The Data & AI Chief

ThoughtSpot

Meet the world’s top data and AI leaders transforming how we do business. Hear case studies, industry insights, and personal lessons from the executives leading the data and AI revolution.

Join host Cindi Howson, Chief Data & AI Strategy Officer at ThoughtSpot, every other Wednesday to meet the leaders and teams at the cutting edge.

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142 episodes
Updated July 22

Episodes142

Newest first

Sep 24, 2025 · 43 min
Why CDO of WEX Puts People Before Technology in the Age of AI
Learn how to lead AI-driven change with Karen Stroup, CDO at WEX—covering data trust and agile decision-making.
Sep 10, 2025 · 45 min
Unlocking the Autonomous Enterprise, with ThoughtSpot CEO
ThoughtSpot CEO Ketan Karkhanis shares the future of the autonomous enterprise, where AI agents act on insights and automate workflows.
Aug 20, 2025 · 32 min
From Building at Pinterest and Airbnb to Revolutionizing AI at Kumo.AI
How the former CTO of Pinterest and Airbnb is reshaping enterprise AI—from the rise of data-forward organizations to Kumo.AI’s bold vision for predictive, cloud-first innovation.
Aug 6, 2025 · 40 min
Why "Garbage In, Disaster Out" is AI's New Reality: Ecolab CDO
Transform your data strategy with expert insights from Anand Iyer, Ecolab's CDO. Learn to navigate the "garbage in, disaster out" reality, and discover self-service analytics with AI.
Jul 23, 2025 · 57 min
Why Leaders Need to Master Responsible AI: Insights from Pioneer Noelle Russell
Prepare for game-changing AI insights! Join Noelle Russell, CEO of the AI Leadership Institute, as she unpacks responsible AI, from her Alexa journey and "I Love AI" community to the "baby tiger" analogy and data bias.
Jul 9, 2025 · 49 min
How Lloyds Banking Uses Data Escape Rooms to Build a Data Culture
Discover how Lloyds Banking Group’s Data Initiatives, led by Josh Cunningham, are transforming with data and AI. Learn about their innovative data/AI literacy programs and ambitious quest to be the "most data literate bank."
Jun 25, 2025 · 39 min
How a CDAO goes from baseball to insurance with Don Vu - New York Life
Learn how Don Vu, SVP and Chief Data and Analytics Officer at New York Life, navigates AI and data transformation within a 180-year-old institution. Discover insights on agentic AI and solving the "last mile problem" in data.
Jun 11, 2025 · 45 min
How the Met Police Uses AI to Prevent Crime and Protect Communities
Discover how the Met Police is using data and AI, tech to fight crime, boost safety, and modernize policing—featuring Aimee Smith (Director of Data at the Metropolitan Police) and host, Cindi Howson.
May 21, 2025 · 41 min
Why Hyatt is Investing in AI and Self-Service to Transform the Future of Hospitality
Learn how Hyatt is revolutionizing hospitality with data! Cindi Howson and Hyatt's Ray Boyle (VP, Data and Analytics) discuss their 4-pillar strategy, self-service analytics, and AI-powered personalization.
May 12, 2025 · 41 min
How Macquarie Bank Uses AI and Data to Enhance Customer Experience
Explore the AI revolution in finance! Cindi Howson interviews Macquarie Bank's Ashwin Sinha (Chief Data Officer) on transforming financial services with generative AI, and the evolving role of the data analyst.
Apr 23, 2025 · 45 min
How SeaWorld Uses Data to Create Unforgettable Guest and Marine Life Experiences
How does data power theme park experiences? Cindi Howson and Gavin Hupp, VP of Technology, Enterprise Architecture, Data and Martech, E-commerce and Analytics at United Parks and Resorts, discuss the complex data ecosystem.
Apr 9, 2025 · 41 min
How SharkNinja Drives Business Value: The Power of Data for All
Learn how SharkNinja fuels product innovation with data. Our host Cindi Howson interviews Elpida Ormanidou, VP of Analytics and Insights, on their data culture and AI insights.
Mar 19, 2025 · 38 min
Data-Driven Personalization: Sephora's Winning Strategy
Learn how Sephora uses data to personalize the customer journey with host Cindi Howson and Manbir Paul (VP of Engineering, Data Insights & MarTech) on The Data Chief.
Mar 5, 2025 · 54 min
Bridging the Gender Gap in Data & AI with Databricks & Women in Data UK
Join Cindi Howson, Robin Sutara (Databricks CDO), and Roisin McCarthy (Women in Data UK Founder) as they discuss diversity and inclusion in the data and AI space.
Feb 19, 2025 · 51 min
Why a Federated Data Team is Crucial for Business Value, with Dow
Join Cindi Howson, Chris Bruman (Dow CDAO), & Dan Futter (CCO) as they discuss data-driven innovation and its impact on business!
Feb 5, 2025 · 49 min
Data Trends Shaping AI’s Future with NVIDIA’s Agentic AI CTO
Discover the transformative potential of generative and agentic AI in business. Your host, Cindi Howson, and CTO of NVIDIA AI agentic software, Bartley Richardson, discuss generative to agentic AI adoption and real-world use cases, data challenges, and practical advice for AI leaders.
Jan 22, 2025 · 1 hr 22 min
Data and AI Predictions for 2025 with Matt Turck, Steve Nouri, and Joe Reis
In this season premiere of The Data Chief podcast, your host Cindi Howson sits down with three industry visionaries to explore the trends, predictions, and must-take actions for data leaders in 2025. Get ready for a deep dive into: - The generative AI revolution with Matt Turck, Partner at FirstMark Capital - The future of data science and genAI with Steve Nouri, Founder of GenAI Works and AI for Diversity - Data Engineering in the Age of AI with Joe Reis, author of "Fundamentals of Data Engine
Nov 13, 2024 · 31 min
Five Best Practices to Succeed with Data and GenAI: Lessons from Leaders
In this special episode, host, Cindi Howson, looks back on an exciting year of conversations with data and AI leaders who are shaping the future. As Generative AI transitions from hype to real-world applications, we reflect on five essential practices for organizations looking to drive business value from AI and data initiatives. From data ethics and literacy to aligning AI with strategic value, Cindi and Data Chief guests from this past year dive into the key lessons needed to thrive in this g
Oct 30, 2024 · 35 min
How to Master the Future of Work and AI Upskilling, with Marni Baker Stein at Coursera
Marni Baker Stein, Chief Content Officer at Coursera, joins host Cindi Howson to discuss the impact of Generative AI on the global skills landscape. With a career dedicated to advancing educational access, Marni offers a unique perspective on the rapid rise of Generative AI and its impact on the changing demands of the labor market. Together, they discuss the rapid growth in demand for AI-related skills, the importance of diversity in tech, and the role of both individuals and employers in upski
Oct 16, 2024 · 46 min
How Can Data Leaders Shift from Data-First to Business-First Mindset? With Deepak Jose, Global Data, Analytics and AI leader
Join Deepak Jose, a seasoned data and business leader, as he shares his journey from engineer to data analytics leader at top companies like Coca-Cola, Mars, and most recently Niagara Bottling. In this episode, Deepak discusses the importance of adopting a business-first mindset, leveraging generative AI, and building adaptable data strategies to drive real value in organizations.