Rob Sewell has joined our UK office as our new Chief Data Officer, bringing deep experience in Microsoft data platforms, community leadership, and building high-performing teams.
Rob is here to build our data capability in the UK, grounded in Azure and Microsoft Fabric, shaped by people who care about integrity, and solving the problems others walk away from.
We gave him about five minutes to settle in before starting with the questions. Why this role? What does a strong data team really look like? Where are organisations getting stuck? Let's find out.
I have known Rik for a long time and I know that our views and beliefs are closely aligned in the way that we think about the people first and the technology second. That was a big part, the people that you will be alongside at the pointy end are important.
I said yes because it’s incredibly rare to get the chance to build a world‑class data team from scratch, one that isn’t defined by yesterday’s decisions. Zure’s ambition — Roar at Challenge — the culture of the wider organisation and the strong will to be the best resonated with me immediately. This isn’t about becoming another consultancy; it’s about becoming the highest‑quality digital data problem solvers globally.
I get to help shape what the data team looks like — the people, the practices, the culture, the way we approach client problems.
Ultimately, I said yes because this role will enable me to build something exceptional — a diverse, fantastic team solving meaningful problems with excellence and integrity alongside brilliant, open, honest people who will challenge and teach me.
This is an excellent question. Communication is what comes first. Discussions with Rik, Riccardo and the wider global Zure data team are required to understand the current capability, the short term and medium term requirements for our clients and the ideas of outcomes that we want for the future. We will use this to help guide us during recruitment.
Of course, we need people, there is no new team if we dont have any people! Our focus for technology will always be Azure and specifically Microsoft Fabric based. However, we also expect that the new people will bring excellent ideas for processes and additional technology with them.
Oof, all the hard questions today! Skills are vital of course. We have clients who require challenging data and AI problems solving. We are going to need people who are comfortable within the Microsoft Fabric arena. However, another 'skill' which is also a mindset, and an attitude, is the ability to communicate. Being able to convey the requirements, the solutions or the troubleshooting journey in language that is understable to our peers, to the business users and to other technical teams is important. The ability to listen to those people, understand their challenges and requirements and convert those into technical solutions is also important.
Most importantly, we want a team that’s kind, diverse, and generous with knowledge — a team that brings energy, humour, and a willingness to learn. Skills can be taught. Mindset and attitude are what make a team exceptional.
And that means creating a space where people feel safe to be honest, to ask questions, to challenge ideas, and to fail without fear. A team that treats failure as data, not shame — a team built on trust, openness, and the confidence that we’re all pulling in the same direction. When people feel safe, they take smart risks, they innovate, and they grow. That’s the culture I want us to build together.
Also, we want a team that’s brilliant, humble, and just the right amount of weird! The kind of people who can debate data governance one minute and argue about the best biscuit for dunking the next.
I think a lot of that was in the previous answer. A safe, open and trusting space is the aim. It works for our team but also for our company.
If people are scared to speak up, you don’t get better data — you just get quieter problems.
When people feel supported, trusted, and able to bring their whole selves, that’s when they do their best work — and that’s the environment we want to build.
A strong data culture is built on trust, openness, and curiosity. It’s an environment where people feel safe to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and surface issues early. Data is accessible, understandable, and used to inform decisions — not to assign blame.
Leaders model the behaviour by being transparent, admitting uncertainty, and celebrating learning. Teams collaborate across functions, share knowledge generously, and treat failure as information rather than shame.
Most importantly, a strong data culture feels human not robotic. People can bring their whole selves, be honest, and work in a psychologically safe environment. When trust, clarity, and curiosity come together, that’s when data truly becomes part of how an organisation thinks and acts.
The biggest struggle I’m seeing is the tension between the excitement around AI and LLMs, and the uncertainty about how to use them safely with organisational data. Many organisations want the benefits of AI, but they’re worried about data leakage, governance, fairness, and compliance — and rightly so. Recent UK guidance highlights the risks of using LLMs with sensitive data and the need for secure, well‑governed deployment.
At the same time, many organisations simply don’t have the data foundations in place: fragmented systems, inconsistent quality, unclear ownership, and a lack of metadata or lineage. Without that, AI becomes risky rather than transformative.
And culturally, there’s still hesitation. Organisations fear ‘getting it wrong’, which slows adoption. A strong data culture — one built on trust, openness, and responsible experimentation — is often the missing piece.
So the struggle isn’t just technical. It’s strategic, cultural, and operational. The opportunity is huge, but only if organisations can use AI securely, responsibly, and with confidence in their own data.”*
Let's set a high bar. In three years, I want Zure UK as part of the Zure organisation to be known as the team that truly roars at challenge — the highest‑quality digital data problem solvers in the world. Not another consultancy, but the people clients trust with their most complex, high‑stakes problems.
We’ll be recognised for our ability to deliver secure and responsible AI solutions, and a culture that’s diverse, kind, open, and psychologically safe. A place where brilliant people do the best work of their careers.
What we must avoid is becoming a generic consultancy — a body‑shop, a hype‑chaser, or a place where process outweighs purpose. We’re here to solve real problems with excellence, humanity, and courage. That’s the Zure UK I want to build.
If a client says, ‘We’ve tried three other partners and nobody can crack this,’ we want our team to smile and say, ‘Perfect — let’s get to work.’
When the challenge is genuinely difficult. When the client is stuck and the problem is messy, and the stakes are high. Impact is when we help clients move from fear to confidence, from chaos to clarity. Impact is when the solution changes how the organisation thinks and operates, not just what it reports. When the team is stretched and at the conclusion the client is empowered thats when we have delivered.