Data Citizens Dialogues

Most organizations are still managing data as a collection of tables and reports, but the future demands a shift to truly business-owned data products. Brandon Dombroski, Managing Director, Head of Data Quality and Data Platform Business Ownership at MUFG, reveals how transforming data ownership and engagement unlocks rapid scalability and reduces costs - like cutting data quality rule expenses by 99% - and positions data as a strategic asset rather than just a technical commodity.
In this episode, you’ll discover how MUFG re-engaged the business in data governance, made data catalogs more accessible to non-technical users, and shifted from a data-infrastructure focus to delivering value-driven data products that genuinely serve business needs. Brandon shares a practical framework for evolving from traditional data lakes to a product-centric approach, emphasizing business ownership, use case alignment, and scalable data quality automation.
We also break down the importance of operationalizing data as a product rather than a table, how to foster business buy-in from top-down and bottoms-up strategies, and the emerging role of the Chief AI Officer as data and AI increasingly converge.

For too long, data governance has been framed as a constraint as opposed to the competitive advantage it ought to be. Which is exactly why Federico Frumento, Senior Data Governance Manager at Vodafone, makes the case for governance as a business enabler—one that helps organizations move faster, make better decisions and achieve real commercial outcomes.

By reframing governance around commercial outcomes in an era of generative AI, organizations can create a powerful “carrot” for investment—one that makes the connection between data quality and trustworthy AI impossible to ignore. Because, in the end, lasting impact comes from treating data governance as a collaborative discipline, where flexible frameworks adapt to real business needs and bridge business and technical teams to drive meaningful, cultural change.

Three reasons you should listen to this episode:

1. Data governance as a growth lever, not a roadblock. How reframing governance around business outcomes changes adoption, momentum and impact.

2. GenAI is the new catalyst for governance investment. Why the demand for trustworthy AI makes data quality—and governance—impossible to ignore.

3. What cultural change in data governance actually looks like. Flexible frameworks, collaboration and trust are essential to making governance stick across the business.

Resources
Connect with Thomas
Connect with Fede

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What does it really take to turn fragmented data into something teams can trust and use at scale? For Cirium’s Head of Data Governance, Candice Parfitt, it starts with tackling data silos head-on—using governance as the foundation for unifying data after years of growth through acquisition.

Recorded live at Data Citizens on the Road in London, Candice joins Thomas Brence to unpack what “good governance” actually demands from an organization. For governance to work in the real world, it should be seen as a shared discipline—one grounded in fit-for-purpose data, reinforced through continuous education and intentionally embedded in everyday work.

And as adoption grows, governance must be built in—not bolted on—so access, accountability and trust can scale together.

Three reasons you should listen to this episode:

1. Start where governance actually matters: Learn why getting foundational data fit for purpose is the fastest way to unlock better products, clearer analysis and stronger trust.

2. Make data literacy stick: See how continuous, real-world education—using your own data and use cases—builds alignment across teams without slowing work down.

3. Move toward governance by design: Understand when and how to shift from open access to intentional controls by capturing metadata early and logging real use cases.

Resources
Connect with Thomas
Connect with Candice

Enjoyed this episode?
Be sure to follow us so you never miss an update. You can leave us a review on Apple or Spotify, and share it with your friends and colleagues to help others learn more about the importance of a data-first digital transformation approach.
Have questions? You can connect with us on LinkedIn. For more updates, please visit our website.

AI readiness isn’t a technology problem—it’s a language problem. As Amica Insurance’s Sr. Data Governance Manager Steffanie Archer explains, this has less to do with algorithms and more to do with trust. So how do you ensure data is high-quality, easy to find, clearly owned, and consistently understood across the business?

Steffanie points to curated data products as the next major driver of adoption, giving teams trusted, ready-to-use datasets that streamline strategic work and remove guesswork. As demand grows, the focus shifts to scaling capacity, supported by an engaged steward network and a change-management approach that treats governance as something built with the business—not imposed on it.

Three reasons you should listen to this episode:

1. Build AI readiness from the ground up. Hear how data leaders cut through ambiguity by unifying definitions, owners, and access so every team works from the same source of truth.

2. Turn governance into demand. Use an engaged steward network and collaborative operating model to shift data governance from a compliance task to something business teams actively seek out.

3. Accelerate insights with curated data products. Pre-package trusted datasets that eliminate manual hunting, reduce rework, and give strategic initiatives a running start.

Resources
Connect with Thomas
Connect with Steffanie

Enjoyed this episode?
Be sure to follow us so you never miss an update. You can leave us a review on Apple or Spotify, and share it with your friends and colleagues to help others learn more about the importance of a data-first digital transformation approach.
Have questions? You can connect with us on LinkedIn. For more updates, please visit our website.

Change is hard. It’s an old truth—but one that matters more than ever in the age of AI. In this episode, host Thomas Brence sits down with two champions of change at McDonald’s—Director of Enterprise Data Governance, John Tucker, and Change Agent & Communications Manager, Avery Chandler—to explore why change management is essential to building a successful data governance program.

Together, John and Avery share how McDonald’s put change management at the center of its governance journey, dedicating a role to guide employees through new tools, policies, and behaviors. They discuss how empathy, storytelling, and frameworks like ADKAR help bridge the gap between business strategy and everyday practice—turning adoption into traction.

From flipping burgers in training to navigating AI-driven transformation, this conversation reveals how grounding governance in human experience can drive lasting cultural change. Discover why a change agent may be the most important hire your data program can make.

Three reasons you should listen to this episode:

1. Make change management a cornerstone. Hear why McDonald’s embedded a dedicated change manager into its governance team and how it’s transforming adoption.
2. Use storytelling and frameworks to connect. Learn how ADKAR and the power of narrative help employees understand, embrace, and sustain new ways of working.
3. Build empathy through hands-on experience. Discover why training alongside restaurant staff—even burning fries—creates a culture that’s ready to embrace data and AI.

Resources
Connect with Thomas
Connect with John
Connect with Avery

Enjoyed this episode?
Be sure to follow us so you never miss an update. You can leave us a review on Apple or Spotify, and share it with your friends and colleagues to help others learn more about the importance of a data-first digital transformation approach.
Have questions? You can connect with us on LinkedIn. For more updates, please visit our website.