#54 How to build a Data Department from scratch with Annie South – General Manager of Data at ME Bank

Annie South is the General Manager of Data at ME Bank. She is an Information Management professional with twenty years’ experience of complex information environments spanning the full spectrum of structured data to unstructured information. Annie has in-depth technical knowledge of various specialisms, including metadata, data warehousing, data governance, data quality, enterprise architecture, data lineage, Big Data, data analytics, and regulatory requirements. In this episode, Annie explains the things she does to ensure her career is future ready because nobody can predict what jobs will look like years from now. Do not specialize in a particular technology but specialize in a capability. The technologies that you are using today will not be the technologies they are using tomorrow. If you specialize in a particular technology set, and it is decreasing in popularity, you will end up with fewer opportunities in the market. Annie tells people wanting career advice that when people look at your resume, they are looking for a consistent arc. That could mean staying consistent in an industry or constant engagement in the workforce. Another thing Annie looks for in applicants is kindness, this quality is something that cannot be taught.  Enjoy the show! We speak about: [01:20] How Annie got into the world of data [10:00] Insight for people starting in the data space [12:50] Organizations are not predictable   [14:50] Annie’s team at ME Bank  [27:50] Turning recruitment on its head [33:20] Transitioning from teaching to general manager  [39:05] Sort out your personality and experiment with leadership  [46:30] Imposter syndrome   [49:10] Experimenting with diversity in the workforce  [53:30] Challenges with discrimination in the workplace    [61:10] Define yourself; do not be defined by others  Resources: Annie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annesouth/ ME Bank: https://www.mebank.com.au IT Jobs Watch: https://www.itjobswatch.co.uk Now you can support Data Futurology on Patreon!   https://www.patreon.com/datafuturology  Thank you to our sponsors:  UNSW Master of Data Science Online: studyonline.unsw.edu.au  Datasource Services: datasourceservices.com.au or email Will Howard on [email protected]  Fyrebox - Make Your Own Quiz! And as always, we appreciate your Reviews, Follows, Likes, Shares and Ratings. Thank you so much for listening. Enjoy the show!