
Season 6 - Episode 2 - “Why data and AI teams need translators not just tools” with Clare Kitching
From LEAD WITH DATA Podcast by Konnexus
April 27, 2026 · 47 min · Season 6 · Episode 2
About this episode
The episode discusses the necessity of translators in data and AI teams to bridge the gap between technical and business aspects for successful initiatives.
Why Data Teams Need Translators, Not Just Tools In this episode of Lead With Data , Rina Gami sits down with Clare Kitching, a senior data leader who works closely with organisations navigating complex data and AI decisions. The conversation explores why many data and AI initiatives stall and not because of tooling gaps. The conversation unpacks how data teams are navigating generative AI, agentic AI and increasing pressure to move quickly, often without the shared language, context and alignment required to succeed. Clare shares what she is seeing first-hand across organisations grappling with executive expectations, shadow AI, governance concerns and the widening distance between technical teams and business leaders. This episode focuses on the growing importance of translators in data teams' people who can bridge strategy, technology and value and what leaders should be paying attention to before scaling AI. In this episode, we cover: Why tools alone do not solve AI and data challenges The shift from traditional data initiatives to generative AI and agentic-based AI The critical role of senior executive sponsorship in AI success How translators help close the gap between…
People in this episode
Host: Rina Gami
Guest: Clare Kitching
Topics covered
- data teams
- AI
- translators
- generative AI
- business alignment
- executive sponsorship
Keywords
- data teams
- AI
- translators
- generative AI
- executive sponsorship
- shadow AI
- data quality
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Konnexus
More episodes of LEAD WITH DATA Podcast
- Season 6 - Episode 5 - "The Insurance Nobody Wants: Why Data Governance Matters Now" with Belinda Toniolo · June 9, 2026 · 52 min
- Season 6 - Episode 4 “Build, Ship, Improve” - The Commercial Mindset Behind AI That Reaches Real Customers" with Tracy Moore · May 25, 2026 · 43 min
- Season 6 - Episode 3 - "The one question that changed HR’s influence on business performance forever" with Sarah Novelli · May 12, 2026 · 46 min
- Season 6 - Episode 1 - Why "fail fast" is a powerful mindset if you want to succeed in Data Innovation · April 13, 2026 · 39 min
- Episode 20 - AI at the tipping point: Governance, Trust and ROI · December 2, 2025 · 43 min
- Episode 19 - The Data You Don’t Control Controls You with Pushkar Mishra · November 18, 2025 · 43 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the LEAD WITH DATA Podcast podcast page.