DATA festival
Program Details
November 13th, 09:00 – 09:30 am
Keynote: The Future is Agentic: Empowering Enterprises with AI that Acts
Agentic AI marks a new era in AI, where systems don’t just predict but act autonomously within enterprise environments. This session introduces the concept of Agentic AI, explaining how multi-agent systems enhance flexibility, reduce time-to-value, and integrate seamlessly into business processes. Through examples and use cases. We’ll explore how Agentic AI transforms workflows, automates processes, simplifies user experiences, and drives adoption by delivering meaningful, actionable insights Discover why Agentic AI is set to shape the future of enterprise intelligence and automation.
Dr. Carsten Bange & Alexander Thamm | DATA festival
Carsten is CEO and founder of BARC, an organisation specializing in independent research and advisory as well as events in the data & analytics market. Alex is CEO and founder of Alexander Thamm GmbH, one of the leading providers of data science and artificial intelligence in the German-speaking region.
Togehter they founded the DATA festival in 2017, envisioning an engaging community and innovative event platform around the topics of Data, Analytics & AI.
Curious about how they got started? Find out more in the Founding history of DATA festival!
November 13th, 09:30 – 10:30 am
Panel:
Unleashing Data & AI Power: Maximize Value, Slash Costs - An Unmissable Panel with Chief Data & AI Officers
Step into the future where Data & AI are not just tools but game-changers redefining business success. In this high-octane panel, top Data Leaders reveal how to unlock explosive value from Data & AI products while keeping a tight rein on costs. What’s the secret sauce to skyrocketing ROI in your Data & AI initiatives? Where are the hidden cost traps, and how can you dodge them? Join us for an unfiltered, cutting-edge discussion packed with insider tips and visionary strategies.
Don’t miss this electrifying opportunity to supercharge your Data & AI journey and leave your competition in the dust.
Moderator:
Alexander Thamm, is founder, CEO and pioneer in the field of Data and AI. His mission is to generate real added value from data and to restore Germany’s and Europe’s international competitiveness. He is a founding member of the German AI Association, a wanted keynote speaker, and author of numerous publications. In 2012 he founded [at], the first data science consultancy in Germany. Today, the company is one of the leading Data and AI consultancies in the German-speaking region.
Panel speakers:
Claudia connects business with Data Science and AI. Previously Head of Data Intelligence at Deutsche Bahn, she led initiatives on Data Strategy, Governance, and AI trends like Data Mesh. She also led Machine Learning at T-Labs. A speaker, author, and advocate for AI education, she chairs BITKOM’s AI working group. Honored as a Global Women Leader in AI (2019), she was named one of 30 global outstanding women in Data (2023).
As Head of the ZEISS AI Accelerator, Dr. Lydia Nemec and her team work closely together with all ZEISS businesses to create fully operational machine learning products that drive business success for ZEISS. Coming from academic research in high-performance computing and numeric algorithm development, Lydia started her exciting career path in theoretical and computational physics as a post-doc at Fritz Haber Insitute of the Max Planck Society and TU Munich. Before joining ZEISS, Lydia worked as a Senior Data Scientist on Machine Learning development and cloud-based data products at Knorr-Bremse. As part of the ZEISS Data & Analytics unit, Lydia leads the ZEISS Data Science team and is at the forefront of ZEISS´ next generation of AI-infused product and service innovations.
Xavier Lagardère is the Lufthansa Group Chief Data Officer, leading the airline group´s transformation towards a Data-centric company.
As a travel & transportation executive he holds board-level roles in travel startups such as Hopper, the #1 most downloaded travel app in North America.
His previous roles include leading the Lufthansa Group´s airline retailing and payments unit as the Group Head of Distribution; managing Groupon´s travel business in France as well as product development and R&D roles with tech giants Amadeus and HP.
A French national, Xavier holds a MBA from INSEAD and a Master´s Degree in Computer Science from the Grenoble National Superior School of Applied Mathematics and Informatics.
Chris is heading the global data unit within EON. Together with his team of data scientists and data engineers he helps all entities within the corporation to use data for automating processes, smartifying products, and accelerating the energy transition. Before that, Chris was the Chief Data Officer at E.ON Germany where he was in charge of the data strategy, aimed at creating a more data-driven culture, and used algorithms to optimize and automate processes for his colleagues and their 14M customers.
Prior to joining E.ON, Chris was Director Analytics at BurdaForward where he built up the Data Science team from scratch, establishing infrastructure, processes and a data-driven innovation culture. While at Burda, his team used data to create a personalized user experience for Germanys largest online news portal with more than 22M users. Chris joined Burda from Alexander Thamm, a Data Science consultancy, where he managed the development and implementation of large scale data projects.
Sponsored by
November 13th, 10:30 – 11:00 am
From Theory to Practice: Kuehne+Nagel’s DataMesh Implementation
Kuehne+Nagel aims to become a data-driven company and fully leverage the value of its data with AI/ML. To achieve this, the company has decided to create a data mesh and implement data product. Join Michele and Lucas from Kuehne+Nagel as they walk you through their data mesh implementation journey within their organisation. They will explain how explore the mesh and how they tailored this concept to meet Kuehne+Nagel’s specific needs. This talk covers both the successes and the challenges encountered so far, providing a comprehensive view of the practical implementation of a data mesh in a corporate setting and offering valuable insights into its real-world applicability.
Michele Marconi, Product Lead | Kuehne+Nagel
Michele Marconi is passionate about data, especially when it drives business insights. That’s why he works in the data sector for the last 10+ years. He joined Kuehne+Nagel and its KNITE program in July 2022 as Product Lead uses his knowledge to facilitate and contribute to the development and roll out of KNITE. In his private life Michele is married, speaks 6 languages and has diverse interests that span from scuba diving and squash to coffee making.
Lucas Baião, Data Platform Owner and Architect | Kuehne+Nagel
A Brazilian data architect living in Portugal, I’m leading the design and implementation of a Data Mesh platform at Kuehne+Nagel, creating scalable and decentralized data solutions to empower teams and enhance data-driven decision-making. With a focus on fostering a modern data culture, I drive the strategic vision for a robust and flexible data platform that meets the evolving needs of the organization. Outside of work, I’m passionate about music, enjoy playing guitar, and love spending quality time with my young child and my wife.
November 13th, 11:00 – 11:30 am
Unlocking the power of Data Products and Data Marketplaces
Wayne Eckerson and Carsten Bange discus the evolving landscape of data products, their role within data mesh methodologies, and the significance of data marketplaces. Wayne emphasizes clear definitions, product management, and understanding user needs to create effective data products, while addressing challenges in decentralized team implementations and the importance of governance for accessibility. The conversation then shifts to the value of data marketplaces, their distinction from data catalogs, and the role of data contracts in ensuring data integrity, concluding with insights on the future of data products.
Wayne Eckerson, President | Eckerson Group
Wayne W. Eckerson is an international thought leader in the data and analytics field since the early 1990s. He is a noted speaker, sought-after consultant, and widely read author. Eckerson has conducted many groundbreaking research studies, chaired numerous conferences, and consulted with numerous organizations around the world during his 25 years in the field. Eckerson has also written two books: “The Secrets of Analytical Leaders: Insights from Information Insiders” (2012) and “Performance Dashboards: Measuring, Monitoring, and Managing Your Business” (2005/2010) He has degrees from Williams College and Wesleyan University.
November 13th, 11:30 am – 12:00 pm
Building Open Data Lakes and Lakehouses with Iceberg and Polaris
Apache Iceberg & Apache Polaris (incubating) provide an open storage standard that can democratize your data stored in disparate data lakes by providing freedom and interoperability to use various data processing engines.
Join this session to hear all of the latest Snowflake platform enhancements for Iceberg Tables, along with onboarding improvements and new integrations.
Christoph Wiese, Field CTO | Snowflake
Christoph is a Snowflake Field CTO, focusing on data engineering and data lakes. He has experienced the industry as a customer, partner and vendor. In his previous role as Director of Engineering for a video streaming service, he procured Snowflake as the center piece of his data platform and thus became Snowflake’s customer number eight in Germany. Christoph believes that we make better decisions with data and creates data platforms to bring that ability to as many people as possible. He has a keen interested in the interplay of technology and the workflows of engineering organisations.
November 13th, 12:30 – 1:00 pm
Drive action with AI-powered data and analytics in the flow of work
Tableau is pushing the boundaries of AI analytics, helping people see, understand, and act on data faster and more efficiently than ever.
Join this session to learn how Gen AI, self-service experiences, and intuitive insights are shaping a new era for analytics from Salesforce.
Sebastian Gerisch, Principal Enterprise Architect | Tableau
Sebastian has been part of the Tableau #DataFam for almost 10 years and has worked in various roles in Germany andSwitzerland. In his current role as Principal Enterprise Architect Central Europe, he works closely with many enterpriseorganizations within various industries like finance, manufacturing, healthcare, services etc. to transform their business intobecoming more data driven by defining a clear analytics and data strategy.
He shares the passion for data and the role that Tableau plays on this transformational journey. Sebastian combines strongtechnical skills, like the design of modern data architectures with the ability to build the organizational environment to make thedigital transformation a success!
Lena Boenke, Senior Solution Engineer | Tableau
November 13th, 1:00 – 1:30 pm
Artificial Intelligence will be a nightmare without Data Governance
Since the US administration was ordered to appoint Chief Artificial Intelligence Officers, major companies around the world understand that AI cannot be deployed without oversight.
In Europe, the AI Act provides a framework, and several ISO standards also exist. But the priority of this framework work is to prepare its data. Yet many companies still believe that AI is magic. Without good quality, compliant and referenced data, it’s impossible to implement effective AI tools. Worse still, this leads to errors, discrimination and hallucinations, which can be costly for the company.
We’ll find out what’s involved in the governance of artificial intelligence, and how Chief Data Officers can add this skill to their roles today.
Philippe Nieuwbourg, Independent Analyst
Philippe Nieuwbourg is an independent analyst specializing in data and artificial intelligence governance. He teaches at several universities, and leads numerous professional training courses.
November 13th, 1:30 – 2:15 pm
Panel:
Centralization vs. Decentralization in Data and Analytics Governance
As the data landscape evolves, organizations must decide between centralizing or decentralizing their data and analytics teams and governance functions. This panel will explore the key arguments for both approaches, highlighting the advantages and challenges of each model.
We will discuss which services and governance functions are best suited for centralized versus decentralized frameworks and share strategies for identifying the optimal organizational structure for your business needs.
Join us for insights, case studies, and best practices to help you navigate this shifting paradigm and create a data-driven culture that enhances decision-making and drives success.
Moderator:
Dr. Carsten Bange is the founder and managing director of BARC. He is one of the leading experts in the successful implementation of information technology for business intelligence & data management within the framework of the transformation to data-driven companies. As a neutral market observer he has been the coach & strategy consultant for companies of the most varied industries, frequent speaker at conferences, seminars and the author of numerous industry publications and market studies.
Panel speakers:
In her role she is globally responsible for the Data and Analytics system landscape, Master Data Management, as well as the enabling of analytical capabilities for data usage in the areas of Reporting and Analytics, Data Science and AI and Data culture and transformation in order to create value from data. Her deep believe is, that “PEOPLE lead TECHOLOGY” That means for „data and analytics“: Inspire and enable people to join and shape their „data and analytics journey”!
Dr. Holger Kömm is Expert Associate Partner @ Bain & Company. He started his career as data scientist during his doctorate, before he joined adidas AG. There he worked as lead data scientist in the Big Data department and later as Senior Director of the Advanced Analytics Hub & Lab. His background covers Mathematics, Economics, Computer Science & Statistics, especially Forecasting. He holds a Ph.D. from the Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt in Applied Statistics and is a passionate swimmer.
Thorsten Kranz works as Head of Data Science Implementation at DHL Data & Analytics. He contributes his share to the intelligent digitalization of Deutsche Post DHL’s logistic business by integrating AI into the core processes and driving the adoption of data driven automation and decision making. Thorsten has a background in physics and cognitive neuroscience and has been working for almost a decade as a data science consultant for companies from all major industries, covering the data value chain from machine learning to business strategy.
November 13th, 2:15 – 2:45 pm
Preserving Corporate Wisdom – How AI Transforms Knowledge Retention and Utilization
Knowledge management can be an ungrateful topic – it’s somewhat bulky, and expensive and the benefits are not always clear – especially when colleagues have to be constantly retrained despite all the documentation efforts, wikis and intranet pages.
Implicit knowledge in particular – i.e. knowledge that is not documented anywhere because the owners take it for granted – is lost time and time again.
In the context of the population pyramid and the debate about company succession, this is not just annoying – it’s downright scary!
In an ideal world, you would simply tell your colleague everything that is important as it happens and they would diligently take notes, make extensive photographic records of everything and link it to the knowledge already available in the company so that everyone else would easily benefit from it. Unfortunately, this world does not exi… Hold on!
While the majority of companies are still wondering whether “AI” is just the next hype, the HICO AI experts present precisely this very diligent colleague – and thus not just the next whimsical AI gimmick, but a powerful and secure solution that counteracts the expected knowledge drain.
Please welcome the heart and brain of contemporary corporate knowledge management.
Geneve Schwan, Chief Product Officer (CPO) | HICO Group
A technology leader passionate about AI, innovation, and team development, Geneve has served as Chief Product Officer at HICO-Group and TRUECHART for over three years. Prior to this, Geneve enhanced product offerings and market position as a Product Manager at TRUECHART, contributing significantly to the company’s growth.
Building a career on consulting, providing support, and guiding software development, Geneve has held several managerial positions at South African corporations including a large, listed transportation company and a major labor and software company.
Ben Gnaedig, VP Data & Cloud International | HICO Group
November 13th, 3:00 – 3:30 pm
From Data Science to Data Engineering: the Path to AI Maturity and Performance
Our obsession with powerful AI algorithms has matured to the sober realization that no model – especially a GenAI language model – can perform without clean and trustworthy inputs. Enterprise adopters must therefore modernize their data engineering teams, tools, and techniques to prepare and deliver the necessary data inputs for these endeavors. This session assesses key requirements for data engineering in a GenAI-driven world, then recommends specific steps to meet those requirements and deliver business results with AI.
Kevin Petrie, VP Research | BARC US
Kevin is the VP of Research at BARC US, where he writes and speaks about the intersection of AI, analytics, and data management. For nearly three decades Kevin has deciphered what technology means to practitioners, as an industry analyst, services leader, instructor, marketer, and tech journalist. This includes five years as analyst and Research VP at BARC’s partner Eckerson Group. Kevin also launched and grew a profitable data analytics services team for EMC Pivotal in the Americas and EMEA and ran field training at Attunity/Qlik.
A frequent public speaker and co-author of two books about data management, Kevin is passionate about helping practitioners, founders, and software executives capitalize on emerging technologies. Outside the tech world, Kevin most loves biking, kayaking, and coaching his three boys’ sports teams.
November 13th, 3:30 – 4:00 pm
Sports Data Analytics using AIML – Models and Methods
Integrating AI and ML in sports data analytics is revolutionizing insights in cricket and football. This paper explores advanced models and methods, focusing on computer vision technologies like YOLO V10 for smart analysis and enhanced player tracking. AI models analyze player movements and tactics in cricket and football, aiding in strategy and decision-making. YOLO V10 simplifies data extraction for analysis. Techniques like OpenPose and PoseNet for posture estimation are crucial for performance enhancement. The tech stack includes TensorFlow, PyTorch, and cloud platforms for scalable computation.
Rajesh Kumar, Chief Technological Scientist | Woxsen University
Dr. Rajesh Kumar K V is a distinguished academic and researcher currently serving as Chief Technological Scientist at the AI Research Centre and Associate Professor at the School of Business – Business Analytics department, Woxsen University, Hyderabad, India. Currently, he is leading an engineering team working on interdisciplinary research projects. He holds the prestigious Chair Professor of France Belanger of Information Systems and is actively involved as Co-Chairperson of the Centre of Excellence – Sports Analytics and Management.
Furthermore, he is the Advertflair Chair Professor in Marketing and Advertising, specializing in AI Projects. His academic credentials include an M. Tech in Embedded Systems and a Ph.D. in Applied Artificial Intelligence in biomechanical engineering. His research specialization is Human Computer Interface-based signal Data Analytics for Bio-Medical Applications, Machine and Deep Learning, and Business Analytics.
In 2022, he showcased his expertise in sports analytics at the Data Con LA+ IM Data 2022 conference in the US, California. His significant research contributions were recognized at ICRA 2023-UK in a workshop on Computer Vision for Wearable Robotics by Harvard University. He recently attended as a panel member to discuss “Digital landscape – Beyond AI” at the Digital Innovation Summit – Bucharest, Romania, and “How AI is changing the landscape of work” at the AI Tech Summit in April 2024, in Malaga, Spain. Recently he participated as a panel member to discuss “Future Cars: How Does it Looks Like” at the MOVE Conference, in June 2024 in London, UK.
November 13th, 4:00 – 4:30 pm
Keynote: Data-Driven AI: Strategic Approaches to Accelerate Innovation
Data-driven Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping competition by accelerating innovation. Data is the critical component of value delivery and ROI for AI. This session will share research insights and best practice trends to help enhance your business’s decision-making and operational efficiencies through data and AI.
Shawn Rogers, CEO | BARC US
Shawn has over 28 years of international experience as an industry analyst, thought leader, speaker, author, and instructor on data, business intelligence (BI), analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and cloud technologies. His former analyst roles and executive strategy positions with enterprise software firms give him a unique industry.
Shawn is a published author and has co-written two industry-leading books, “Social Data Analytics” and the latest, “Analytics: How to Win with Intelligence.” He was recently named one of Top 50 Global Thought Leaders on Analytics 2023 by Thinkers360.
Any questions? Contact us!
