In this conversation, senior community leaders Robin Sutara, Field CDO at Databricks, Manca Vitorino, Director of Data Ecosystem at LexisNexis Risk Solutions and Roisin McCarthy, Founder of Women in Data®, share powerful career advice, reflect on how community has shaped their journeys, and discuss their vision for the future of the Data & AI sector. Together they touch on:

• Finding the right time to make a career move
• The difference allies and mentors can make
• Why representation and role models matter
• How community builds confidence and helps us fight imposter syndrome

As AI continues to transform industries, the need for ethical, inclusive, and accountable systems is more urgent than ever.

This session explores the emerging profession of Responsible AI, where a blend of ethical leadership, regulatory insight, technical expertise and human-centered design is essential to build AI that meets both societal and business needs. We’ll discuss how Responsible AI can drive better outcomes and why this space offers a powerful opportunity for women to lead, influence, and shape the future of this technology.

Whatever your role, this session will empower you to see how Responsible AI is an opportunity for innovation and leadership, where you can drive change, challenge norms, and design AI that reflects diverse perspectives.

Wherever you are in your career, this session will hopefully inspire you to take that next LEAP. Join us as we delve into mentorship circles, cross-disciplinary team challenges, and real-time feedback loops that accelerate personal skill growth and spark creative solutions to take back to your businesses and drive measurable impact. This focused 30-minute session will teach you the power of the Women in Data® Leadership, Equity, Acceleration Programme (LEAP). We will explore its hands-on curriculum and how its dynamic peer network is empowering data professionals to collaborate, innovate, and lead.

This session should inspire others to consider data roles, irrespective of their background. The session highlights two of the many data careers at Kingfisher, and the different skills needed in each of these areas.

Having completed this session, you will be equipped with fresh insights into how innovation and collaboration can spark both team success and personal growth.

Together, we’ll explore how our analytics team is pushing beyond traditional boundaries, embracing new ways of thinking, and applying creative problem-solving to real business challenges. You will see firsthand how these approaches can drive smarter decisions, foster stronger connections across teams, and unlock new opportunities.

Most importantly, you will leave with practical inspiration and actionable ideas you can apply directly within your own team and on your personal professional journey.

Our fabulous Brand Partner Acxiom is opening its doors again this year for a WiDWEEK celebration in Central London. After arrival and check in, we will kick off the evening with a Panel Session hosted by Fiona Sweeney, Strategy Director at Women in Data®, who will be joined by leading voices from some of the most exciting consumer brands in the UK.

The topic is Beyond Technology: How data culture drives real change, where we will consider what the rapid advances in technology mean for data and culture as we turn algorithms into action. We will uncover what it truly takes to make data the language of change.

Afterwards there will be plenty of time for networking and drinks in Acxiom’s great space next to Old Bailey, London.

This event was oversubscribed last year, and you will be asked to join a waitlist but please register your interest at this great WiDWEEK celebration. Connect. Engage. Belong. 

Take part in a unique, hands-on experience where we’ll introduce you to Databricks’ powerful data consumption tool, AI/BI. During the session, you’ll explore the fundamentals of Databricks AI/BI, including both Dashboards and Genie Spaces.

This bootcamp is designed for you—even if you don’t have a technical or coding background in data. If you need to consult and extract insights from business data using Dashboards or natural language, this is the perfect opportunity to learn how.

You’ll have the chance to get hands-on with a Databricks environment and practice using AI/BI through guided exercises. It will also be a great opportunity to meet other Databricks customers, build new connections, and ask questions directly to Databricks experts.

We strongly encourage our customers to involve business data consumers in this event so they can become self-sufficient in their daily work.

Don’t miss the chance to discover how Databricks can help you unlock the full value of your data!

Please note, the event requires you to bring your own laptop. Lunch will be provided.

Having completed this session, you will be equipped with the knowledge to understand the fundamentals of Data Governance and Data Cataloguing, including their types, tools, and practical applications. You’ll learn how trusted data enables better decision-making across business functions, explore how cataloguing supports data literacy, data discovery, compliance and drives data governance.

This session will empower you to recognize the value of governed data and apply key concepts to enhance data-driven outcomes in your role.

This Lunch & Learn will delve into how organisations can leverage a combination of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, robotic process automation (RPA), NLP, and modern day case management systems to build and automate at pace.

Having completed the session, you will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to: 
- Demystify intelligent automation and AI-driven workflows.
- Empower attendees to identify automation opportunities in their own domains.
- Teach how platforms like Microsoft Power Platform and Pega can be used to build scalable, low-code/no-code solutions for case management and workflow orchestration.
- Showcase potential use cases from enterprise environments

🎉Celebrate Women in Data®'s 11th Birthday at our Manchester meet-up, featuring Royal London and Microsoft 🎉

Enjoy networking, a career-focused panel, insights into intelligent underwriting, and a keynote from Microsoft's Dr Mollie Ward (AI Solution Engineer).

This event offers connection, learning, and empowerment.

Agenda Highlights:

💬 14:00–14:30 | Networking & Refreshments
Connect with fellow attendees over drinks and light bites. Your chance to meet peers, mentors, and future collaborators.

🧭 14:30–14:55 | Panel Discussion: Navigating a Career in Data (Royal London)
Hear from the Royal London team as they share personal stories, career tips, and helpful insights on how to thrive in today's data industry.

📊 14:55–15:30 | The Intelligent Underwriter: Balancing Insight and Automation (Royal London)
Discover how Royal London is transforming underwriting through data-driven decision-making and automation, while maintaining critical human insight.

🤖 15:30–16:15 | Microsoft Keynote: Dr Mollie Ward (AI Solution Engineer)
Be inspired by Dr Mollie Ward, with her PhD in Computational Neuroscience, this will be a unique and not-to-be missed opportunity to learn how AI is reshaping industries and how women are leading the charge from an expert interdisciplinary voice.

☕ 16:15–17:00 | Closing Refreshments
Unwind and reflect on the day's discussions with informal networking and refreshments.

What you can look forward to:

• Practical career advice from the Women in Data® community
• Insights into real-world applications of AI and automation
• Inspiration from leading voices in tech and finance
• New connections with professionals across industries

Expand your network. Elevate your career. Empower your journey.

Join us for a dynamic virtual networking event designed exclusively for Women in Data® members. Connect with inspiring, like-minded professionals in a welcoming online space built for meaningful conversations and collaboration.

Learn practical tips to strengthen your virtual networking skills, gain fresh career insights, and walk away with connections that can open new doors. This FREE session is your opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive alongside a supportive community of women shaping the future of data.

Whether you’re here to explore new opportunities, exchange ideas, or simply expand your circle, this is the place to be.

Join us for an inspiring virtual panel exploring how Sainsbury’s is championing diversity and inclusion as a catalyst for innovation and performance.

Our panellists will share stories of exceptional data talent across disciplines, from engineering and analytics to data science and AI. We will showcase inclusive leadership, career development programmes, and cross-functional collaboration.

Discover how initiatives like the LEAP programme, women-led bootcamps, and neurodiverse hiring practices are breaking barriers and nurturing potential. With insights from leaders driving scalable, ethical AI and customer-centric analytics, this session will showcase how a culture of belonging empowers colleagues, sparks creativity, and shapes the future of retail.

Join us for an inspiring in-person session celebrating the outstanding work of Women in Data® partners across the Midlands. This event will bring together data professionals, leaders, and innovators to connect, share knowledge, and explore how data can be harnessed for positive impact.

Our goal is to empower individuals and organisations to use data efficiently, effectively, and responsibly—driving informed decision-making that puts customers first and unlocks data’s potential as a force for good.

Through engaging discussions and partner showcases, attendees will:

• Gain a clear understanding of the peaks and pitfalls of data transformation projects, learning from real-world experiences.
• Discover how data underpins the support provided to vulnerable customers in the energy industry, helping ensure fair and inclusive service.
• Gain insight into how the energy sector is evolving on the journey to net zero, and how data provides the evidence and intelligence needed to measure progress and impact.

The session will also spotlight learning and development opportunities available to local data professionals, highlighting how partners can invest in the region’s growing talent and strengthen the vibrant data community.

✨ Connect. Learn. Inspire. Harness the power of data for good.

Join us for an enlightening evening, together with Snowflake and AWS, focused on the critical topic of AI Ethics and its impact on shaping our technological future. This event brings together industry experts and thought leaders to explore the responsible development and implementation of AI technologies.

What to Expect

Gain insights into ethical considerations in AI development
Learn from industry experts about responsible AI practices
Engage in meaningful discussions about AI's future
Network with professionals in the field
Connect with the AWS Cloud Women community

Who Should Attend

Technology professionals
AI/ML practitioners
Business leaders
Ethics professionals
Anyone interested in the future of AI

🎉 Join Women in Data® and Intuita for a birthday celebration 🎉

On Wednesday 26th November Intuita Consulting will be hosting annual winter drinks for their clients and friends in the industry and would be delighted to include all those celebrating Women in Data® turning 11 years old!   

Join them for drinks and festive nibbles at an evening of relaxed networking with fellow data folk. 

🎉 WiD Week Leeds Meetup: Women in Data® celebration with ASDA  🎉

Come and join us at ASDA House in Leeds as we celebrate our 11th birthday! This special WiD Week event, hosted in partnership with ASDA, offers a dedicated morning of learning, development, and networking with refreshments. Connect with fellow data professionals, gain fresh insights, and be part of our vibrant community driving change and innovation.

Having completed this session, you will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to:

● Develop and Implement a Data Monetization Model that successfully transitions proprietary information into a valuable, revenue-generating subscription product.
● Identify Strategic Product Differentiation by leveraging unique insights, for example carbon emissions information.
● Measure and Prove Stakeholder ROI by demonstrating how consistent, up-to-date data enables suppliers and customers to optimise their business.
● Drive Internal Efficiency by utilizing data portals to help teams increase efficiency, reduce manual reporting, and make data-led decisions to improve category and supplier performance.
● Position Data as a Competitive Advantage, moving beyond simply selling products to selling insights.

What’s Northstar?

Northstar is Snowflake's hands-on builder education program which takes developers through real Snowflake use cases, equipping them with training, badges and experience.

Agenda

The upcoming Northstar will focus on Agentic AI. Attendees will learn how to design and deploy intelligent data agents using Snowflake Cortex. These agents are capable of finding, understanding and making decisions on structured and unstructured data using Cortex Analyst and Cortex Search. dbt Labs is sponsoring and will provide a 30-minute demo to complement the core session. Attendees will walk away with a Northstar Agentic AI badge upon completion of the lab.

Prerequisites: 

A working knowledge of SQL, Python, data engineering and machine learning concepts.

A Snowflake account (we’ll create a free trial account during the lab)

Access to GitHub

Expand your network. Elevate your career. Empower your journey.

Join us for a dynamic virtual networking event designed exclusively for Women in Data® members. Connect with inspiring, like-minded professionals in a welcoming online space built for meaningful conversations and collaboration.

Learn practical tips to strengthen your virtual networking skills, gain fresh career insights, and walk away with connections that can open new doors. This FREE session is your opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive alongside a supportive community of women shaping the future of data.

Whether you’re here to explore new opportunities, exchange ideas, or simply expand your circle, this is the place to be.

The path from a successful Generative AI proof-of-concept (POC) to a reliable, scalable production system is complex and often fraught with unexpected challenges. This session will provide a focused discussion on the critical, often-overlooked stages of the GenAI lifecycle that determine long-term success. We will explore the common pitfalls faced when transitioning from a small-scale prototype to an enterprise application, focusing specifically on three pillars:

1. Production Challenges: Addressing key roadblocks such as optimizing for low-latency, ensuring data controls/lineage and governance in RAG pipelines, and selecting the right deployment architecture (e.g., self-hosted vs. API-based vs hybrid).
2. Large-Scale Evaluation: Deep-diving into evaluation strategies beyond basic accuracy, including robust red-teaming, human-in-the-loop validation, and establishing quantitative metrics for model grounding and correctness across diverse use cases.
3. Real-time Monitoring (MLOps): Establishing effective monitoring frameworks for performance drift, cost management, token usage, and mitigating unexpected behavior, ensuring your GenAI application remains effective and responsible over time.

Join us to gain the practical, technical, and strategic knowledge necessary to confidently shepherd your GenAI projects from experimental success to real-world impact.

Discover more about the Women in Data® x HSBC partnership.

Implement a framework around supporting data teams in their career, create immersive learning experiences that engage their audience and increase data literacy and inspire content to create a mindset of curiosity and excitement around data.