When people talk about data and AI, the conversation tends to focus on technology: the latest features, the newest tools, how to solve this problem or that issue.
And while that's understandable (since the industry is moving at a pace that sometimes feels impossible to keep up with), the reality is that none of it happens without people. Those who are building the technology, solving the problems, challenging ideas, learning new skills and figuring out how to turn something complex into something useful. At the end of the day, we’re a ‘people company’.
Which is why we're excited to announce our partnership with Women in Data®.
Women in Data® have built an incredible community centred around advocacy, mentorship, networking and creating opportunities for women working in the field of Data and AI. Their mission resonates strongly with us because we know first-hand how valuable different perspectives are, not just for building better teams, but for building better technology solutions and delivering better outcomes for our clients.
It feels particularly relevant right now - as the data and AI landscape continues to grow and evolve, the demand for diverse thinking grows with it. If you spend even a few minutes talking to the women across Advancing Analytics, one thing becomes very clear: there is no single path into data. And their different experiences mean they have different perspectives and can create better data and AI solutions.
Women in Data® strive to further the careers of women in the industry – whether this is through their resources, jobs board, workshops, mentorship opportunities or vast networking at events. As partners, we join an external community and the opportunity to support a mission central to our values - driving gender parity in data and AI.
One of the things we love most about our industry is that people arrive here from all kinds of directions. Some always knew they wanted a career in technology, others found it by accident. We want to showcase some of the women at Advancing, who came from all walks to life to the data industry, and know first-hand how important organisations like Women in Data® are.
That eventually led her into Data Science and AI, where she found the perfect combination of what had interested her all along.
"What I love most is that it married the two things I'd been circling all along - the engineer instinct to build and the puzzle of making messy real-world data actually useful."
Today, Tori works on designing and deploying AI solutions for clients, but what stands out just as much is her passion for helping others.
"The team encourage you to follow your passions. They've supported me in starting a podcast, speaking at conferences, and pursuing my love of charity work through Girls in Data. That kind of backing is exactly what makes a team worth being part of."
It wasn't a straight line, but that's exactly the point - the analytical thinking developed through years of scientific research translated naturally into solving data challenges.
Today, she works across a wide range of projects, from geospatial data to large-scale data platforms, and credits much of her development to the people around her.
"The strength of knowledge and high capability of the people at Advancing Analytics drew me to the company - and everyone has lived up to that reputation! I have learnt so much from people across the business. Alongside the technical aspect, they have supported me in celebrating diversity in many forms: from women in science and technology to disability pride and inclusion."
Having specialised in Data & AI recruitment for most of her career, she's had the chance to meet people from every corner of the industry, from experienced consultants and engineers to those still figuring out whether a career in data is right for them. It's given her a unique perspective on just how many different routes there are into the profession.
What keeps her motivated is seeing how much of an impact the right job can have for someone.
"What I love most about my role, is that moment when someone lands a role in Data & AI that genuinely fits them, seeing that excitement never gets old, and it's a big part of why I do what I do!"
“What I love most about data engineering is the balance between applying existing skills and continually learning new ones, whether that's exploring cloud technologies or tackling new challenges across different industries.”
For Raj, one of the defining characteristics of working in data is that you never really stop learning.
"There are so many smart people who are always willing to share their knowledge and help others learn at Advancing Analytics. I've found that people are genuinely supportive and there's no judgement when you're asking questions or trying something new."
And while she enjoys the technical side of building data platforms, it's the people element that often matters most.
“I love that so much of the job comes down to working closely with a team and understanding what people actually need, and that side of it is just as rewarding as the technical side.”
Being surrounded by colleagues who are constantly learning the next new thing and problem-solving in different ways, whilst also supporting her in her work, has led her to deliver projects stronger than ever before.
“I believe inclusive teams that bring together different perspectives and experiences, and make sure everyone feels able to contribute, are what lead to the strongest thinking and the best outcomes."
"I quickly realised I had a knack for finding better ways to do things. I built a system that turned a two-week process into three days and started picking up work from the analyst on my team. At 19, with barely any A-levels, I was offered a permanent analyst position and never made it to university."
Bethany specialises in data visualisation, helping organisations make sense of complex information and turn it into something useful.
"That same instinct I had at 19 is still what drives me: give me a complicated problem and I'll want to pull it apart, understand it and find a better way."
Joining Advancing Analytics after maternity leave was another significant moment in her career, that reinforced how valuable the right culture and support can be.
"I've been incredibly lucky to work somewhere that has supported me as both a consultant and a parent, while giving me the space to keep learning, push myself technically and build a career around the parts of data I genuinely love."
Gavi's journey into AI began long before the current explosion of GenAI, through Masters and PhD research exploring neural networks, machine learning and complex data analysis.
“What hooked me was the ability to take huge amounts of complex data, find patterns that humans simply couldn’t see, and turn them into something meaningful.”
She now leads our AI strategy, helping organisations navigate a rapidly changing landscape while also advocating for greater representation within the industry.
"I'm passionate about increasing the visibility of women in senior technology roles and helping close the gender gap in data and AI, particularly as a new generation of AI leaders begins to emerge."
For Gavi (and for all of us), this is more than performative. It's about actively ensuring that those shaping the future of technology reflect the breadth of people who will ultimately use it.
"Through speaking, mentoring and leadership, I want to help create an AI industry where women aren't simply participating in the future of technology, but are helping to define it."
That's a future we'd all like to see.
And it's why we're proud to be partnering with Women in Data®.
On a technical level, over the next five years, we'll see a shift from traditional data platforms towards intelligent, governed platforms where data, analytics and AI come together.
We'll increasingly see AI agents embedded into everyday business operations. We'll see more automation, more decision intelligence and more organisations trying to turn AI pilots into measurable business outcomes.
But despite all the attention given to AI models, we don't think the winners will simply be those with access to the latest technology.
The organisations that succeed will be those with strong data foundations, robust governance and, perhaps most importantly, people who know how to bridge the gap between technology and business value.
And those people should come from a range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.
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We're looking forward to supporting the Women in Data® community, amplifying more stories, creating more opportunities and helping shine a light on the women who are already making an impact across the industry.
Because while the technology will undoubtedly keep evolving, the most important part of data and AI has always been, and always will be, the people behind it.
To read more about our partnership, head over to our page on the Women in Data® website.