Data Citizens Dialogues

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

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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?
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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.

What does it really take to build confidence in enterprise data? At Arvest Bank, it started with a single use case and a commitment to simplicity. In this episode, Thomas Brence sits down with Josh Cohen live from Collibra’s Product Premiere to talk about what it means to make trust tangible—and how Arvest is laying the groundwork for deeper data quality and governance maturity.
By bringing Collibra under the data engineering team and focusing on clear business value, Arvest is transforming how its finance and performance teams interact with data. Josh shares how his team is tackling source-to-target validation, establishing trust through small wins, and navigating change management with a pragmatic, top-down approach.
From reluctant stakeholders to AI readiness, hear how one bank is building trust in its data—one rule, one report, and one relationship at a time.

Three reasons you should listen to this episode:
1. Start small to prove value fast. Learn how Arvest focuses on specific, high-value reporting needs to make data governance meaningful—and measurable—for business stakeholders.
2. Rethink ownership to drive adoption. Explore Arvest’s shift Collibra from the governance team to data engineering, and how that decision helped accelerate quality initiatives.
3. Navigate change with clarity. Get practical advice on managing resistance, setting expectations, and securing executive buy-in to make data quality stick.

Resources
Connect with Thomas
Connect with Josh

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.
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Building trust in data isn’t just a modern challenge—it’s a decades-old problem that continues to evolve. In this episode, Chief Data Citizen Stijn Christiaens sits down with Axel Frank and Kevin Falkenstein of Siemens AG to explore how one of the world’s largest industrial manufacturers is tackling that challenge head-on.
Together, Axel and Kevin lead Siemens’ internal data governance platform, where they've reimagined data management around reuse, business ownership and transparency. They discuss the company’s shift toward data products, the creation of a centralized data marketplace and the cultural transformation that’s helping Siemens scale governance across business domains.
From skeptical executives to AI-powered possibilities, learn how to make data governance a source of value—not friction.
Three reasons you should listen to this episode:
1. Build trust through transparency. Hear how Siemens uses data lineage, ownership, and quality checks to foster confidence in data—so executives can make decisions without second-guessing the numbers.
2. Design data for reuse and scale. Learn to define and structure data products for business users, making data both consumable and composable across teams.
3. Future-proof your data strategy. Discover how strong governance today enables data products to evolve alongside AI—ensuring your foundation is built for whatever comes next.

Resources
Connect with Stijn
Connect with Axel
Connect with Kevin

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.