
Why entrepreneurial thinking is essential for data leaders
From Hub & Spoken: Data | Analytics | Chief Data Officer | CDO | Data Strategy by Cynozure
February 5, 2026 · 41 min · Episode 250
About this episode
The episode discusses the importance of entrepreneurial thinking for data leaders and how it impacts their effectiveness in organizations.
In this episode of Hub & Spoken, Jason Foster, CEO & Founder of Cynozure, is joined by Roisin McCarthy, Founder of Women in Data®, to discuss why entrepreneurial thinking is fast becoming a core skill for data leaders. Drawing on experience in data, technology and talent, Roisin reflects on how expectations of data teams have changed and why technical excellence alone no longer guarantees impact. The conversation explores the growing need for commercial awareness, accountability and influence, particularly as data leaders are asked to justify investment and deliver measurable outcomes. Jason and Roisin discuss what entrepreneurial skills look like inside large organisations, from treating data initiatives as products to navigating trade-offs, making difficult decisions and staying aligned to purpose when conditions change. A practical, experience-led conversation for senior data professionals who want their work to drive real business value, not just activity. Cynozure is a leading data, analytics and AI company that helps organisations to reach their data potential. It works with clients on data and AI strategy, data management, data architecture and engineering, analytics and…
People in this episode
Host: Jason Foster
Guest: Roisin McCarthy
Topics covered
- entrepreneurial thinking
- data leadership
- commercial awareness
- data teams
- business value
Keywords
- data leaders
- entrepreneurial skills
- data initiatives
- commercial awareness
- business impact
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Cynozure, Women in Data®
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