David Plotkin is the recently retired Director of Metadata Services at a large financial services institution. He directed metadata activity in support of data management, including implementing data governance and data stewardship in applications such as Collibra Data Governance Center. He was also responsible for creation of metadata quality standards, enforcement of business rules through the use of workflows and coordination of personnel across the enterprise, and communication of metadata protocols. He was formerly the Data Governance Competency Center Manager for Wells Fargo, working heavily in Data Stewardship and Metadata. He was also Global Head of Data Stewardship for AIG, where he was responsible for rolling out data stewardship as part of an overall Data Governance and Data Management effort. He has previously been a consultant for EMC, working on data quality, data governance and master data management engagements at client companies. He has also previously managed Data Governance at an insurance company and managed data quality at two large banks. He has been working with data governance, data modeling, metadata and data quality for nearly 30 years. He is a popular speaker at DAMA chapters and conferences and serves as a subject matter expert on many topics around metadata, data governance, business rules, and data quality. He is the author of the book “Data Stewardship, an actionable guide to effective Data Management and Data Governance” (2nd edition). He occasionally takes on projects helping organizations with the implementation of Data Stewardship, various aspects of metadata, and Collibra DIC.

Daragh O Brien is founder and managing director of Castlebridge, one of Ireland’s leading consultancies working in data strategy, data governance, and data protection. Since founding Castlebridge in 2009, Daragh and his team have worked with organisations of all sizes across a variety of sectors, including start-ups, SMEs, Non-Profits, Government bodies, EU institutions and other International Organisations. Daragh is a co-author of Ethical Data and Information Management: Concepts, Tools, and Methods, published by Kogan Page, and Data Ethics (2nd Edition) which will be published by Kogan Page in May 2023. He lectures in UCD Sutherland School of Law and the Law Society of Ireland on Data Governance and Data Protection. He is also a member of the Innovation Value Institute in NUI Maynooth, and is a founding member of the Strategic Advisory Board to the School of Business in Maynooth University. He is a Fellow of the Irish Computer Society and a Fellow of Information Privacy from the IAPP. Daragh helped develop and deliver the ICS’s pioneering Certificate in Data Protection Practice over a decade ago.

Having worked in the Data Management space for 13+ years across several industries and countries, Dana brings a wealth of practical knowledge regarding setting up and operating data organizations. After 9 years in KPMG, Dana joined FrieslandCampina, one of the world’s largest dairy companies, where she implemented a global governance organisation and managed the Company’s data governance and quality activities, as well as continuous improvement projects in the organisation’s data management space. As of 2019, she is part of FMO – the Dutch Development Bank, where she once again embarked on the quest to professionalize data management as a foundation for providing meaningful business insights.

Alex Barker is CEO ('Captain') of Be More Pirate, and works as a facilitator, coach and public speaker, supporting people to rewrite the rules in their life and work. She has worked with companies such as Salesforce, Warner Brothers and innocent drinks, as well as local authorities, school leaders, housing organisations and numerous teams across the NHS. Alex is author of How to be More Pirate and produces the Be More Pirate podcast. Previously she was communications manager at the RSA (Royal Society of Arts).