Episodit
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In this episode of the Boss N’ Data Podcast, Joshua Smith sits down with the MetaMetrics team ,Rebecca Shaw (Client Services Manager), Sam Watts (Director) and Philip Gaudoin (Director) for an honest conversation about the modern measurement paradox: marketers have more data than ever, and confidence in decisions has rarely been lower.
MetaMetrics is a specialist consultancy that has been doing econometric modelling (also known as marketing mix modelling) for nearly twenty years. They’ve seen the apparent death and the very real rebirth of econometrics, and they have strong views on why it has outlasted every shiny new thing thrown at it.
You’ll hear:
Why the data problem changed but the underlying stats really hasn’tAnalysis paralysis: when more data made marketers less confident, not moreMeasurement vs application: when the problem isn’t the model, it’s the adoptionThe honest take on where AI actually helps in marketing measurement and where it doesn’tPhil’s warning to stop outsourcing your thinkingVanity metrics, PPC and the new role of LLM impression dataBrand vs performance: why econometrics is no silver bullet for brand and the client who lost 30p in every £1 to negative PRHow to build real confidence with senior stakeholdersDisclaimer: The views expressed by the guests in this episode are their own and do not reflect those of their current or former employers.
About the GuestsPhilip Gaudoin: Director, MetaMetrics
Phil joined MetaMetrics in 2016, bringing a commercial, consulting focus to the work. He started his career as an academic at the University of Cambridge teaching econometrics to undergraduates, before moving into marketing analytics in 2005 at Publicis Groupe. He’s been pulling threads between maths, marketing and management ever since.
👉 Connect with Phil on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philip-gaudoin-44714b44
Sam Watts: Director, MetaMetrics
Sam has worked in econometrics his entire career — first across media agencies, including Publicis Groupe, before joining MetaMetrics around 15 years ago. He leads delivery at MetaMetrics, with particular depth in the evaluation of digital and social channels and the pragmatic use of attribution modelling for clients across multiple markets.
👉 Connect with Sam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelawatts/
Rebecca Shaw: Client Services Manager, MetaMetrics
Rebecca came to econometrics from a marketing background, with a long-standing interest in marketing effectiveness and what truly drives performance. She supports MetaMetrics clients through the full lifecycle — making sure the analysis is digestible, the insights translate to action, and the relationship outlasts the project.
👉 Connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-shaw-3752a711b/
About Your HostJoshua Smith has been a Data and AI talent specialist since 2011. He is Sales Director at MBN Solutions, responsible for leading and supporting the growth and diversification of MBN’s client portfolio, and building MBN’s position as a leading Data & AI talent consultancy across the UK, Europe, and US.
Explore industry updates and the latest in data and AI talent on MBN Solutions’ LinkedIn page.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In this episode of the Boss N’ Data Podcast, Joshua Smith is joined by Sean Harkin, PhD, Data Science & AI Lead at Lloyds Banking Group, for conversation about what it actually takes to move AI from proof-of-concept to production in a highly regulated environment.
Sean has 18 years across financial services from risk modelling in investment banks, through fintech, to leading data science and AI in the insurance arm of Lloyds Banking Group. He is currently shipping GenAI and agentic solutions into production where most firms get stuck.
You’ll hear:
How Sean’s team controls LLM hallucination at production quality ontologiesWhy decision-recommendation tools in underwriting are designed to support humans, not replace themWhen to reach for a domain-specific model versus careful prompt engineering on a general LLMHow to make AI reasoning transparent enough for regulators, risk teams, and reinsurersThe cost-per-token reality check on agentic systems most teams underestimateWhat separates AI projects that ship from POCs that stall and the customer journey result one of Sean’s use cases demonstratesWhy doing the science well and doing risk management well are the same thingDisclaimer: The views expressed by the guest in this episode are their own and do not reflect those of their current or former employers.
About the GuestSean Harkin, PhD, is Data Science & AI Lead at Lloyds Banking Group, working in the insurance arm. He has 18 years’ experience in financial services across startups, banks, and consultancies, with a research science background spanning biochemistry, biophysics, and a PhD in applied statistical modelling focused on causal inference.
Sean now leads a team of data scientists, ML engineers, and other technical professionals putting GenAI and agentic solutions into production, cutting through the POC bottleneck that holds many firms back. His current work focuses on AI for medical documentation analysis, decision recommendation, and the practical realities of shipping AI safely in a regulated environment.
👉 Connect with Sean on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-harkin-phd-22776674/
About Your HostJoshua Smith has been a Data and AI talent specialist since 2011. He is Sales Director at MBN Solutions, responsible for leading and supporting the growth and diversification of MBN’s client portfolio, and building MBN’s position as a leading Data & AI talent consultancy across the UK, Europe, and US.
Explore industry updates and the latest in data and AI talent on MBN Solutions’ LinkedIn page.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In this episode of the Boss N’ Data Podcast, Joshua Smith is joined by Christopher Conroy, Chief Data & Product Officer at Future Anthem, for a proper behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to scale a data function and a platform at the same time.
Chris has lived the full journey: from the early analytics → data science wave (2014/2015) into building Future Anthem over the last six and a half years.
You’ll hear:What pulled Chris into building real-time personalisation in betting/gamingHow the early analytics → data science wave (2014/15) compares to what’s happening nowHow the technical function at Future Anthem evolved from day one to todayHow they thought about generalists vs specialists early on What roles became essential once they hit a certain scaleWhat architectural inflection points showed up as the platform scaled and what needed changeDisclaimer: The views expressed by the guest in this episode are their own and do not reflect those of their current or former employers.
About the Guest
Christopher Conroy is the Chief Data & Product Officer at Future Anthem, a real-time personalisation platform in the betting and gaming industry. He’s spent the last six and a half years building the technical function and embedding product at Future Anthem, focused on real-time AI systems designed to operate at scale, with performance targets measured in milliseconds.
Before Future Anthem, Christopher worked across the early wave of analytics → data science transformation, including roles at Rank Group, where cloud and machine learning capabilities were being built out at enterprise level.
👉 Connect with Chris Conroy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisconroydata/
About Your Host
Joshua Smith has been a Data and AI talent specialist since 2011. He is Sales Director at MBN Solutions, responsible for leading and supporting the growth and diversification of MBN’s client portfolio, and building MBN’s position as a leading Data & AI talent consultancy across the UK, Europe, and US.
Explore industry updates and the latest in data and AI talent on MBN Solutions’ LinkedIn page.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In this episode of the Boss N’ Data Podcast, Joshua Smith is joined by Rich Hunt, Director of Data & Insight at Openreach, to unpack what it really takes to lead data teams through constant change.
Openreach’s team has won DataIQ Best Data & AI Team of 2025 and in this episode, Rich shares how Openreach approaches transformation, from moving to a hub-and-spoke analytics model, to navigating a major migration and keeping teams focused on outcomes.
They dig into the realities data leaders face: long timelines, rising costs, stakeholder skepticism, and the risk of data teams becoming detached from business value.
They also discuss GenAI skepticism vs hype, and why building change resilience is now part of the job.
By the end of this episode, you’ll understand:
What Openreach does and why its data challenges are uniquely complexHow to structure data teams to stay close to decision-making while scaling capabilityHow to defend long-term data investment when ROI isn’t instantHow to keep data work relevant: translating business priorities into data-led impactAgentic AI: cutting through hype and skepticismWhat change resilience looks like inside a complex, regulated organisation.Practical advice for leading teams through changeThe next big shift for data leaders to prepare teams forDisclaimer: The views expressed by the guest in this episode are their own and do not reflect those of their current or former employers.
About the Guest
Rich Hunt is the Director of Data & Insight at Openreach, a senior data leader with 16+ years’ experience. He leads end-to-end data capability and has been accountable for connecting business strategy to data-led solutions, including leading Openreach’s migration to cloud and supporting cultural change around data. Openreach’s team has won DataIQ Best Data & AI Team of 2025.
👉 Connect with Rich Hunt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/huntr/
About Your Host
Joshua Smith has been a Data and AI talent specialist since 2011. He is Sales Director at MBN Solutions, responsible for leading and supporting the growth and diversification of MBN’s client portfolio, and building MBN’s position as a leading Data & AI talent consultancy across the UK, Europe, and US.
Explore industry updates and the latest in data and AI talent on MBN Solutions’ LinkedIn page.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In this episode of the Boss N Data Podcast, host Joshua Smith sits down with Chris Mitchell, Head of Data & Marketing Operations at Sky Business and former WPP agency leader, to unpack how world-class organisations are building marketing operations that actually drive growth.
With over two decades bridging data, marketing, and operations, Chris has helped major brands embed data-driven culture, reduce churn, and align analytics, BI, and marketing into one cohesive growth engine.
From offline segmentation and direct mail to AI and automation, his career charts the full evolution of how businesses use data to make smarter, faster decisions.
By the end of this episode, you’ll understand:
Why most companies don’t have a data problem - they have a usage problemHow Sky uses marketing operations as a growth engine by uniting BI, data science, and executionThe simple model that helped Sky reduce churn through data-led customer engagementWhat to look for (and avoid) when investing in MarTech and AI toolsWhy AI needs people and how to use it to enhance, not replace, decision-makingAbout the Guest
Chris Mitchell is an innovative and enthusiastic leader with over two decades of experience delivering data and digital transformation across multiple sectors.
Chris advocates for using data as a strategic growth engine - driving incremental revenue, customer engagement, and organisational adoption of best-practice frameworks.
His approach has underpinned award-winning marketing campaigns and helped major brands embed a culture where data is at the heart of every decision..
👉 Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-mitchell-49636a4/
About Your Host
Joshua Smith has been a Data and AI talent specialist since 2011. He is Sales Director at MBN Solutions, responsible for leading and supporting the growth and diversification of MBN’s client portfolio, and building MBN’s position as a leading Data & AI talent consultancy across the UK, Europe, and US.
Explore industry updates and the latest in data and AI talent on MBN Solutions’ LinkedIn page.
Disclaimer
The views expressed by the guest in this episode are their own and do not reflect those of their current or former employers.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In this episode of the Boss N Data Podcast, host Joshua Smith sits down with Harry Davies, VP of Marketing Investment & Effectiveness at Sage, formerly at Google and Amazon, to unpack the truths about marketing effectiveness.
Harry shares invaluable insights from a career spanning government behaviour change campaigns, launching Amazon Marketing Services in Europe, and leading measurement and data science at Google Cloud. Today at Sage, he’s helping drive £2.1Bn in recurring revenue by shifting from pure demand gen to a balanced brand + activation approach.
By the end of this episode, you’ll understand:
Why sales and marketing so often pull in different directions - and the practical fix.How to measure what really works in marketing (beyond vanity metrics).The power of combining experiments, econometrics, and attribution.How buyer behaviour is changing and what it means for sales and marketing leaders.Where AI is already making marketing effectiveness faster and smarter.Why you should start small, solve frontline challenges, and scale from there.About the Guest
Harry Davies is an experienced Marketing Strategy and Operations leader, currently VP of Marketing Investment & Effectiveness at Sage. He previously led measurement and data science teams at Google and Amazon and sits on the Advisory Board of the International Journal of Market Research. Harry is a regular speaker on marketing strategy, science, and effectiveness.
👉 Connect with Harry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrydavies/
About Your Host
Joshua Smith has been a Data and AI talent specialist since 2011. He is Sales Director at MBN Solutions, responsible for leading and supporting the growth and diversification of MBN’s client portfolio, and building MBN’s position as a leading Data & AI talent consultancy across the UK, Europe, and US.
Explore industry updates and the latest in data and AI talent on MBN Solutions’ LinkedIn page.
Disclaimer
The views expressed by the guest in this episode are their own and do not reflect those of their current or former employers.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Bias in AI isn’t just a technical glitch - it’s one of the hardest problems in machine learning today. While many organisations treat it as a regulatory checkbox, the reality is that unchecked bias can damage trust, weaken systems, and cost businesses far more than they realise.
In this episode, host Joshua sits down with Raluca Crisan - data scientist, co-founder, and CTO of Etiq, to explore the real challenges of bias in AI, and what it takes to build systems that are ethical, robust, and genuinely useful.
Recognised as Women in AI Europe 1st Prize (2020) and named among the 100 Women in AI Ethics (2021), Raluca brings a rare perspective on how bias, adoption, and ethics intersect in real-world AI. In this conversation, she shares practical lessons on tackling bias, the pitfalls of “big data” buzzwords, and what the rise of copilots and agents means for the future of hiring.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why bias in AI is more than a “checkbox” issue and how to address it meaningfully.The biggest adoption problem most AI testing tools overlook.How to balance commercial pressure with purposeful, ethical outcomes.What recruiters and data leaders need to know about new AI roles.The hardest part of doing something new in AI today from a founder’s perspective.If you found this episode useful, don’t keep it to yourself - share it with your network, subscribe on your favourite platform, and leave us a quick review so more data professionals can find the show.
Subscribe & Follow: Enjoying the show? Don’t miss an episode. Follow the podcast wherever you get your podcasts and leave us a review to help more listeners discover these conversations.
Connect with MBN Solutions:
MBN Solutions on LinkedIn – Explore industry updates, groundbreaking projects, and the latest in data and analytics talent. Join the conversation and discover how MBN Solutions is shaping the future of data leadership. Visit the company page here.
Visit MBN Solutions website at www.mbnsolutions.com
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In this episode I am joined by Dr Shorful Islam, co-founder and CEO of Be Data Solutions.
With over 20 years of experience in the data and AI industry, Dr. Islam has been applying machine learning since his Psychology PhD—before “data science” became mainstream. Since then, he has helped global companies develop data strategies and build predictive models that drive business growth.
He specialises in building data functions across organisations such as ITV and Wunderman and is the author of Data Culture, a book on integrating data as a fundamental organisational component.
Beyond his leadership at Be Data Solutions, Dr. Islam founded Subatomic Analytics and advises multiple startups on data and AI. His career includes roles as Chief Data Scientist at Tribal Worldwide, Managing Director at Stream Intelligence, and Managing Partner at Wunderman, along with leadership positions at adam&eveDDB/DDB and ITV. He also brings experience from the NHS and local government.
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Today I’m joined by Andre Balleyguier, Head of ML Field Engineering at Snorkel AI. Andre is an AI leader with deep expertise in machine learning, scaling teams, and driving business impact. Experienced in AI strategy implementation across areas such as insurance, banking, and manufacturing.
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On Episode 27 James Miller, Data & Digital Transformation Director at Anmut joins the discussion to talk about Maximizing the Value of your data.
James has 25+ years’ experience in the data space. He has led data teams and built propositions at FTSE 50, 100 & 250 organisations, all the way to start-ups. On Episode 27 James Miller, Data & Digital Transformation Director at Anmut joins the discussion.
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Today we are joined by Robert Whiffin, Senior Solutions Architect at Databricks. Josh and Rob explore topics such as challenges companies are facing during data and platform migrations and how Gen AI can help address them, How AI improves code translation and optimisation during migration processes, how companies balance the use of Gen AI platform migration whilst addressing security concerns and how does the growing demand for Gen AI skills impact the hiring market, particularly for legacy systems.
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Today we are joined by Wasim Mushtaq, With nearly two decades of leadership in financial services, Wasim has driven operational excellence, strategic transformation across global banks and innovative startups. He is the Founder & CEO of 1CG, Strategic Partner to Birdie, Advisory Board Member to Bankability and the Operational Excellence Society.
Josh and Wasim explore topics such as Leadership Strategy, leveraging AI and Operational Excellence, Transformational change, and a focus on Super Apps within the finance space.
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Today we are joined by Inez Hogarth, Managing Director of Data Understood, Inez has extensive experience across diverse industries such as Insurtech, health, and publishing, Inez has a proven track record of turning data into actionable insights that drive growth. She has supported award-winning digital projects and played a pivotal role in shaping public sector initiatives during crises like COVID-19.
Josh and Inez talk through the importance of , Digital and AI transformations, debunking common digital myths to shifting the focus from delivery speed to a culture of continuous learning.
Get ready for an inspiring conversation with Inez as we explore the vital intersection of humans and AI, and discover how you can drive meaningful change in your organisation!"
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Outside of a select few industries and media and marketing specialists, the world of Econometrics is a mysterious one. Why, when and where are econometric techniques utilised? Where did they come from? What benefits do they bring to business? Are Marketing Mixed Modelling and Market Mix Modelling the same thing? And, no matter what you call it, what is it useful for?
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As the data industry has grown in both size and influence over the last two decades, the role of the data leader has evolved to match this trajectory.
With many organisations now employing Chief Data Officers, should CDOs be, firstly, business leaders who can align data strategies with organizational goals and drive value?
With many existing or aspirant CDOs following a data technology path in their careers to date, are they able to ensure that their voice is heard when organizational objectives are decided at a strategic level or are they more suited to the operational execution of these strategies?
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When the COVID pandemic hit society in 2020, one of the few positives that emerged from the world-wide chaos was the enforced change in working practices.
Huge numbers of previously office-based staff were easier able to balance work outputs with care commitments as commutes were negated and 9 to 5 working models evolved into more flexible “results-based” patterns.
As the needle moves back towards mandated returns to office-based control systems for many employees, what does this mean for the ability of certain sections of society to have equally valid professional and family lives?
Are female workers, especially those with care commitments, forever destined to have to choose “career progression or family” or is there a way to balance and achieve success in both areas of life?
Rob and Monique debate the challenges, biases and obstacles surrounding that care providers,
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This Special Edition of the podcast brings 3 distinguished voices into the BossNData studio to celebrate the achievements of one of our own – Paul Laughlin.
Having made the decision to retire, Paul ends a 35-year career as a Customer Insight Leader this year.
He spent a quarter of a century leading technology and data teams at Lloyds Banking Group and Scottish Widows before a hugely successful career transition into data leadership coaching and mentoring, public speaking, broadcasting and blogging & writing.
In that time, he has touched many hearts with his humility, humour, friendship and sage advice and with so many data leaders having benefited from his wisdom over the years, his impact on the UK data industry cannot be underestimated.
Joining Paul and Rob in the studio to reflect on Paul’s career are Graeme McDermott, CDO at Tempcover and Michael Young, CEO of MBN Solutions.
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Small to Medium enterprises present a unique challenge for the Data Leader looking to build or lead a successful data function.
Agility and innovation can often balance out the potential limitations around resources and infrastructure that some SME data leaders may experience.
Experimentation, collaboration, a holistic vision, and careful nurturing of talent can often pay off for the data leader looking to “punch above their weight” in an SME environment…
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Data has played a transformative role in the creation of the modern business landscape. The dynamic interplay between data, business strategy and the commercialisation of data assets has assisted in the creation of some of the largest and most profitable businesses on the planet.
Today’s businesses, in any sector, must seek to understand how to harness data to drive innovation and unlock new revenue streams, how a data strategy should exist symbiotically with a business strategy and how to navigate the undoubted challenges, including ethical considerations, that underpin responsible data commercialisation.
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The last 20 years have witnessed an incredible growth in the requirement for data-driven decisioning within many aspects of society – from the commercial world, through governmental and civil service decision making, to the services we all rely upon as citizens. Reliance on fact, science and predictability has replaced HiPPO decision making, gut instinct and guesswork and now that the genie is out of the bottle, there’s no going back. However, is the industry overcomplicated? Accidently or deliberately? Are the companies that sell products and solutions in the data sector muddying the waters for their own benefit?
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