A First Look at the Data Decoded LDN 2026 Seminar Programme 🚀

Data Decoded LDN arrives at Olympia London on 22 to 23 April 2026, bringing together senior data and AI leaders for two days of independent, practitioner led insight.

The newly released seminar schedule provides a clear view of the conversations shaping enterprise data and AI strategy in 2026. The focus is practical: board level accountability, cultural change, governance at scale, architecture that supports AI ambition, and engineering capability that delivers measurable outcomes.

Across five content theatres, the programme reflects the real challenges facing CDOs, Heads of Data, AI leaders, architects and senior practitioners responsible for delivering impact.

Turning AI Investment into Enterprise Impact 📊

A central theme throughout the programme is moving from experimentation to measurable business value.

In the Keynote Theatre, leaders from Uber, the BBC, Lloyds Banking Group, Mars Wrigley, ITV, the Financial Times and the NFL explore what it actually takes to embed data into enterprise decision making.

Confirmed sessions include:
• Creating a Data Led Culture with Matt Yates, Uber; Charlie Girling, BGF; Hannah Bruce, Lloyds Banking Group; Darren Wood, BBC
• Building a Semantically Consistent Artificially Intelligent Enterprise with Mike Ferguson, Intelligent Business
• The Value of Data and Why the Board Should Pay Attention with Ayushman Saha, Financial Times
• Driving Decision Making Using Data Science with Fay Churchill, ITV

These sessions examine accountability, value realisation and what boards expect from modern data leadership.

Leadership in a World of AI 🧠

As AI becomes embedded in operating models, leadership expectations are evolving.

What Leadership Looks Like in a World of AI is chaired by David Savage, Group Technology Evangelist at Nash Squared, and includes Hannah Bruce from Lloyds Banking Group and Danny Woodruff, Enterprise Data and Platform Director at Mars Wrigley.

Confirmed sessions include:
• What Leadership Looks Like in a World of AI with David Savage, Nash Squared; Hannah Bruce, Lloyds Banking Group; Danny Woodruff, Mars Wrigley
• Data Culture in a Large Enterprise with Sam Davies, Sky Comcast

These discussions focus on executive responsibility, governance at board level and how leadership capability must evolve as AI scales.

Governing AI Without Slowing Innovation 🛡️

Governance remains one of the defining topics of the 2026 agenda.

Nicola Askham, The Data Governance Coach, leads practical governance discussions and chairs a senior panel on the intersection of AI and data governance.

Confirmed sessions include:
• How to Do Data Governance Without Getting Overwhelmed with Nicola Askham, Data Governance Coach
• Data Management AI’s Dark Knight with Danielle Lopes, Head of Data Management, BAE Systems
• Underpinning AI Success Using Unified Agentic Data Governance Automation with Mike Ferguson, Intelligent Business
• From Skills to Trust Operationalising Data Governance for Real Business Impact with Gus Reyes, Now Skills
• Data Quality ROI Shall We Talk About the Why and Who of Data Quality with Gaurav Patole, Thoughtworks

The emphasis is enabling scale while maintaining trust, compliance and transparency.

Building AI Ready Architecture and Platforms 🏗️

Delivering AI at scale requires architectural clarity and platform maturity.

In the Data Architecture, Platforms and Infrastructure theatre, leaders from public sector and enterprise organisations share practical lessons on scaling platforms for AI.

Confirmed sessions include:
• Enterprise architecture insights with Simon Long, Greater London Authority
• Platform strategy with Tania Ash, NatWest
• Scaling AI capability with Tripti Anil, Kellonova
• Infrastructure and transformation insights with Rosanne Werner, XcelerateIQ
• Government data platform perspectives with Chris Chambers, DSIT

These sessions focus on structural decisions that determine whether AI initiatives succeed or stall.

From Pipelines to Activation ⚙️

Data engineering remains the foundation of AI delivery.

Speakers from Deloitte, Toyota, Lloyds Banking Group, Virgin O2, NHS and Bupa share how engineering capability connects infrastructure to measurable business value.

Confirmed sessions include:
• Data engineering insights with Jordan Weller, Deloitte
• Engineering delivery in practice with Phil Parry, Bupa
• Data at scale with James Murray, Toyota
• Enterprise engineering lessons with Danny Bradley, Virgin O2
• NHS data engineering insights with Stephen Nwoye, NHS

The focus is practical integration, activation and turning pipelines into impact.

AI and Analytics in Practice 🤖

In the AI, Analytics and Intelligence theatre, sessions address the realities of enterprise AI adoption and scaling.

Confirmed sessions include:
• Why Your AI Strategy Is Already Out of Date with Harvey Lewis, EY
• Transformative Power of Agentic Analytics with Ashwinth Solomon, Zoho
• Moving Beyond the Genre Trap Leveraging AI for Enhanced Content Metadata with George Tipping and Alfie Bowman, ITV
• Building Generative AI Applications The Tricks and Tips You Need to Avoid Common Pitfalls with Ian Massingham, Grip AI
• Closing the Adoption Gap People Culture Tech and AI with Ellie Slater, John Lewis
• From AI Hype to ROI Building the Foundations That Actually Deliver with Hamid Raza

The message across the theatre is consistent. AI capability alone does not create value. Adoption, alignment and disciplined execution do.

Independent. Practitioner Led. Curated. 🌍

Data Decoded LDN is designed for leaders responsible for outcomes.

The programme will continue to evolve as additional sessions and speakers are confirmed. What remains constant is the focus on practical insight, measurable impact and honest lessons from organisations actively navigating transformation.

If you are responsible for turning Data and AI ambition into enterprise wide impact, this is where the conversation happens.