When the world's most powerful executives, policymakers, and heads of state gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, AI governance wasn't just on the agenda , it dominated the conversation. But back in the trenches of data quality and governance work, a common assumption persists: that senior leaders are out of touch, focused on AI's promise while ignoring its risks. Donna Burbank, a well-known thought leader in data management and data governance, recently attended Davos for the World Economic Forum, and she is here to challenge that assumption .

The picture may surprise you. They get it. They understand the stakes. What they often lack isn't urgency or awareness, but the frameworks and support to act on their instincts. How can we as data professionals bridge the gap between executives and data practitioners to provide the guidance that is clearly needed? How do we speak their language, make our work visible, and take our seat at the table where these decisions are being made? This session is a rare opportunity to understand AI governance from the top down, and to come away with new confidence and new language for making the case where it counts most.

Speaker: Donna Burbank, Managing Director, Global Data Strategy, Ltd.

Donna Burbank is a recognized industry expert in data management with over 25 years of experience helping organizations enrich their business opportunities through data. She is currently the Managing Director of Global Data Strategy, Ltd., where she assists organizations around the globe in driving value from their data. She has worked with dozens of Fortune 500 companies worldwide in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa, and speaks regularly at industry conferences. She has co-authored several books on Data Management and is a regular contributor to industry publications. She can be reached at [email protected].