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1. To start, could you share details of your career history and how you came to be in your current role? I’ ve spent more than 25 years working in data strategy, governance, and transformation. This experience now helps me guide organizations as they navigate the fast-changing world of AI and ESG. At Informatica, I work with large organizations to harness the power of data management and AI to transform their business, while using climate and sustainability regulation and compliance as a strategic lever for growth.
I had the privilege of contributing to the Net-Zero Data Public Utility, which launched at COP28, and I’ m honored to serve as a member of the Data for the Environment Alliance( DEAL) through my work with the UN Science-Policy-Business Forum on the environment. Before joining Informatica, I held senior data leadership roles at HSBC, Deutsche Bank, and the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, where I focused on data governance, reference data, and regulatory transformation.
2. Many businesses see AI as a buzzword— how does AI practically transform packaging and waste data into something actionable for manufacturers? Currently, around 90 percent of businesses are still using manual processes to process sustainability data – literally filling in Excel spreadsheets by hand, in many cases. With the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive( CSRD) now in effect and with Scope 3 emissions in the spotlight, the sheer amount of data that needs to be recorded and reported on makes that kind of manual process close to impossible to achieve. At best, it risks becoming a huge cost center.
AI’ s information-processing ability really is the practical key to bringing that workload under control. One of the most effective ways is to start with a land and expand approach. This means beginning with low-risk, clearly defined use cases, then gradually expanding across the business once efficacy is proven. For example, executor agents automating agricultural or supplier-level data collection – under close compliance involvement and with human oversight. Once value and trust are proven, organizations can expand into planner agents that identify patterns and forecast risks. Then they can move to orchestration agents that coordinate actions across suppliers, procurement, and reporting. This staged approach transforms the task from a Herculean challenge into an‘ ordinary’ business process.
3. Where do you see companies struggling the most when it comes to ESG reporting on packaging— is it data capture, consistency, or something else? Right now, data capture is definitely a major challenge. Scope 3 emissions cover activities that aren’ t under the reporting company’ s control, and for businesses in the food sector, you might be looking at thousands or even tens of thousands of suppliers, all of whose activities suddenly must be accounted for. At the same time, even the best data capture is only a step on the way – high-capacity data management is the next major challenge. Businesses need to be able to standardize, store, enrich, and process that data at scale if they’ re going to achieve compliance.
4. You’ ve argued that waste data can be an opportunity, not a burden— what’ s the fastest way a food manufacturer could turn compliance into competitive advantage? The fastest way to turn compliance into a competitive advantage is to start by creating a single source of truth of all of your data. Investing in the right technology
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