I have been a huge fan of Tina Salvage since the day we started working together, back when she was Head of Data at Stop The Traffik. When I finally met her in person, everything clicked into place like a jigsaw puzzle. We understood each other’s shorthand, we laughed at the same things, and we never shied away from standing up for what felt right or fair. We shared so many values and love the colour green, although sadly not the same love for a cheese board.  But THAT is a different story.

But a careers officer told her that ‘women did not do that sort of thing’ and suggested banking instead. So she applied to every bank on the high street and was accepted by all of them. Even now, hearing that makes me sit back with fresh admiration. The academic dexterity needed to ace those tough banking applications is no small thing. Hats off to you, Tina.

Her first exposure to data came during the early days of the internet, when no one was quite sure what it would become. Later, as Head of UK Marketing for HSBC, she introduced PDFs to customers. It seems obvious now, but at the time it was radical. It was pivotal for the business but incredibly difficult because compliance simply did not understand it. From there she moved into regulatory work, customer experience, and eventually became Global Head of Data Governance for HSBC’s commercial and global banking divisions.

One of the strongest themes in our conversations is the challenge of convincing leadership to invest in data management. Tina’s approach is refreshingly simple. She tells me often that she does not even use the term data management. She leans into what leaders are trying to achieve. It reminds me of the US hospital drama New Amsterdam, where Dr Max Goodwin starts every conversation with the same question: ‘How can I help?’ Even when everything is falling apart, he begins with service, not jargon. Tina does the same. Instead of talking about lineage, metadata or governance, she reframes the conversation in business language. ‘You have said you do not know where your data is coming from. I can help you fix that’. This shift from technical terminology to business outcomes sits at the heart of effective data leadership.

And when stakeholders do not understand data, Tina believes that showing value is far more powerful than explaining it. It is like those childhood science experiments where you mix baking soda and vinegar. Nothing happens at first. The teacher knows exactly what is coming, but we are all waiting, slightly uncomfortable, anticipating something we cannot yet see. Then the eruption happens. Suddenly chemistry is alive and reactive and powerful. It is often the first time we understand cause and effect in a scientific way. We remember that moment even as adults.

It is fair to say that both Tina and I are passionate about communication. Soft skills, which I have been teaching in academic institutions for almost a decade, are underrated superpowers. The best data professionals are not just technically strong. They are exceptional communicators. It is always about the story and the context. Without that, the wheels come off quickly. Tina emphasises negotiation, storytelling and the ability to bridge business and technology. If the business does not understand what you are doing, and the tech team cannot translate what you are asking them to do.

THEN WORK GRINDS TO A HALT. COMMUNICATION IS EVERYTHING.

This is where Tina’s thinking meets the work we do at Omniadigital. My mission as Chief of Staff is to operationalise executive vision, amplify impact and remove friction. I do this through the lens of data, communication and transformation.

We start with the business problem, not the data problem. Just as Tina avoids jargon, we help organisations articulate what they are really trying to achieve, then build the data and governance structures that support it. We prioritise clarity, shared language and alignment. Our work on glossaries, definitions and communication frameworks mirrors Tina’s belief that data quality begins with shared understanding. We champion soft skills as a strategic advantage. From podcasting to stakeholder engagement to training, we help organisations build the human capabilities that make data work actually stick.

And we deliver proof of value, not theoretical frameworks. Our projects focus on tangible outcomes. Dashboards that work. Processes that scale. Governance that enables rather than restricts.

This article is a reminder that data is not just a technical discipline. It is a human one. Tina is a valuable addition to our Associate Board. She has an uncanny way of unpicking a problem and executing a solution with clarity and a smile. And I am living proof that there is room at the table for all disciplines. It is about communication, trust, shared meaning and the courage to challenge old ways of working. That is exactly the space where Omniadigital thrives.

If you want to find out how we can help your business, and bring excellent people like Tina to the frontline, contact us at info@omniadigital.ai.