S7 | Ep 28 | The Data Translation Challenge with German Faraoni, Global Director of Shared Services for Data at Reckitt

In Episode 28 of Season 7 of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom is joined by German Faraoni, Global Director of Shared Services for Data at Reckitt, where they discuss why data and AI investment still struggles to show measurable value, and why the answer lies in articulating it in business outcomes rather than data terms. German also shares how Reckitt cut the time to get a new SKU onto shelves by almost half, and how data leaders can earn their place in the right business conversations. They also discuss: - Why data leaders are business professionals first and data specialists second. - Why investment in data and AI is still articulated in data terms rather than business terms. - How the same trap is repeating with AI, and what “hype credit” means for justifying investment. - Why the metrics for data and AI should be the metrics the business already uses to measure success. - What a data leader should ask a prospective employer before taking a role. - How Reckitt reduced the time to commercialise an SKU from around 200 days to roughly half. - Why the SKU release project started with process redesign rather than technology. - How Gen AI emerged as the right tool for the job rather than the starting point. - Why data practitioners must sit in the business conversations where results are discussed. - Why starting small and avoiding “boiling the ocean” matters for scalability. - How governance councils by data domain create a sustainable foundation for data quality. - Why remediating legacy data issues remains hard, and how to choose which ones to fix. - How AI lowers the cost of intelligence and speeds up the decisions that follow insight. - What using AI as a “canary in the mine” reveals about weaknesses in your data and access controls. - How to approach AI across internal efficiency, reimagining the existing business and creating new business models. - Why agentic commerce could reshape how consumers and retailers interact. - What AI means for the future of the CDO role, and who may be most exposed to change. - Why competitive advantage will come from the right mix of premium and commodity AI, process understanding and orchestration. - How large incumbents respond to disruption from smaller, faster AI-enabled businesses. Thanks to our sponsor, Data & AI Literacy Academy. Data & AI Literacy Academy is leading the way in transforming enterprise workforces with data literacy across the organisation, through a combination of change management and education. In today’s data-centric world, being data literate is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. If you want successful data product adoption, and to keep driving innovation within your business, you need to start with data & AI literacy first. At Data & AI Literacy Academy, they don’t just teach data skills. They empower individuals and teams to think critically, analyse effectively, and make decisions confidently based on data. They’re bridging the gap between business and data teams, so they can all work towards aligned outcomes. From those taking their first steps in data & AI literacy to seasoned experts looking to fine-tune their skills, our data experts provide tailored classes for every stage. But it’s not just learning tracks that they offer. They embed a deep data culture shift through a transformative change management programme. They take a people-first approach, working closely with your executive team to win the hearts and minds. We know this will drive the company-wide impact that data teams want to achieve. Get in touch and find out how you can unlock the full potential of data in your organisation. Learn more at www.dl-academy.com/driven Thanks to our sponsor FOIL AI FOIL are an AI consultancy, and one of the most exciting to watch right now.​ Fast-growing, genuinely ambitious, and refreshingly down to earth, with a leadership team who have been doing this for years and are well respected for it.​ FOIL push data leaders to claim a voice at the top table, to lead the business rather than trail behind it with a handful of AI productivity tools. They push the point that if every competitor has the same tools, productivity is not an advantage. The real prize with AI is bigger and FOIL have the expertise – both strategic and technical – to push the boundaries of what your organisation can achieve, in a practical way. ​ FOIL are a lot bolder and braver that the traditional consultancy. That confidence comes from deep practitioner expertise, and it shows in how they engage with their partnerships.​ They are claiming the phrase: the autonomic business. A business that senses what is happening, decides within clear guardrails, adapts as things change, and keeps improving on its own. Intelligence built into how the company runs, and they’ve just been recognised at the British Data Awards for their work with Welsh Water on exactly this concept.​ Learn more at https://foilai.co.uk/