The Data-Driven Decision Making Blog

This year is a time of transition for many data leaders—at the intersection of Generative AI, economic shifts, and political change. Data Leader Divya Bokaria and Elizabeth Press (D3M Labs) explore how the world is evolving, while emphasizing that data leaders remain stewards of business value.🧩

Data leaders navigate complex, evolving value chains and translate insights into strategies, objectives, and processes. Technologies and workflows may change, but the core mission remains: turning data and complex technologies into measurable business outcomes, whether in formal leadership roles or beyond. The image was generated by ChatGPT

What will define Europe’s digital future in 2026? From Franco-German cooperation to the ubiquity of Silicon Valley, Data Leader Nicolas Michaud and Elizabeth Press (D3M Labs) reflect on the evolution of digital leadership in Europe.

Resilience, grit, and reinvention forged through repeated crisis have given Gen X the unique skills to lead through today’s challenges—why a generation raised on uncertainty learned to adapt and lead. The picture was generated by ChatGPT.

We are standing at an inflection point in the evolution of AI. The field is moving from hype to maturity. After a decade in which cheap capital and boundless optimism fueled sky-high expectations—when data was hailed as “the new oil”—the post-COVID era has brought a dose of sobriety. The age of “move fast and break things” is being replaces by a new mantra: move thoughtfully, build sustainably, and govern wisely. This picture was generated with ChatGPT.

In our latest video, Elizabeth Press speaks with Pier Martin, data leaders who’ve weathered Berlin’s decade of hype, hope, and hard lessons, about how organizations can turn data into real business value. Here’s what they shared.

Heute markiert meinen ersten 3. Oktober — den Tag der Deutschen Einheit — als deutscher Staatsbürger. Dieser…

Today marks my first October 3rd — the Day of German Unity — as a German citizen….

This article is based on my talk with Varshith Anilkumar, engineering leader and AI researcher. The release of GPT-5, now integrated into tools like GitHub Copilot, marks a significant turning point for software development. LLMs such as Claude Code and GPT-5 can generate complex code. „Agentic“ tasks are pushing the industry toward a new paradigm where developers orchestrate multiple AI agents to build entire systems. This shift is changing the game from focus on writing code to designing and managing sophisticated, automated workflows. The image was generated by GPT-5.

24-25 June 2025 I had the opportunity to attend the German-American Trade and Tech Conference, organized by the Aspen Institute Germany. A new digital imperative crystallized through the conference discussions—the need to fundamentally rethink how we build and secure our digital future. In this blog, I outline the key forces at play and the strategic imperatives they demand.

In 2023, Kasia Musur CEO and Founder of Vent, conducted a study about Toxic Leadership in Data based on experiences of members in the D3M Labs community. Vent is THE platform addressing experiences of toxic leadership through storytelling and research. VENT brings together multidisciplinary collaborators, survivors, and technology to reduce the impact of toxic leadership on individuals, communities, businesses, and the environment. Through educational campaigns, research, and powerful storytelling, VENT sheds light on real experiences, offering insights to inspire change!

Image was generated by ChatGPT