In Episode 21 of Driven by Data: The Podcast, Kyle Winterbottom is joined by Hywel Benbow, VP Global Data & Analytics at GEMS Education where they discuss the journey of establishing a centralised Data & Analytics capability across a global, fragmented organisation from scratch.

Hywel provides fantastic advice and insights into the journey he has been on and the key points to consider, which includes:

• The challenge of consistency
• Where to start and why
• The importance of being ruthless with prioritisation
• Why you need to take the business on the journey to shift the culture
• Why communication is key
• Why you need to talk about outcomes rather than data
• The importance of quick wins
• Why you should think of yourself as an internal consultancy
• Why the role of a D&A capability is also a “sales role”
• Some of the commercial benefits GEMS have seen as a result
• The importance of setting the correct foundations
• The link between business priority and foundations
• Why managing expectations is critical
• The timescales to deliver genuine value to the business
• What you should be looking for in people who are joining your team
• Why problem-solving, communication & critical thinking skills trump technology skills