If you want to get in touch please use this form or contact me on LinkedIn.

I am a seasoned technology executive (ex-Google) with a gift for helping people understand what data, analytics, and AI mean in practice. I have advised tens of organisations on how they can harness digital technologies to unlock transformative growth and gain a sustainable competitive advantage.

Currently, I am the Chief Data Officer for the Middle East's largest luxury retailer, building their resilience for a post pandemic world. Previously, I was the Director of Data for Dyson, where I worked on topics as diverse as machine learning for digital motor manufacturing to scaled automotive analytics.

Waistcoats are great for presentations as you can skip ironing your shirt. Photo by Chalhoub.

At Google, I led the development of the global sales analyst skills curriculum, which ignited a passion for talent development that I also get to channel in my role as advisor to the University of Oxford's social data science degrees. Before that, I worked on a number of digital media ventures, often involving data.

In the UK, I was named one of the top 100 people in data-driven business, one of the top 50 data innovators, and one of the top 10 data futurists. I was also invited to be a Partner in the Forbes Ignite coalition. That was nice of them. My surname is pronounced den (like bear den) Roy-yen (like the currency).

A lot of my effort is focused on explaining digital technologies in plain English. Photo by GISEC.

What I Do

As my work focuses on the practical application of analytics and AI, I have done advisory work and training in this space for a number of companies. I have also spoken at 100+ conferences and corporate summits; here are a few:

PRESENTATIONS: AI Congress London, AI Everything Dubai, P&G Geneva, AI Summit London, Arabnet Riyadh, Unilever London, Big Data World London, Google Chicago, Business Analytics Tech Fest Sydney, Deloitte Amsterdam, Code Europe Warsaw, Danske Bank Copenhagen, GISEC Dubai, Chief Data & Analytics Officer Summit London, Data Leaders Summit Barcelona, Excellence in Leadership London, Amplifon Venice, Digital Marketing Asia Singapore, Middle East Retail Forum Dubai, BNY Mellon London, AI Everything Dubai, Arabian Business Forum Dubai

ONLINE: AI Adoption In Business Is Non-Negotiable For Post-Pandemic Success, Data Leaders Interview, Data Conversations Over Coffee, Customer Insight Leaders, Leading Change in a Company as the Head of Data, Hub and Spoken: Putting your Data Strategy into Action, Top Tips for Data Storytelling, Forbes, DataIQ (Jan 2018), DataIQ (Feb 2018), Harper's Bazaar

Please get in touch if you are interested in having me speak at your event.

I spend a lot of time talking about what these buzzwords mean in practice. Photo from Twitter.

What I Write

You can find all the posts I have written here. Some of my favourites:

If You Are Serious About AI, You Had Better Get Serious About Data Quality
Ah, data quality. Almost as unpopular a cocktail party topic as data governance.Yet like that walking punchline Chandler Bing[https://qstar.ai/the-one-where-friends-least-popular-character-ended-up-with-the-sexiest-job-of-the-21st-century/], data quality is about to enter its defining decade. It …
Q* – Data, Analytics, & AI Leadership BlogRyan den Rooijen
Putting the AI in LemonAIde: Practical Applications of Artificial Intelligence
Though you might not have realised it if you live in England, summer is here.Once upon a time, this meant kids would take to the sidewalks to hawk theirnon-alcoholic beverages. Other than providing their pint-size proprietors withsupplementary income, lemonade stands are a helpful microcosm when …
Q* – Data, Analytics, & AI Leadership BlogRyan den Rooijen
Yes, Machine Learning is Cool. But is Your Organisation Ready Yet?
FOMO, or fear of missing out, is a powerful phenomenon. It is like a type of hunger that gnaws at your soul, a constant pressure at the…
Q* – Data, Analytics, & AI Leadership BlogRyan den Rooijen
Data Visualisation: No Tools Required
When deciding how to build effective analytics teams, data visualisation often comes up as a requirement. It is no surprise that the role…
Q* – Data, Analytics, & AI Leadership BlogRyan den Rooijen
The One Where Friends’ Least Popular Character Ended Up with the Sexiest Job of the 21st Century
Although I did not watch the American sitcom Friends when it originally aired, I have since worked my way through its ten seasons over the…
Q* – Data, Analytics, & AI Leadership BlogRyan den Rooijen

If you made it this far, congratulations! Have a link to my soundtrack playlist :)

— Ryan