Newcastle Demystifying Data discussion

We were delighted to host our first ever Harvey Nash Newcastle Data event, ‘Demystifying Data’, led by Consultant, Rachael Whitburn.

The event was a huge success and was attended by Data Leaders from all over the North-East. We invited two guest speakers, who presented around several discussion topics for the evening, such as AI, data governance and data literacy.

Our first speaker of the evening was Andrew Blance, an Innovation Consultant at a leading North-East based IT consultancy company. He is also a member of the Institute of Data Science at Durham University and holds a PHD in Data Intensive Science.

Andrew explored the challenges and opportunities around AI, while highlighting the importance of responsibility and practicality in a data-driven world. He expressed how fully understanding AI today is pivotal, and emphasised the impact AI has on human resources.

After Andrew’s speech, we had an interval for guests before our second speaker of the evening. The break allowed time for our guests to enjoy the complimentary food and drinks, and also discuss their thoughts on Andrew’s presentation.

Following our break, Kevin Marsden, our second and final guest speaker for the evening, began his presentation. Kevin is an Information Architect at a national housing association based in Newcastle. He is at the forefront of devising their data strategy and provided practical takeaways during his presentation.

During his speech, Kevin highlighted the importance of data literacy and data governance. He presented vital skills for navigating the data landscape responsibly and showcased how to properly utilise data and how it can be used effectively within an organisation.

Two key takeaways for the evening:

·    The importance of on-going learning across an organisation regarding data literacy and introducing new ways of making this happen. For example creating an academy or game to assist with this.

·    Taking responsibility for how AI impacts sustainability.

Overall, our evening at the Supernatural Café was incredible. The gorgeous venue provided an amazing ambience and great food, while our speakers drove many interesting discussions with Data Leaders from across the North-East.

We would like to extend our thanks to all who attended the event and we look forward to hosting future discussions.

If you are interested in getting involved in any future events, please reach out to the team based in Newcastle or directly with Rachael Whitburn.