Women in Data Podcast

What if changing direction didn't mean starting over?

So many of us believe our careers should follow a logical path. But what happens when the version of success you've worked so hard to build no longer feels aligned with who you are?

In this episode, Karen is joined by Christina Finlay, Global Head of Data and AI for Industrial Operations at Volvo Cars, whose career has taken her across continents, industries, and even into restaurant ownership before entering the world of data.

Together, they explore what it really means to reinvent your career without losing yourself. Christina shares 

• how staying true to her values helped her navigate major career changes,
• why transferable skills matter far more than we often realise
• how every experience, even the ones that seem unrelated, can shape the leader you become.

They also discuss the emotional side of change: rebuilding confidence after setbacks, making difficult personal decisions, and learning that success isn't about following a straight line but creating a life that feels meaningful to you.

If you've ever questioned your next career move, wondered whether it's too late to change direction, or felt like you'd be starting from scratch, this conversation will remind you that every chapter of your career has prepared you for what's next.

Find out more about the Women in Data Nordic Chapter at womenindata.ai

This episode features an incredibly candid and tech-forward conversation with Rachel Kirkham, CTO of Mindbridge. Rachel shares her raw experience of returning to work after a six-month career break following a difficult birth, navigating the intense reality of "baby brain fog" and sleep deprivation while stepping right into an executive leadership role. Rather than viewing her time away as a permanent gap, Rachel treated her return as a "cognitive cold start" and leaned heavily into modern generative AI tools to rapidly close her knowledge gaps, manage her executive workflow, and get back to the cutting edge of tech.

In this episode of the Women in Data Podcast, Karen is joined by Marion Shaw to unpack one of the most uncomfortable — and least talked about — parts of career growth: office politics.

From aggressive stakeholders in meetings to hidden agendas and shifting power dynamics, Marion shares the lessons she learned navigating leadership at senior levels — including the mistakes she still makes today. Together, Karen and Marion explore what political capital actually is, how influence gets built inside organisations, and why understanding what the business is truly “betting on” can completely change your career trajectory.

They also dive into one of the most difficult leadership moments many managers face: protecting your team publicly while also protecting yourself professionally.

This episode explores:

• How to navigate conflict and difficult stakeholder situations
• When to speak up vs when to de-escalate
• Why shutting down meetings is sometimes the best leadership move
• How to separate noise from what really matters
• The hidden dynamics influencing workplace behaviour
• Why leadership means accepting that you’ll still get things wrong sometimes

If you’ve ever left a meeting replaying everything you should have said, this conversation will make you feel far less alone.

 

Find Marion on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marion-shaw-9068b08/

Register to the Women in Data Community for free: https://womenindata.co.uk/

What does it really take to grow into leadership in data — especially if you didn’t come from a traditional technical background?

In this episode, Cecilia speaks with Lauren Dixon, Chief Data Officer at the Financial Conduct Authority, about building confidence, stepping into opportunities before feeling fully ready, and redefining what success in data leadership actually looks like.

From studying history to leading large technology and data teams, Lauren shares how curiosity, communication, collaboration, and self-awareness have shaped her career far more than having the “perfect” background.

Together, they explore imposter syndrome, leadership growth, mentorship, hiring beyond degrees, and the practical skills that truly help people stand out in data today.

This is an honest and reassuring conversation for anyone who has ever questioned whether they are technical, experienced, or qualified enough to take the next step in their career.

Stepping into management should feel like the natural next step… right?

But for many data professionals, becoming a manager feels less like “levelling up” and more like learning an entirely new job from scratch.

In this episode of the Women in Data Podcast, Karen is joined by Gemma Trailor, Analytics Manager at B&Q, to unpack the biggest shifts that happen when moving from analyst to manager—and why so many new managers feel unprepared for the reality of the role.

Together, they explore:

• Why management is a completely different skillset
• How to build credibility when managing former peers
• The challenge of prioritisation, stakeholder pressure, and saying no
• Why your value is no longer measured by output alone
• How to lead with confidence—even when you’re doubting yourself

This conversation is honest, practical, and full of the lessons people usually learn the hard way.

If you’re aiming for your first management role—or you’ve recently stepped into one and are thinking “why does this feel so hard?”—this episode is for you.

What if you could ask your customers anything, and get an answer instantly?

In this episode of the Women in Data Podcast, we explore synthetic audiences: AI-powered simulations of real customer segments that are changing the way businesses understand people, test ideas, and make decisions.

Leanne breaks down how these audiences are built using real data and large language models, and why this approach removes many of the limitations of traditional research methods like surveys and focus groups.

We also dive into where this works best, where it doesn’t, and what it means for data and insight professionals today.

Rejection is something we all experience in our careers, but rarely talk about openly.

In this episode, Karen and Cecilia have an honest conversation about what setbacks actually feel like in data careers. From job rejections to ideas not landing and difficult feedback, they explore how these moments can impact confidence, identity, and growth.

Together, they share personal experiences, unpack the stories we tell ourselves after a “no”, and offer practical ways to reframe rejection without dismissing the emotional impact.

This episode is a reminder that resilience isn’t about being unaffected, it’s about learning how to process setbacks, build perspective, and keep moving forward in a way that’s sustainable and kind to yourself.

Have you ever stepped into a new role… and suddenly felt smaller than you expected?

You worked hard to get there. You have the experience. But a few weeks in, you walk into meetings and start second-guessing yourself. Everyone else seems more established, more confident.

And before you realise it, you start shrinking.

In this episode of the Women in Data Podcast, Karen is joined by Michelle Adebayo, Data and AI Governance Manager, who shares her experience of navigating imposter syndrome after joining an organisation where many colleagues had been there for decades.

Despite nearly a decade of experience in data governance, Michelle found herself stepping back in meetings, letting others speak for her, and questioning whether she really belonged. A candid moment with a mentor  forced her to confront what was really going on: fear.

Michelle shares how she rebuilt her confidence, learned the language of the organisation, and developed practical strategies to stay visible and influential in meetings.

If you’ve ever felt smaller in a role you worked hard to get, this episode will remind you of something important:

You earned your place. Your voice belongs in the room.

Are we becoming worse at our jobs because we use AI?

It’s a question so many of us are quietly asking. If AI can write the code, summarise the findings, build the deck… are we still building our skills, or slowly outsourcing them?

In this episode, I sit down with AI researcher Nora Petrova to unpack the guilt, the anxiety, and the real risk behind AI tools. But instead of fear-mongering, we focus on something practical: how to use AI as a learning accelerator.

Nora shares a simple but powerful framework:

• Stay in the driver’s seat
• Never outsource what you don’t understand
• Use AI to invest in yourself, not automate yourself
• Test whether you’re actually learning (or just feeling productive)
  
  

We also talk about the illusion of learning, the difference between junior and senior professionals in this new landscape, and how to navigate uncertainty without spiralling.

If you want to use AI confidently without losing your edge this episode is for you.

Tune in and rethink how you’re using AI today.

 Nora recommends to also watch: https://youtu.be/z3kaLM8Oj4o?si=Jr9amKNncuE4egKi

In this cohosted episode Karen and Cecilia reflect on questioning their careers in data from imposter syndrome and leadership doubts to navigating fast-moving industry change. They challenge the idea that seniority brings certainty, instead considering how ambiguity is constant and self-questioning can be an advantage. The conversation explores resilience, shifting environments, and detaching identity from job titles. They share a practical framework for gaining clarity: reflecting on strengths, tracking interests, learning from past roles, reality-checking through conversation, and defining what to start, stop, and continue—emphasising growth is an ongoing, imperfect process.