The Data Chief | Episode 102

How Can Data Leaders Shift from Data-First to Business-First Mindset? With Deepak Jose, Global Data, Analytics and AI Leader

Deepak Jose

Global Data, Analytics and AI leader

Apple podcastsSpotify podcasts
Current EpisodeEP102: How Can Data Leaders Shift from Data-First to Business-First Mindset? With Deepak Jose, Global Data, Analytics and AI Leader
00:00
00:00

Episode Overview

Join Deepak Jose, a seasoned data and business leader, as he shares his journey from engineer to data analytics leader at top companies like Coca-Cola, Mars, and most recently Niagara Bottling. In this episode, Deepak discusses the importance of adopting a business-first mindset, leveraging generative AI, and building adaptable data strategies to drive real value in organizations.

Key Moments:

  • From Engineer to Data Leader (03:05)
  • A Mindset Shift: Business Problem First, Data Second (9:31)
  • Learning From Missteps (11:00)
  • The Gazelle and the Lion Analogy (14:53)
  • The Role of AI: Do Things, Do Things Better, and Do Better Things (25:58)
  • Built to Last versus Built to Adapt (40:01)

Key Quotes: 

Instead of a data-first mindset, you need to have a business problem-first and data-second mindset. That has helped me transform myself as a leader quite a bit.

It’s more important to define the problem right than solving the problem. How can we understand what you’re trying to solve, and how it impacts the stakeholder?

The head of data analytics functions need to be business problem driven, empathy driven, and not technology-first minded or AI-first minded. Our objective is to solve the business problems of the organization. Data, AI, and tech are the enablers.

In the past, we built capabilities to last. Now, the mindset has to be to build capabilities to adapt.

Mentions: 


Bio: 

Deepak Jose is Vice President, Head of Data Sciences & Business Intelligence at Niagara Bottling. He is a member of the Forbes Tech Council, AWS Retail and CPG Executive Advisory Forum, industry standards associations, Editorial Board for CDO Magazine, and an advisor for startups and AI analytics service companies.

Before Niagara, Jose was part of global brands like Coca-Cola, Mars, ABB Group, Asurion and Mu Sigma in strategic roles driving business growth. He was named to the 2023 Consumer Good Visionaries by Consumer Goods Technology and Retail Info Systems News, the 2023 40 under 40 by CDO Magazine, the 2022 and 2023 Top 100 Innovators in Data & Analytics by Corinium Global Intelligence, the 2023 100 Most Influential AI Leaders in USA by AIM Research, the 2023 Direct 60 List by The Lead, and the 2023 DataIQ 100 lists.