Data Voices 2026: the power of the ecosystem to grow data democratization

Organizations understand the power and the potential of data to deliver business impact and underpin AI success.

However, in a complex, fast-changing environment how do they successfully create a vision that transforms the business and adopts best practices that drives real value from data & AI?

The answer is to turn to the wider community. Managing data involves an ecosystem of systems and departments, working together. In the same way Chief Data Officers (CDOs) and other data leaders can learn from their peers, exchanging and combining best practices and experiences to benefit the entire ecosystem. 

To enable this exchange of information and ideas, Huwise has launched Data Voices. A global community that brings together more than 60 women and men committed to driving data and AI transformation, it aims to accelerate data democratization, AI success and business value.

Data leaders face a range of interlinked technical, business and cultural challenges that can prevent them from turning their data into value.

• Silos within the business, at both a management and operational level
• Complex technology environments with a range of tools that can only be used by experts
• Concerns about data quality and reliability, particularly for AI projects
• Growing volumes, variety and velocity of data that mean companies are drowning in information
• A lack of internal data culture that holds back trust and consumption

The Data Voices community aims to help overcome these challenges and encourage data leaders to accelerate their data & AI transformations, turning data into value. Curated by Huwise, it provides an ecosystem of more than 60 influential figures who are involved on an ongoing basis in designing, governing, sharing, and leveraging data within organizations to improve the day-to-day experience of all employees.

In the same way that Huwise’s technology provides users with intuitive access to centralized data, Data Voices delivers seamless access to knowledge and best practices from across the data ecosystem. It:

• Creates a single entry point and reference source for organizations seeking senior-level inspiration and guidance to structure, accelerate or evolve their data and AI initiatives
• Shines a light on and celebrate leaders, CDOs, and data & AI experts who turn data into a tangible, value-creating asset
• Encourages, inspires and unites the global data community by sharing career paths, best practices, and ideas around the strategic use of data.

Demonstrates the essential role of modern data leaders and champions—women and men capable of turning data complexity into actionable decisions, building bridges between technology, business, governance, and culture, and making data a driver for sustainable impact that combines economic performance, compliance, trust, and responsibility.

The Data Voices 2026 community include CDOs, Heads of Innovation and AI, as well as consultants, researchers, and journalists. They are all committed to sharing their best practices and visions to foster new ways of working within organizations that make data a strategic driver of value creation.

Spanning a wide range of industries and countries, they demonstrate the data world’s diversity of backgrounds, models, and experiences. By uniting their voices and showcasing concrete, proven approaches, the aim is to accelerate the shift from a world drowning in data, to one where data is truly useful, accessible, and creates value, serving business needs and AI.

For Data Voices 2026 Huwise has selected more than 60 international figures across Europe, North America, and the Middle East, from a wide variety of sectors.Chosen following in-depth research each Data Voice is highlighted with a detailed profile, showcasing their career path and exploring their vision, inspirations, and recommendations.

The Data Voices are grouped into three main categories:

• Data leaders, including CDAOs/CDOs and Heads of Data responsible for governance, innovation, data management, and data sharing
• Advisory leaders, innovative, experienced consultants from consulting or technology firms
• Thought leaders, such as journalists, authors, and independent consultants, sharing their perspectives

The ambition for Data Voices is clear: to highlight the voices that matter, inspire a global community of data professionals, and show how data can be democratized and drive sustainable transformation. During the course of 2026 a schedule of regular activities will create and share new insights, innovations and ideas from the community, collaborating with the entire ecosystem to ensure that data is a driver of progress, trust, and value creation.

Find out more and meet the Data Voices 2026 here.