Tech-Exec 18 - Tia Cheang Brochure

T I A CHEANG PROPEL THE POTENTIAL

WINNER OF 2023’S TECH-EXEC DATA LEADER OF THE YEAR, TIA CHEANG, DISCUSSES THE COMPANY’S DATA EVOLUTION, AND HOW YOU CAN NAVIGATE A PATH TO SUCCESS. SUPPORTED BY:

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P H O T O: Y U K AT O

Cheang has been working in data for nearly 20 years across the public and private sectors.

“My experience is predominately in the strategy and transformation space although I have worked in almost all roles and industries during my career,” she says.

In Cheang’s current role, which she started earlier this year, the mandate is to drive the vision for the data landscape across the UK and EMEA, “ensuring that we are not just in step with current industry standards, but also poised to leverage future technological advancements.

“This involves a holistic view of our data architecture, understanding the nuances of our business model, and predicting where the industry is heading,” she explains.

A significant part of her role is centred on enhancing and evolving data capabilities of Gallagher, ensuring they harness the full potential of the company’s assets. “Through implementing advanced analytical tools and robust methodologies, we’re working to make data more accessible and actionable for decision-makers throughout Gallagher,” Cheang says. In addition to technology, she is also focused on people and processes: “It is fundamental to cultivate a workforce and culture that values data-driven insights and encourages continuous upskilling,” she adds.

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“Treat your career like a project,” advises Tia Cheang, Director of IT Data and Information Services at Gallagher, one of the world’s largest insurance brokers.

And what a project it has been for her.

As data use and adoption across all industries has evolved rapidly, enterprises now use data more proactively, employing predictive analytics and real-time insights to anticipate customer demands. “It is now easier than ever to manipulate data, and as such it has gone from being purely informational to actionable, and we are seeing a growing demand for that in our organisation” Cheang says.

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P H O T O: J O H N S C H N O B R IC H

“Data and analytics are central to our technology and business strategy, and broader transformation objectives. We want to harness untapped potential of data to propel growth and uncover new opportunities.”

According to Cheang, Gallagher recognises that moving towards a modern data stack isn’t a luxury – it’s a necessity. “The power of modern data platforms like Snowflake, coupled with our organisational commitment to place data at the heart of our technological strategy, enables us to navigate today’s landscape but also to be leaders in the insurance sector,” she says.

And the company knows technical innovations alone cannot drive success in data democratisation. “Cultural change, shaping behaviours, and nurturing a valuedriven journey are foundational to achieving our goals,” Cheang says.

BROADER MISSION

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Evolution of data use and adoption at Gallagher has been driven by a combination of factors. “Firstly, in an industry that’s highly regulated, there’s an ever-present need for a strong data strategy – it’s not just about maximising opportunities but also ensuring robust compliance and risk management,” she explains. “This dual perspective makes good data strategy not only strategic, but also fundamental to our operations.

“Data literacy is at the centre of strategic technology plans. Recognising that technology’s true potential can only be harnessed when using data wisely, we are embarking on substantial efforts to foster this literacy.

“Gallagher has well-established comprehensive graduate and apprenticeship schemes, focusing specifically on technology and data. Our plan is to ensure our workforce can consume and use our data in a safe and effective manner.

“Moreover, our approach extends to linking data back to our value chain, ensuring every data touchpoint has purpose and resonates with our wider organisational values and our broader mission.

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“The success of our data strategy is part of the continuous evolution of our organisational culture, embedded behaviours, governance and values,” she declares.

When it comes to embedded behaviours, Cheang has championed innovative thinking across various sectors, especially in the realm of predictive and real-time analytics.

“During my tenure with the NHS Ambulance Trusts, I knew of the vital importance of realtime analytics,” she explains. “In emergency services, the ability to leverage real-time data and predictive analytics can literally mean the difference between life and death.

I honed my skills in ensuring timely and accurate data flow, which has direct implications for patient outcomes.

“It is fundamental to cultivate a workforce and culture that values data-driven insights and encourages continuous upskilling.”

“While at NHS Digital, my focus shifted towards service planning, where I was tasked with ensuring digital healthcare services were scalable, secure and user centric.

Navigating complexities of healthcare data at such a large scale taught me the importance of precision and meticulous planning in data management,” Cheang adds.

By bringing these experiences to Gallagher, she has been able to provide a fresh perspective into the company’s approach to data. “My background ensures our approach is grounded in practical realities. All these experiences have given me insight into the evolving role of data in our industry, but also 60

to tactically implement strategies that drive tangible results,” she says.

Cheang’s industry is highly regulated across the UK, EMEA, and Asia.

“Each region has its own financial regulator (FCA in the UK), and has specific, varying standards we must adhere to.

“And while the UK has the ICO overseeing data privacy, all other countries have their own set of data and cybersecurity regulations.

So, as we implement data solutions across continents, we must consider the complex and diverse regulatory landscape.

ESSENTIAL ENGAGEMENT “It can impact our potential solutions, particularly as we have adopted cloud first principles. To achieve this, careful planning, design, and engagement with stakeholders is essential,” Cheang explains.

To accomplish all this takes an effective leader, and Cheang believes a modern CDO must be more than just technically proficient: “They should excel in communication, and act as a bridge between the world of data and the broader business community,” she says. “Persuasion skills are integral to the role – CDOs often find themselves in positions where they need to convey the value of datadriven strategies to different stakeholders, and these are often complex programmes a CDO needs to sell to gain buy-in from different audiences,” Cheang adds.

She reckons a sense of commercial insight is important, and leaders must understand today’s business strategies are intertwined with data: “every process within a business collects data, and we must provide the necessary leadership to ensure alignment.

Technological changes and the task of driving organisation-wide data adoption demands personal resilience and adaptability.

“Additionally, ensuring teams are both data-literate and aligned with overarching objectives is crucial, as transformation can be a lengthy process, so patience and tenacity are qualities often overlooked,” she reflects.

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“All these experiences have given me insight into the evolving role of data in our industry, but also to tactically implement strategies that drive tangible results.”

When it comes to leadership styles, Cheang leans heavily towards a servant leadership approach. “I believe that by serving my team – providing them with the necessary tools, knowledge, and environment – means they’re empowered to perform at their best,” she explains. This style emphasises collaboration, transparency, and alignment with business goals. “By fostering an environment where open dialogue is encouraged, and by linking initiatives to tangible business outcomes, I’ve found that it leads to a greater level of success,” she adds.

And Cheang’s journey into the technology and data sector has certainly been successful, beginning with an early introduction to STEM, thanks to a Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) initiative during her school days. She remains an active contributor to the women in tech debate. “I believe these kinds of programmes are invaluable,

and I genuinely feel they play a pivotal role in guiding more young women into STEM careers.

“It is true, though, that lack of representation in our industry can sometimes lead to limiting beliefs for many girls. It’s not always about overt barriers but the subtle, underlying notion that perhaps this isn’t a space for them,” she says.

EXPANDING HORIZONS For young women looking to break into leadership or any role in STEM, Cheang says every opportunity is a door to growth. “I’ve taken part in a myriad of experiences, from Parliamentary engagement to supporting charities and fixing aeroplanes, all of which have led to further opportunities down the line and helped me expand my horizons beyond the traditional tech landscape and develop in other areas.

When Cheang began her role earlier this year, Gallagher was in a state of transition from a data and analytics perspective.

“We could be described as a typical insurer, as we had adequate technology in place, but we weren’t fully leveraging its potential, and we lacked a vibrant data culture,” Cheang says. “While there were pockets of enthusiasm for data within the organisation, we hadn’t yet embarked on a journey towards becoming data led.

“Since taking on this role, we’ve already begun to see a shift in the organisation’s mindset and its appetite to leverage more

from its data assets. We’re excited about changes already happening in the data space and, more importantly, the journey that lies ahead,” she adds. The team is investing in its data and analytics capability, which should drive innovation. “This will include the continued launch of new initiatives in the realm of analytics, in addition to proving use cases for AI, which is testament to our dedication to being at the forefront of technological advancements in the insurance industry,” Cheang says.

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“My advice would be to treat your career like a project. Consider your roadmap, set milestones, invest in your professional growth ahead of time, and manage your stakeholders effectively. This proactive approach has been instrumental in my career, and I believe it can help other women navigate their path to success effectively,” she explains.

She highlights the Data and Digital strategy for Gallagher, which focuses on business operations from the top down. “From a practical standpoint, this approach means data and digital initiatives are tightly integrated with our overall business strategy.

To achieve this, we are building out a new engagement operating model with each of our divisional business units.

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P H O T O: R O D E O P R O J EC T M A N A G E M E N T S OF T W A R E

“This ensures closer alignment with the business and allows us to support them to identify a greater number of opportunities for data and technology,” Cheang explains.

Through this, Gallagher’s data considerations are embedded in decision-making processes at all levels, from strategic planning to daily operations. “We also go beyond this to ensure our data engineering gives us efficiencies of automation and streamlined processes.” she adds.

A part of Cheang’s strategy is to foster a culture of data literacy and empowerment, where employees across departments understand data value and how to use it effectively in their roles.

“At the core of this strategy is the understanding that data is an asset that should be leveraged across the wider organisation,” she says. “This means data

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“By fostering an environment where open dialogue is encouraged, and by linking initiatives to tangible business outcomes, I’ve found that it leads to a greater level of success.”

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“In essence, the data and digital strategy at Gallagher is a global approach that embraces data as a strategic enabler. Our objective is to ensure these approaches are fully embedded into our operations and decision-making processes, from Board to broker.

“We’ve witnessed noticeable improvements in our data quality, data lineage, and master data management (MDM) thanks to the tooling implementation we undertook as part of our data management program. These enhancements are crucial for ensuring data accuracy, reliability, and consistency across the organisation,” she adds.

Through data management work Gallagher completed with its partners Elait, Datactics and Collibra, it is seeing positive impacts for customers, and greater operational efficiency and data transparency. “Looking ahead, our focus for the next year is to expand these efforts by migrating all business units onto the new data platform, ensuring broader

access to data and analytics capabilities across the organisation, and we will be carefully monitoring and tracking progress and benefits,” Cheang says.

She adds that partners are pivotal in a data and digital transformation journey.

“We have forged strong alliances with leading technology providers. We also receive high-quality support from our consultancy partners and integrators.

“These partnerships are essential as we migrate from our traditional BI-stack to a bestof-breed Snowflake solution for our complex landscape. Our technology partners provide invaluable expertise – their insights and experience are crucial in guiding us toward successful transformation outcomes.

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and digital considerations are not confined to the IT department or a select group of data professionals. Instead, it starts at the executive level, with leadership actively championing and driving the data agenda.” Cheang says this approach means they are attuned to industry trend and emerging technologies to remain competitive and agile.

“They enable us to deliver cutting-edge solutions, enhance data capabilities, and drive innovation throughout our organisation whilst avoiding common implementation pitfalls.

“These partnerships empower us to deliver tangible results, improve data quality, enhance data lineage, and master data management, and ultimately drive our business forward,” Cheang concludes.

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