There are some conversations that feel less like an interview and more like a really good cup of tea with someone who has lived a thousand lives in data. My chat with Robin Miller was exactly that. Robin is a long standing business partner of Omniadigital and co founder of 8GG, a consultancy that helps organisations turn data governance into something practical, human and genuinely valuable.

He is also someone who can make you laugh while explaining why your data warehouse is not actually the villain you think it is. Always starting with the why, not the what. Robin has this brilliant way of cutting through the noise. When organisations tell him their data is a mess, he does not panic. He smiles. He asks why. Then he asks why again. And again. And again. It is like talking to a very patient toddler who also happens to have decades of experience as a group data officer.

His point is simple. If you do not understand the purpose behind your data work, you will never get the value. You will just end up with a 72 page slide deck that nobody reads and a team that still does not trust the numbers.  The magic of digging under the hood. One of the things I admire most about Robin and the 8GG team is their willingness to get their hands dirty. They do not just look at a dashboard and declare it broken. They go under the hood. They pull things apart. They ask awkward questions. They look for the gaps in process and the missing ownership. They help organisations understand not only what is wrong but why it matters.

I have seen this first hand working with Kenny Scott from 8GG. The passion and care is real. The desire to help people understand their role in the data ecosystem is real. And yes, sometimes the conversations are messy. Sometimes people need a moment to vent. Sometimes silence is the most powerful tool in the room.

Data quality is not a horror story

Robin has a great line about data quality. Most organisations think their data is terrible because someone once said it was terrible and the rumour stuck. But when you actually look at it, the data is often better than people think. What is missing is trust. What is missing is ownership. What is missing is the confidence to say this is good enough and here is why.

He talks about taking thin slices of the problem and working through them with evidence. Not everything at once. Not a giant transformation that collapses under its own weight. Just one meaningful slice at a time.

AI is not a magic wand.

 We could not avoid talking about AI. It is everywhere. It is loud. It is shiny. It is also often misunderstood. Robin is refreshingly honest about this. If a human can do the job in half a day for a fraction of the cost, why are you throwing AI at it. It is a fair question.

He also reminds us that AI is hungry. It needs structured data. It needs unstructured data. It needs documentation and definitions and context. It needs governance. Without that, you are basically feeding it mystery soup and hoping for Michelin star results.

People first always. One of the themes that kept coming up was people. Data owners. Data stewards. Business process leads. The humans who actually make the organisation work. Introducing these roles can feel like stepping into the wild frontier. But Robin has a way of making it feel manageable. He talks about relevance. He talks about value. He talks about helping people understand why their role matters. And he is right. When people understand the why, the work becomes easier. When they feel safe to ask questions, the culture shifts. When they trust each other, the data starts to shine. A partnership built on honesty and humour.

Looking ahead as regulations evolve and AI accelerates, organisations will need stronger governance, clearer communication and more confidence in their data. They will need partners who can guide them with warmth, humour and a deep understanding of both the technical and the human. Robin and the 8GG team bring all of that. And more. Talking to him reminded me that data governance is not a dusty rulebook. It is a living practice. It is a culture. It is a way of helping people make better decisions with confidence and clarity.
And sometimes it is also a good laugh.

Robin has worked with our CEO Matt Small for years and he describes it as a breeze. Mostly because Matt is honest. He says it like it is. He does not sugarcoat. He does not pitch for the sake of pitching. He collaborates. He listens. He cuts the cloth to fit the budget and the outcome. And THIS, is exactly why Omniadigital and 8GG work so well together.

Looking ahead as regulations evolve and AI accelerates, organisations will need stronger governance, clearer communication and more confidence in their data. They will need partners who can guide them with warmth, humour and a deep understanding of both the technical and the human. Robin and the 8GG team bring all of that. And more.

Talking to him reminded me that data governance is not a dusty rulebook. It is a living practice. It is a culture. It is a way of helping people make better decisions with confidence and clarity.

And sometimes it is also a good laugh.