Power of Data event taking place on the 12th of October at 12pm, which will bring together an inspirational line-up of external keynote speakers as well our own D&B experts, to discuss the implications and opportunities presented by digitisation, disruption, and AI – key topics for businesses globally. The event will be broadcast live from a studio in Stockholm and simulcast with the Power of Data event in New York to provide a truly global experience for clients.
Dun & Bradstreet are delighted to partner with Women in Data because we know that our success is driven by the innovation, effort, and passion of all our team members. We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce where many differences as well as perspective of thoughts, beliefs, education, background and experiences are purposefully brought together. We are committed to closing the gender pay gap and developing new initiatives to attract, develop and retain women, as well as other underrepresented groups.
Businesses are facing another challenging year in 2023 due to continued slow economic growth, increased complex regulation, and soaring running costs. One of the most effective ways to build resilience in business is to be proactive and prepared for an unpredictable environment. Data and analytics can help companies not only manage and mitigate risk, but also identify opportunities to adapt and grow. 6 Key trends we see emerging and evolving over the next 5 years include:
1) Quality data will become vital as businesses navigate “world firsts”
2) Data regulations will increase, particularly the focus on data privacy and governance
3) Businesses will have to do more with less under financial constraints
4) Ensuring data ROI (return on investment) will require best-in-class data
5) Businesses will have to reassess their strategies constantly
6) Businesses can’t go it alone in 2023 when it comes to data, and having the right expertise at the table will be critical
For almost 200 years, Dun & Bradstreet has helped clients and partners grow and thrive through the power of data, analytics, and data-driven solutions. Our 6,000 employees around the world are dedicated to this unique purpose, and we are guided by important values that make us the established leader in business decisioning data and analytical insights. Our data & insights are valuable at all phases of a business lifecycle and whatever the economic environment.
Expertise: Mathematics, Data, Analysis
Education: Studied Mathematics at the University of Manchester
Social media details: LinkedIn
Becca is responsible for UK & Irish Data Quality, and sits on the UK Leadership Team, representing the Data Team. Becca joined Dun & Bradstreet in 1996, looking to get hands-on experience for all she had learned.
In her 25 years at the company, Becca has been involved in many different and exciting projects. Becca began her career at Dun & Bradstreet with an entry level Customer Service position and from there transitioned into Data Operations and junior management. Since then, Becca has taken roles in Global Re engineering programmes, managed a large offshore vendor and more recently focused in on driving improvements UK & Ireland Data Quality.
Becca came to Dun & Bradsrteet to get some practical office experience while she figured out what she wanted to do, but was presented with so many opportunities to learn that Becca has stayed.
Becca’s path has been a true grass roots progression, and she quotes that the people culture and challenges have kept her grounded and motivated.
Expertise: Data visualisation and analytics, HCI/UX, accessibility
Education: BSc(Hons) Applied Computing
Social media details: LinkedIn
When I left school I didn’t know what I wanted to do as a career. My best grades were in STEM subjects but I hadn’t found a career option that excited me so I applied to university to study for a degree in Mathematics but I deferred my entry for a year. For my gap year I applied to the EDT’s Year In Industry (YINI) program, and it was during my YINI year that I found a love for computing/IT. Following YINI I changed my degree course to Applied Computing and towards the end of my degree I chose to specialise in Human Computer Interaction and User Experience topics.
After graduating I joined the O2 graduate scheme as a developer where I had the opportunity to try working with different coding languages and styles. I enjoyed it all but I didn’t find ‘my thing’ as such. After 5 years working in accessibility a job opening came up as an analyst on the O2 Motion team. I went for it as a bit of a long shot, with no real experience in big data, but I was offered the position and I have not looked back since! Since joining the team I’ve discovered that my big passion is data visualisation, it pulls together my interests in HCI, UX and presenting information perfectly, and I also love the creative side of it. I have definitely found ‘my thing’!
Education: BSc in Mathematics, MSc(Eng) in Transport Planning and Engineering, PhD in Transport Studies.
Expertise: Data analysis, data modelling, data visualisation, optimisation, machine learning, big data, product development
Social media: LinkedIn
The data industry is changing and its changing fast. The opportunities we have in this space now are limitless and I am really glad that the younger generation of data professionals is being exposed to these opportunities earlier on in their career.
When I was doing my Bachelor degree in mathematics, I had no idea that I would be applying my knowledge and skills in the world of big data. In fact, I really disliked the first computer science module and did not want anything to do with it, but little did I know! This has completely changed when I was doing my MSc thesis. I got introduced to open source data and open source programming software. I loved it and my career took a turn. Here, I am forever grateful to my mentors and those who believed in me before I myself did.
Now, I love working with big data. At VMO2, it is fast paced and so far it is never boring. I get to try and understand from clients which questions we can answer using our data, brainstorm ideas on how can we make better use of our data, continuously adapt and implement new ways of getting our systems to be more efficient, and most importantly share the knowledge with others.
Working in challenging and fast paced environments, it is always worth reminding ourselves of our wins. By appreciating our small wins, I can say to myself and to anyone who has this ‘I want to but I cannot do it’ voice in their head that: you can do it – slowly but surely.
Expertise: Product development, delivery and growth
Education: MSc in Transport – Imperial College and University College, London, UK
Engineering school (3 years postgraduate degree)- Ecole Centrale de Lyon, France Preparatory class in Lycée du Parc, Lyon, France – Specialty: Mathematics-Physics
Social media details: LinkedIn
If you had told me 2 years ago that I’d be a Senior Product Manager looking after Data products, I would have said “Senior Product Manager, that makes sense. Data products… no way!!!”. So… how did I get there, and how come I am actually enjoying it?!
Well, when I consider a role, there are three elements that I take into account: what I’ll be learning, what I’ll do day-to-day, and how it’ll align with my values. And this role provides strong answers to all three.
First, I’m learning from kind, experienced, smart, colleagues every day. By being curious about my customers’ needs, I learn about a wide range of industries and people. I love being surprised by why customers do what they do. As telecommunications are a new industry for me, I’m also learning how B2B products are developed in a telco, and am enriching my product management and leadership skills.
Regarding what I do day-to-day, the role is similar to most product management roles, with the careful balancing of customer needs, technical feasibility, and commercial considerations, along with a heavy dose of strategic vision, cross-functional collaboration and leading with and without authority. I love being in such a varied function. I get energised from customer visits and am so proud of the achievements of my engineering colleagues when a new feature is built!
Finally, what sealed the deal, is how well data products and working for Virgin Media O2 align with my values. I believe that quality data is crucial for companies and authorities to drive better, fairer decisions and challenge preconceptions. I personally love it when my own assumptions get busted by solid data evidence and strive to make data-led decisions. And it’s not just theoretical: I care that the data products I develop add practical value to society. For example, by supporting better public transport and urban planning decisions, our data products can improve people’s quality of life and reduce carbon emissions.
How the data is produced also matters greatly to me, and I’m glad to see that VMO2 have stringent data privacy processes in place, invest in reducing their carbon footprint, and work towards ensuring their workforce is diverse (cue Women in Data!) and treated with respect.
So how did I end up in such a role? Well, once I looked honestly and without judgement at what gives me energy at work, being a Data Product Manager ticked all the right boxes! Maybe you have or will find the same?
