Data Execs Collaborate at CDO Magazine Summit Cincinnati Dinner

Data, analytics, and AI leaders from industry sectors such as healthcare, finance, government, and logistics came together for a networking dinner following the CDO Magazine Summit in Cincinnati October 1. The event provided a platform to exchange insights, engage in research-focused discussions, and strengthen connections within the data community.

“It’s wonderful to hear the insights from domain experts and share our experiences with industry peers. At our dinner last night, we talked about data and the gaps we are seeing,” says Nan Li, Nationwide VP, AI/ML & Statistical Practice. “We’ve focused so much on technology but have not paid enough attention to people and data, who and which either creates or interacts with data. If you want to improve your data, you need to go back to look at your business processes and upskill the people,” she adds.

A key learning Li shares is that “the business use case should have good value regardless of whether it has an AI component or not. The ROI should be based on the whole business use case, not just on the AI aspect.”

Slideshow - Click to enlarge

Patrick Chew, AIT Worldwide Logistics VP, AI & Data Science, describes the event as “a great meeting of the minds as we continue to venture into the AI frontier.” Chew elaborates: “With so many subject matter experts across a multitude of industries, (the CDO Magazine dinner discussion) merely confirmed that many organizations are still chasing (AI) while attempting to harvest its benefits, but are challenged with their underlying data readiness and rigor. More pragmatically, we have to help our organization pivot from ‘Can you AI this for me?’ to ‘How can I get my data ready for AI?’”

Sharing and learning data challenges with a “small, intimate, and diverse group of leaders across different industries over dinner” left Kishore Aradhya, Frontdoor Head, Data Engineering & Architecture, with a “strong feeling that we are all in this together."

Slideshow - Click to enlarge

Steve Wanamaker, CDO Magazine Founder & Publisher, says: "At CDO Magazine, we're dedicated to creating a strong community where data professionals can connect and collaborate. Our CDO Magazine Summit Cincinnati Dinner is a perfect example of this. By bringing together leaders from different industries, we are able to share ideas and work together to build the future of data and AI. These kinds of focused conversations are essential for making real progress."

Zakir Hussain, EY Partner, sums up his perspective from the discussion: "Successful data transformation demands collaboration and ownership. Business and IT must align, with IT enabling business initiatives. The biggest roadblock to ROI is often internal – recognizing that data-driven decisions require cultural shifts, not just technological upgrades."

Special thanks goes to EY for their partnership in making the event a success.

Nan Li, Patrick Chew, and Kishore Aradhya are members of the CDO Magazine Global Editorial Board.

Executives attending this CDO Magazine Summit Dinner included: 

Kishore Aradhya, Frontdoor Head, Data Engineering & Architecture; Crystal Barnett, former U.S. Coast Guard Officer & Program Manager; Yogesh Bhardwaj, Sensata Technologies Sr. Director, GSO, Data & IT Shared Services; Patrick Chew, AIT Worldwide Logistics VP, AI & Data Science; Chathuri Daluwatte, AstraZeneca Head, AI Diagnostics (Alexion AstraZeneca Rare Disease); Jason Duke, US Fish & Wildlife Services Chief Data Officer; Brian Erickson, U.S. Coast Guard Deputy Director, DHS Presidential Transition Office; James Halcomb, EDM Council Global Head, Research & Development; Todd Henley, Northwest Bank VP, Chief Data Governance and Privacy Officer; Pranav Kapoor, Sun Life AVP Audit, Digital, Data Analytics & IT Advisory; Nan Li, Nationwide VP, AI/ML & Statistical Practice; Vikas Mahajan, Travelers AVP Data Engineering; Manzoor Mohideen, Pacific Life AVP, Enterprise Data Strategy, Data Architecture & Governance, Risk & Compliance; Arun Kumar Moolchandani, Travelers Sr. Director, Data Engineering, Lead Data Engineer; Sameer Mungur, Fintech Chief Data Officer; Tasneem Nipplewala, MassMutual Head, Data & Cyber Security Architecture; Darren Pedroza, Western Alliance Bank Sr. Director, Head, Enterprise Data & Analytics; Bharath Prabhakaran, University of Cincinnati VP & Chief Digital Officer; Tracy Ruberg, T6 Group/The Circuit CEO; Ameera Saqr, Bon Secours Mercy Health System Director; Sanjay Saxena, Bread Financial Head, Data Management, AI Governance and Privacy; Ross Schalmo, Eaton VP, Chief Data Officer; Fahad Shaikh, Interac Corp. AVP/Leader, Data & Analytics Strategy & Delivery; Cindy Tu, Discover Financial Services Director, IT & Data Audit; Denise Turley, U.S. Chamber of Commerce VP, Corporate Systems, Leading AI Implementation; J.D. Whitlock, Dayton Children's Hospital Chief Information Officer, Zahid Akhtar, EY Executive Director, Next Gen Data Platforms & Analytics Leader; Neerja Bhagat, EY Senior Manager; Sharayansh Gupta, EY Managing Director; Zakir Hussain, EY Partner; Franklin Kessler, CDO Magazine SVP, Program Management; Corey Maxner, CDO Magazine Director, Operations; Steve Wanamaker, CDO Magazine Founder & Publisher.