Learn how Cambridge Spark helps organisations build the data and AI skills needed to drive cultural and business transformation: cambridgespark.com

In this special episode of Data & AI Mastery, host Dr. Raoul-Gabriel Urma is joined by three senior leaders from Capgemini:

• Claire Williams, Vice President for Analytics & AI in the Retail and CPG sector, leads global data and AI transformation for consumer health organisations.
• Arlene Carsley, Head of Workforce Transformation, focuses on building the culture, skills, and mindset needed for lasting change.
• Mansukh Mann, Managing Consultant in Workforce Transformation, works at the intersection of data, AI, and talent strategy to ensure technology and people move in sync.

Together, they explore what true data and AI transformation look like in practice and why success depends as much on people and mindset as it does on technology.

Listeners will discover why the urgency for AI transformation is being driven from the boardroom down and what that means for leaders, how to balance quick wins with long-term value, how to create momentum without losing strategic focus, why 70% of transformations fail, and how to avoid the common traps of poor sponsorship, misaligned metrics, and siloed thinking.

This episode is packed with practical lessons for executives, transformation leaders, and data professionals looking to turn AI ambition into sustainable impact.

Be sure to follow Data & AI Mastery wherever you listen to your podcasts to never miss an episode.

Chapter Markers:

(01:38) - What’s Driving the Urgency Behind AI Transformation?

(08:49) - FOBO: Fear of Becoming Obsolete

(12:05) - Leadership Upskilling with Cambridge Spark

(17:12) - Why 70% of Transformations Fail

(23:10) - Early Warning Signs Your Transformation Is Failing

(25:55) - AI for AI’s Sake: A Recipe for Waste

(29:50) - Why Skills, Safety and Experimentation Matter

(34:55) - Balancing Quick Wins with Long-Term Goals

(41:00) - One Piece of Advice for CEOs

(45:40) - Raoul’s Closing Reflections

Useful Links:

Connect with Claire on LinkedIn

Reach out to Arlene on LinkedIn

Learn more from Mansukh on LinkedIn

Follow Raoul for more AI insights on LinkedIn

Explore Cambridge Spark’s AI upskilling programmes at cambridgespark.com

Visit Capgemini’s website for more information

Learn how Cambridge Spark helps organisations and leaders develop the data and AI skills that drive real transformation: cambridgespark.com

Ever wondered how Formula 1 teams make lightning-fast decisions at 200mph? In this episode, host Raoul-Gabriel Urma sits down with Ruth Buscombe, former race strategist for Scuderia Ferrari, Sauber, and Haas F1, to unpack the incredible world of real-time data strategy in one of the most high-pressure environments on Earth.

Ruth shares what it's really like making million-dollar calls in milliseconds, how her team processes 1.1 million data points per second from each car, and why the best lessons come from spectacular failures (not champagne-soaked victories).

One of the most fascinating parts of the discussion is when Ruth explains the eternal tension between data and gut feel, and why human intuition still matters even when you have the best models in the world.

Spoiler: your "gut" is really just your brain's LLM of past experience.

They also explore how F1 teams decide which sensors and data points actually move the needle when margins come down to 0.012 seconds, and what it's like to make high-stakes pit-stop calls with incomplete information (sound familiar, business leaders?).

Ruth also shares some powerful stories about ‘failing forward’, including why Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says "the day we fail is the day our competitors should fear us most."

Plus, they look at how AI is transforming sports broadcasting, with F1 now able to search 75 years of race footage using simple natural-language queries. And of course, they wrap up with a quick-fire round covering everything from Python vs MATLAB to favourite subjects at Cambridge and yes, Taylor Swift workout playlists.

Be sure to follow Data & AI Mastery wherever you listen to your podcasts to never miss an episode.

You can check out Formula 1's official site to learn more about the sport, or head to F1 TV if you want to dive deeper into the data and analysis Ruth works on.

Whether you're leading a startup, managing a data team, or just fascinated by how top performers think under pressure, this conversation is packed with insights you can actually use.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction: Learning from F1's best failures

02:00 - Ruth's journey from Cambridge engineering to the F1 pit wall

03:00 - The insane scale of F1 data (1.1M points/second!)

06:00 - How do you decide what data to collect?

09:00 - Three pillars: Performance, competitor analysis & race strategy

13:00 - When should you trust data vs. gut instinct?

17:00 - Managing risk like a portfolio manager

20:00 - Creating a culture that embraces pressure

23:00 - AI transforming F1 broadcasting & fan experience

26:00 - Quick-fire: Python, physics & being a Swiftie

27:00 - Key takeaways for business leaders

Links

Connect with Ruth on LinkedIn

Follow Raoul for more AI insights on LinkedIn

Explore Cambridge Spark’s AI upskilling programmes at cambridgespark.com

Visit Formula 1's official site at formula1.com

Visit F1 TV at f1tv.formula1.com

Learn how Cambridge Spark helps organisations and leaders develop the data and AI skills that drive real transformation: cambridgespark.com

In this episode of Data & AI Mastery, host Dr. Raoul-Gabriel Urma speaks with Ming Tang, Chief Data and Analytics Officer at NHS England. Ming has spent her career leading some of the most ambitious digital and data transformations in the UK public sector.

Together, they explore how data and AI are reshaping the future of healthcare, from modernising patient journeys and connecting siloed systems to deploying AI tools that help clinicians and operations teams work smarter. Ming’s insights highlight how the right mindset, structure, and curiosity can unlock meaningful impact at scale.

Listeners will also discover how the NHS is building a connected, patient-centric ecosystem through the Federated Data Platform (FDP) and the single patient record initiative and why listening and collaboration, not just technology, are key to solving complex system challenges.

Whether you work in healthcare, data science, or digital transformation, this conversation offers powerful lessons in leading with purpose, designing around users, and scaling innovation responsibly.

Be sure to follow Data & AI Mastery wherever you listen to your podcasts to never miss an episode.

Chapter Markers:

(03:30) Lessons from leading large-scale transformation

(06:00) Why listening and curiosity matter more than technology

(11:00) Designing flexible, modular NHS systems for efficiency and collaboration

(15:00) The Federated Data Platform: enabling connected, data-driven care

(18:00) Real-world AI applications in the NHS: discharge summaries, voice tech & analytics

(21:00) Advice for leaders; adopting AI through curiosity and context

(25:00) Raoul’s reflections; leading with empathy, curiosity, and user-first thinking

Useful Links:

Connect with Ming on LinkedIn

Follow Raoul for more AI insights on LinkedIn

Explore Cambridge Spark’s AI upskilling programmes at cambridgespark.com