transformers and self-supervised learning, and why cost, scale and reliability still determine which ideas make it into production. He explains the common stumbling block teams face with GenAI: it’s easy to get to a promising proof of concept, but closing the gap to a pr...
2025-10-0233 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 20: How Incrementality and MMM Are Changing Marketing AnalyticsThis week on Harnham’s Data & AI Podcast, Lloyd Dunstall sits down with Matthew Nixon, Head of Analytics, EMEA at Incubeta, to dive into one of marketing’s toughest challenges: proving impact when the data is fragmented and signals are fading.
Matt explains why effective measurement now relies on combining three approaches: attribution, Marketing Mix Modelling (MMM) and incrementality. Together, they give a clearer view of performance and help businesses build trust in their numbers.
Highlights include:
Why moving beyond “just another dashboard” is key to linking marketing data with business growth.
How MMM...
2025-09-2353 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 19: How AI Innovation & Hiring Are Evolving Hand in HandIn this episode of Harnham’s Data & AI Podcast, Luc Simpson-Kent is joined by Nathalie Baker, Managing Director and Lead Data Scientist for EMEA at FTI Consulting. They delve into the realities behind AI’s rapid adoption in business. What’s working, what isn’t, and where the real challenges lie.
Nathalie shares insights on:
Why governance and GenAI tooling are reshaping the consulting space
How FTI Consulting built AI tools like Ariadne to solve complex, real-world problems
What hiring data talent really looks like today—and what often gets missed
Why soft skills like communication...
2025-07-1824 minThe Data And AI PodcastExclusive! Harnham to 15,000: The Shift to PersonalisationIn this episode of The Data & AI Podcast, Elizabeth Stone, Senior Manager at Harnham, is joined by Charlie Nicholls, CMO at Dexata.
To mark Harnham’s 15,000 placements, Elizabeth and Charlie reflect on how data talent, technology, and customer expectations have evolved over the past two decades, and what that means for the future of work and experience design.
They cover:
What it takes to get personalisation right at scale
How AI is reshaping the workplace and decision-making
The role of experimentation in creating human-centric experiences
Why customer experience optimisation is more critical now
If...
2025-07-1720 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 18: Beyond the Numbers: Humanising Your Customer DataIn this episode of The Data & AI Podcast, Lloyd Dunstall, Principal Recruitment Consultant at Harnham, is joined by Abi Hough, a seasoned consultant specialising in optimisation and user experience.
Abi shares insights from her 20+ years in the industry, discussing why relying solely on data can lead to poor decisions and how combining analytics with a deep understanding of user behaviour can drive better outcomes.
They cover:
The risks of data-only decision-making
How to blend data with user research
Real-world examples where human insight improved business performance
The importance of storytelling i...
2025-05-1350 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 17: Bridging the Consumer Experience Gap: What Brands Get WrongThis week on The Data & AI Podcast, host Noah Stuckey, Managing Consultant for Market Research & Customer Insight at Harnham, sits down with Abhijeet Roy, Chief Client Officer at Focus Insights, to explore the consumer experience gap, why brands often fail to deliver on their promises and what they can do about it.
With over 25 years in the market research industry, Abhijeet shares how businesses invest heavily in product launches and advertising but often overlook the real-world customer experience. He explains why the traditional approaches to market research don’t always capture genuine consumer behaviour, and how social li...
2025-03-2428 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 16: The Past, Present, and Future of ExperimentationThis week on The Data & AI Podcast, host Lloyd Dunstall—Principal Recruitment Consultant at Harnham—sits down with Chris Gibbins, Chief Experience Officer at Creative CX, to explore the fascinating evolution of experimentation in digital analytics and CRO.
From the early days of small A/B tests to today's expansive, journey-wide experimentation, Chris reflects on how this scientific approach has transformed not just decision-making, but creativity itself. Highlights include:
Why experimentation isn’t just about tweaking button colours but about unlocking bold, strategic ideas.
Success stories that delivered significant wins for both customers and businesses.
A look a...
2025-01-1556 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 15: Utilising Data for Market FitIn this episode of The Data & AI Podcast, Harnham's Henry Rodriguez sits down with Will Iles and Nicolina Turcan from InsurX to explore the role of data in achieving product-market fit. They discuss how InsurX leverages data to refine its algorithms and improve the efficiency of the London insurance market, the importance of hiring adaptable talent in a data-driven startup, and the future impact of AI on the industry. Tune in for practical insights into creating successful products and navigating the evolving insurance tech landscape.
2024-12-0550 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 14: Geospatial Analytics - Past, Present and FutureIn this episode of The Data & AI Podcast, Harnham's Rosalind Madge sits down with Luke Badger, Head of Analytics at Segro Plc. to talk about the world of geospatial analytics - the history, business use cases, advice for anyone looking to get into the field and future predictions.
2024-10-3132 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 13: Democratising DataIn this episode of The Data & AI Podcast, Harnham’s Fabian Briceño Toro, Senior Recruitment Consultant, and Piethein Strengholt, Chief Data Officer at Microsoft Netherlands, talk about the critical aspects of democratising data.
They discuss the importance of making data accessible across all organisational levels, the common challenges and solutions, and strategies for aligning data democratisation with business goals.
Learn about key technologies, the role of leadership, and future trends in data democratisation, with practical insights for organisations at any stage of their data journey.
2024-10-3154 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 13: Democratising DataIn this episode of The Data & AI Podcast, Harnham's Fabian Briceño Toro sat down with Piethein Strengholt, Chief Data Officer at Microsoft Netherlands to talk about the importance of making data accessible across all organisational levels, the common challenges and solutions, and strategies for aligning data democratization with business goals.
Learn about key technologies, the role of leadership, and future trends in data democratization, with practical insights for organisations at any stage of their journey.
2024-10-0354 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 12: How to Build and Retain High-Performing Analytics TeamsIn the latest episode of The Data & AI Podcast, Harnham's Sam Maughan sits down with Elliot Jackson, a seasoned data leader, to discuss the journey of building and retaining high-performing analytics teams. They cover everything from common challenges and hiring the right talent to securing boardroom buy-in and much more. Tune in for top tips, expert advice, future predictions, and, of course, a little bit on AI!
2024-09-0535 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 11: Leading with a People-First Approach: Navigating Growth in Data and AIJoin one of our hosts Sam Maughan, a senior leader in Harnham, as he chats with Rob McDowell, CEO of Foremost, about balancing rapid business growth with a people-first philosophy.
Rob shares his journey from the early days at Santander to leading 4most, a global consultancy firm with 300 employees across multiple countries. They dive into the evolution of hiring in data, the importance of keeping a strong company culture during periods of accelerated growth, and how to effectively reward and retain top talent.
Rob also talks about the future impact of AI on consulting and...
2024-07-0426 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 10: From Payday Lending to AI: Navigating the Credit Risk LandscapeIn this episode of The Data & AI Podcast, this month's host Sam Maughan and seasoned fintech leader Tim Trailor embark on a journey through the evolving landscape of Credit Risk Analytics.
From the early days at Capital One to the disruptive impact of payday lending, fintech innovations, and the rise of Buy Now, Pay Later schemes, Tim shares invaluable insights into the challenges and transformations in the Credit Risk sector.
Sam & Tim discuss the shift from traditional SAS technology to open-source solutions, the impact of AI on consumer lending, and strategies for attracting top talent...
2024-06-1152 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 9: The State and Future of AI📣 Join Harnham’s Sam Agre in conversation with AI experts Hunter Powers, Theodore Sumers and Julianna Ianni. Tune in as they explore the current landscape and the exciting future possibilities of Machine Learning and AI.
Whether you're a professional in the field or simply an AI enthusiast, this episode promises to be an engaging journey through the evolving world of AI and ML. The conversation features insights on the latest advancements, considerations, and transformative potential of AI across various use cases. Join us and ponder the possibilities of what AI might achieve next.
2024-04-301h 00The Data And AI PodcastEpisode 8: The Next Data Wave: Emerging Trends in Data Management and GovernanceIn this episode, Harnham's Holly Neevs sits with Rockborne's CEO and Data Leader, Waseem Ali, and Barry Hosted, Director of Data Management at John Lewis Partnership, to tackle the complex world of data management, governance, and AI policies.
Our experts share their expertise and explore the latest trends in the data sphere. This engaging conversation offers something for everyone, from seasoned professionals to those just beginning their journey in data.
Give it a listen and subscribe for the latest episodes.
2024-02-2146 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 7: Futurecast: Skillsets, Decisions, and the Role of AIIn our latest podcast episode, Rockborne’s CEO Waseem Ali explores the dynamic world of data and AI with Harnham’s CEO Dave Farmer.
From the evolution of the market to the balance between well-rounded and specialised skillsets, the conversation explores the critical role of data in decision-making. Our hosts also touch on the AI hype cycle, the future of AI, emerging roles in the field, and the delicate balance between regulation and innovation. The conversation then goes on to predictions for the next few years in the data and AI space.
2023-12-1443 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 6: Getting Into the Data Industry Without a STEM DegreeIn this episode of The Data & AI Podcast Rockbornes Amy Foster is joined by data leaders Manca Vitorino, Caroline Zimmerman and Harleen Thethy to give their expertise and experiences regarding transitioning into the data industry from a non-STEM background. They discuss a variety of topics, from the biggest challenges they faced initially, to tips for any non-STEM grads looking to get into the industry.
Intro 00:00-01:32
What inspired you to start a career in data 01:32-08:40
Were there challenges for you transitioning into data 08:40-16:35
How did you go about learning...
2023-10-2554 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 5: Diversity Equity & Inclusion - How Data Leaders Can Take ActionIn our most recent podcast episode, Harnham's India Walker-Smith sits down with experienced data leader Anita Caras to discuss leadership in the data space, and why diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) needs to be part of every data leader's leadership strategy. This episode focuses on the ups and downs of leading in the data space as well as giving advice to people who may be new in a leadership role.
00:09-1:10 – India introducing Anita and asks her to summarise her career.
1:10-4:45 – Anita explains her career journey.
4:45-7:36 – What was your first leadership role?
07:36...
2023-10-0542 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 4 - Key Findings from Harnham’s 2023 US Data & AI Salary GuideHarnhams McElla Pappas Weber, Sam Jones and Kyle Anzalone get together to discuss the key findings of the 2023 US Salary Guide. They discuss everything from the top reasons data professionals leave a role, to remote working, and of course the hot topic of AI as well as much more.
00:00-03:40 Intro.
03:40- 12:00 Job security in the data industry.
12:00- 19:45 Does company culture matter more than compensation for candidates leaving their current role?/What are the main reasons people leave?
19:45 – 20:33 Are you seeing hiring trends for hiring chief ML/AI management positions?
2023-08-1656 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 3: Key Findings from Harnham’s 2023 UK Data & AI Salary Guide This episode was recorded LIVE on LinkedIn - Harnham’s Kirsty Garshong, India Walker-Smith, Jamie Smith are joined by Rockborne’s CEO Waseem Ali to discuss the following:
- What’s driving people to change roles
- What skills and data tools are in high demand
- The “AI storm”, and how it’s impacting the sector as a whole
- Average salary increases between roles
- And much more!
00:00-03:05 Intro
03:05-08:50 Stability through uncertainty for the data industry and pay increases 08:50-16:00 Return to office
1...
2023-07-3157 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 2 - Data Literacy (with Waseem Ali & David Reed)In this episode of The Data & AI Podcast Rockborne’s CEO Waseem Ali talks with author and Chief Knowledge Officer of DataIQ - David Reed. They discuss the concept of data literacy – everything from what it is and how to implement it into an organisation's data strategy, to how data literacy and AI will intertwine as AI becomes more prolific.
If you want to learn even more about the topics discussed in this episode then pick up David's book ‘Becoming Data Literate’ here.
00:00-04:00 - Introduction to David
04:00-06:08 - What is d...
2023-06-2355 minThe Data And AI PodcastEpisode 1 – Quantifying the Benefit of Data (with Waseem Ali & Craig Civil)Episode 1 – Quantifying the Benefit of Data
In the first ever episode of The Data & AI Podcast, Rockborne’s CEO Waseem Ali sits with Craig Civil (Director of Data Science & AI @ BSI) to talk about quantifying the benefit of data and your data team, gaining stakeholders’ trust as a data leader and his thoughts on ChatGPT.
To access Rockborne’s whitepaper ‘Quantifying the Benefit of Data’, download here: https://rockborne.com/campaigns/whitepaper-quantifying-the-benefit-of-data/
If your company is having difficulty finding skilled data professionals, you can rely on the global leader in data & AI recruitment, staffing and...
2023-06-0634 min