Andrei Popa, Director of Business Intelligence at Superbet Group - a leading company in the tech & entertainment industry, is the founder of Data Talks. Andrei initiated the Data Talks concept two years ago, aiming to create a much-needed hub and series of conferences for data analytics professionals across the entire CEE region.
He shares:
“It is essential to acknowledge that data is at the center of strategic business decisions, and successful companies have recognised this for some time.
"Our goal with Data Talks is to build a community of data experts, starting in Romania and then reaching out across the entire CEE region. This is a forum where BI leaders can share their challenges, find scalable solutions, or simply learn from each other. I feel that now, more than ever, we can emphasise the importance of data analytics in shaping businesses, sports industries, and entertainment platforms."
The second edition of the Data Talks conference was successful in bringing together business leaders and data analytics experts from Romania, as well as from across Europe. The event gathered speakers from La Liga, the elite football competition in Spain, PRO TV, one of the most important media trusts in Romania, Untold, Europe’s third most successful music festival, Google/YouTube, Superbet, and even an international chess grandmaster, Ivan Sokolov.
One of the key takeaways from the conference focused on the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Thus, a consensus was reached on the need to create and validate a process of accountability for how people will implement and use AI in the future.
Andrei Popa makes references to the common ground reached during the panels:
“We rediscovered the universally applicable principle of test & learn as the only way we can grow. In other words, through this process of exchanging best practices we can develop initiatives with a positive impact for clients in various industries and even improve the way certain aspects of our societies function.”
Data Driven Index: making informed decisions about strategic investments
The Data Driven Index is a second project initiated by Andrei Popa and Anna Rossudowska, Tableau COE Leader at Superbet Group. Anna sees great value in benchmarking how data driven a company can be:
"We aim to measure and assess how data driven we are as a company, compare our results with business peers, and determine where and how much more investment is needed."
The Data Driven Index has been designed to address an important question within the Superbet organisation: "How data-driven is the company?"
In today's data-driven world, the importance of quantifying efforts and investments in data is well recognised. The Data Driven Index initiative arises from acknowledging the fact that within organisations that continue to invest in data-related endeavors, there is often a lack of a comprehensive view of the return on investment (ROI).
To address this question, the method deployed through the Data Driven Index begins with an open dialogue with senior stakeholders across the organisation. These conversations generate valuable insights about the strategic importance of data and how it aligns with the company's long-term vision. Additionally, a company-wide survey is conducted to evaluate the perspectives and experiences of employees at all levels, ensuring a diverse range of insights.
What follows is a detailed analysis of various data points, examining factors such as access patterns, user engagement, departmental utilisation, and rating feedback. By evaluating these data points, trends and patterns can be uncovered, which in turn can provide a clear picture of the data-driven culture within the business.
“Ultimately, the Data Driven Index empowers us to make informed decisions about our data investments, ensuring that our resources are channeled effectively to drive tangible results for the organisation," confirms Popa.
Strategy, culture, and capabilities
The Data Driven Index is structured around three core pillars: strategy, data culture, and capabilities. The first step is to define a long-term vision based on a consumer-centric strategy.
Secondly, a strong data culture is fostered within the organisation through continuous education and ethical data management. Anna Rossudowska underpins this principle:
“Only by having a strong governance system can an organisation reach a proficient level data-driven decision making.”
Lastly, building capabilities means excelling in critical areas such as data quality, accessibility, and analytics infrastructure, ensuring accurate information, easy access, and actionable insights. These pillars together form DDI’s foundation, driving its commitment to improving the quality and accuracy of strategic business decisions.
Data Talks and the Data Driven Index are two business intelligence initiatives that are gaining more and more adepts, as business competitivity becomes increasingly linked to the capacity of businesses to curate, analyse and transform data into insights. For Andrei Popa and Anna Rossudowska this was highly anticipated, as their projects are gaining strong momentum.
Lead image: Andrei Popa. Photo: Uncredited.
Would you like to write the first comment?
Login to post comments