In collaboration with the IE Big Data Club, IE Exponential Learning Data Science Bootcamps hosted an event on the subject of How Data Drives Business that had an all-star lineup of experts explaining what the GDPR means for businesses and consumers across a variety of sectors.  The General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, has completely shifted the landscape of how businesses process and utilize data. Each speaker had their own approach on how data could be wielded to benefit businesses, as well as the implications of doing so. The new regulations pose both challenges and advantages for business owners, and the panel was able to shed some light on this new world.

The discussion was hosted by the Academic Director of the Bootcamp, Ivan Martin Maseda, whose insightful questions guided the discussion.

Jose Miguel Cansado is a Partner in Global Accounts and Consulting at Alto Analytics and has a background in technology and media. Jose spoke about privacy concerns, commenting on how much information companies have collected on their clients, and and even went as far as to say that “Google knows you better than your own mother.”

José Ignacio Álvarez Ortiz is an Industry Strategy & Innovation Director for Oracle and is uniquely positioned to shed light on their cloud-based solutions for customers. He spoke in depth about how data is changing the sectors of Hospitality, Travel & Transportation. Data on client preferences over time allow their experiences to be increasingly tailored to their wants and needs. This raises the dilemma often faced by consumers: is it worth it to compromise on privacy in order to have a meticulously tailored user experience?

Marina Fajardo is the Director of Data & Analytics at Carrefour Financial Services who is responsible for their open banking project. Marina was able to concisely summarize the inner-workings of Carrefour’s digital financial services as well as provide insight into their open baking project. Marina utilizes the data gathered from Carrefour’s loyalty cards to offer tailored financial services to their customers.

Jose Luis Hidalgo is the VP of Analytics and Data Science for Nextail Labs. Jose utilizes artificial intelligence to gain advanced insights into supply and demand. He explained how Nextail uses predictive analytics and purchasing patterns to tailor customer experiences,  optimize inventories and to improve physical commerce.

Jose Esteves is a professor of Information Systems at IE who is well known for his hacking prowess, which he uses to highlight vulnerabilities so that they can be remedied. He likes to collaborate with business leaders to  identify emerging digital opportunities. Esteves is able to speak confidently on the digital IT industry and the repercussions of data breaches and is an active blogger, recently writing about the GDPR.

IE Exponential Learning has designed the IE Data Science Bootcamp to prepare the next generation of professionals for the data-driven opportunities of the future. Exposure to great minds in the industry is a huge part of this learning-by-doing experience.

Are you curious to learn more about the world of data?

Join us for our Demo Day on June 28th at 18:30 where the bootcamp cohort will present their capstone projects to recruiters and the public! If you see yourself joining the ranks in our Fall intake which begins on September 28th, you can apply now!