George Firican

The University of British Columbia

Director, Data Governance & Business Intelligence

Led a team of wonderful and highly skilled people in the areas of:
- Finance
- Human Resources
- Information Systems
- Gift Processing 
- Operations
- Strategic Projects
- Prospect Research & Analytics 
- Data Governance & Business Intelligence 

To support the goals of the fundraising and alumni engagement portfolio across the university.

Chief Advancement Operations Officer (Interim)

Director of Information Technology (Interim)

• Lead the Data Governance/ Quality program and the strategy development of Development and Alumni Engagement’s (DAE) data acquisition, maintenance and dissemination while fostering innovation and long term strategic vision
• Lead the efforts to develop a business glossary as well as a business intelligence (BI) framework and program that provides user-friendly access to the right information for the right people at the right time
• Directed the development and enhancement of standards, procedures, processes, policies related to the improvement and/or maintenance of quality of data within the Blackbaud Enterprise CRM database
• Created and fostered strategic partnerships and influential relationships with DAE senior management, the broader UBC community, campus stakeholders, vendors, and external universities to secure the success of DAE’s data governance, business intelligence and information quality efforts
• Collaborated with Information Technology to manage the development of automated data validations, data cleanses, data quality issue reports, and deployment of new tools and enhancements to aid in the preservation of data quality
• Advanced the data governance and business intelligence profession by participating in professional organizations, acquiring or maintaining required accreditations, publishing articles, and giving presentations at professional events

Associate Director, Data Governance & Business Intelligence

I proudly took part of UBC's "Start an Evolution" campaign (https://startanevolution.ubc.ca/), campaign which raised $1.5 billion dollars for students, research and community engagement and to double the number of alumni involved annually in the life of the university by 2015.

• Established and led an award winning Data Governance/Quality Program to support the university’s $1.5 billion fundraising campaign and sustainable alumni engagement strategy
• Provided oversight of the Data Governance/Quality Program and kept it on track by managing the development of standards, procedures, processes, policies related to the acquisition, management, and dissemination of enterprise data impacting the Blackbaud Enterprise CRM database while leading the Advisory Council
• Developed an award winning Tracing Program through which the returned mail percentage of Development and Alumni Engagement’s Portfolio has been reduced to less than 1%
• Managed the development of business performance metrics and scorecards to monitor and communicate the status and improvement of service of the Records department
• Achieved a 92% address and phone number accuracy for Canadian records, an improvement from ~64%
• Communicated to and educated internal and external stakeholders on the results and initiatives of data governance, quality, master data management, information delivery and advised stakeholders about best practices; was the first and only department to achieve 100% on the annual client satisfaction survey on communication delivery and content

Data Quality Manager

LightsOnData

- Educational Content Creation: Develop and deliver comprehensive courses, workshops, and webinars on data governance, data management, data quality, AI, and more.
- Brand Amplification: Collaborate with data companies to enhance their brand visibility and thought leadership in the data community.
- Engagement and Outreach: Host the Lights On Data Show podcast, featuring industry leaders and experts to share their insights and experiences.

Founder

Pearson

Course Instructor

O'Reilly

iData Quality Academy

Developed course content for iData Quality Academy
- Data Profiling
- Data Quality Costs

Instructor

Self employed

• Provided project management and business analysis expertise to various projects across the different industries (BaniPePost.com, JT Business Group, SMAWS, 8p8, Ashenzi, NetPress Consulting, LTS, AHACommunity, etc).
• Designed and developed unique, highly professional web and print designs, branding and e-learning solutions as well as developing and configuring custom websites (e-stores, online communities, content management systems, blogs, brochure websites, etc.).
• Accumulated experience as a web master by installing, upgrading, performing backups, managing migrations and maintaining a series of complex websites.

Freelance Consultant

Sauder School of Business, UBC

• Served as internal Project Manager for the evaluation, build and deployment phases of a custom-built, scalable web payment gateway (WPG) that complied with the PCI standard requirements and reduced Sauder Finance’s operational time for the allocation and reporting of revenue received via card payments by 75%
• Managed the deployment of a FIPPA compliant e-newsletter tool (Industry Mailout) selected to achieve a standard for design and operational support while reducing expenses by $15k/year
• Planned and managed the development and release of a new service for personal/academic blogging through the use of the WordPress MU environment for faculty members and current Sauder students
• Managed the development of an improved content publishing process to account for 15 digital signs, each with audience specific content & emergency broadcasting capabilities
• Served as the internal project manager for the development and deployment of the Canaccord Learning Commons web presence comprised of a WordPress based website and a BuddyPress student interaction environment
• Developed solutions for integrating the business environment with web 2.0 technologies such as WordPress 3 based sites, online communities (Ning, Moodle), and collaboration tools (MediaWiki, Project Spaces, CoMapping) while providing expertise and system support for these platforms
• Identified customer requirements, analyzed and reviewed product features, integration, security, scalability and performance requirements for projects such as PPM Tool, a collaboration tool to be used between the Center of Health Care Management and BC health care authorities, Desktop Blogging Client Solution, ECM Society Online Presence, Faculty Master Calendar, Form Building Tool, Event Registration, PCI Payment Forms Conversions, and several online presences for different business areas and conferences

Project Manager / BA

Everest iTech

• Promoted to Project Manager for the Showtime Models website and web application and the All Ears accounting software development project due to excellent interpersonal, communication and leadership skills in the relationships with the client and internal development team
• Led the development of several e-commerce sites (ex: SkyHook Solar, Expressive Designs Florist, JT-Autotech) and dynamic websites (ex: Mailinglist System, Informant Zone) and also helped architect their databases
• Increased the employees' knowledgebase by developing e-learning modules and user manuals for the use of the company’s payroll and accounting software
• Enhanced the online awareness of the company’s brand by 40% by creating a new content strategy and redeveloping its website in a WordPress, SEO friendly environment
• Minimized the cost of online advertising by developing free distributed widgets that increased incoming traffic by 5k visitors/ month

Project Manager / Lead Web Developer

Event Technologies

• Developed customer support standards and procedures for the company’s e-store business and helped transition a staff of 12 to this new environment through training sessions and a knowledgebase wiki.
• Minimized the installation time of new systems by 80% by creating and managing standard desktop images based on the employees’ job roles.
• Reduced search time of hardware and software information by 50% by developing a standard for filing all the technical documentation on hardware equipment and software.

IT Consultant

WGOA

• Demonstrated strong leadership skills by acting as the team leader of a software developer group in order to successfully implement and deliver an interactive Go learning application two weeks ahead of deadline and within budget.
• Coded the backend interaction of a merchandise inventory application with a barcode scanner and also contributed to developing the MySQL database and reporting. 
• Facilitated the team members to work remotely by implementing a VPN solution and integrated the use of Subversion to enable software versioning and revision control.

Software developer

💬 Founder of LightsOnData.com and LightsOnData YouTube Channel
Focused on providing informative content such as ONLINE COURSES, templates, guides, best practices, articles, white papers, and other useful resources to help you with your data governance and data management questions and challenges

💬 Creator of online courses that are engaging, new, and thorough. 
Courses: Building an Award-Winning Business Glossary, Data Governance Maturity Models, Data Governance Fundamentals, etc. - check them out here: https://www.lightsondata.com/courses/

💬 Providing LinkedIn content strategy for data-focused companies and products, as well as those with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI), business intelligence (BI, data science, data management, and data governance areas.
Connect with me today and ask how I can help you reach the data audience.

💬 Host of Lights on Data Show - a podcast and LinkedIn Live weekly show that provides insights into the data world and showcases people that help to shape it.

💬 Get some fun data merchandise here: https://shop.spreadshirt.com/lightsondata/all

💬 International key note speaker, conference speaker, and panelist (spoken at over 60 different conferences).

💬 I love being on camera, hiking, surfing, filming, and video editing
YouTube: @LightsOnData


🏛 My experience and specialties: 
• Expertise in data governance, information quality, business intelligence & data management
• Extensive background in web and application development with experience of the full life-cycle of a project
• Strong leadership capabilities, organizational and communication skills

Specialties: 
• Enterprise information management: Information quality, data governance and stewardship, master data management, business intelligence, business process improvement
• Development: Web and application development, relational database design and development
• Planning: Budget and resource planning, agile and waterfall project management, team development and leadership
• Tools and Applications: Collibra, Tableau, MS Visio, MS Project, Premiere, Photoshop

George Firican 💡

I’m at Collibra’s Data Citizens event and really enjoying the conversations and energy. The message is clear: 

Organizations need to move from BI-ready to AI-ready data, and governance has to evolve with it.

Here’s why:
✅ AI is increasing ecosystem complexity
✅ Structured and unstructured data both need visibility and trust
✅ Governance must scale everywhere across platforms, engines and workloads

So here are some available features to help with above that got me excited:

1️⃣ Data contracts for improving consistency and transparency across data products
2️⃣ Custom rules with Text2SQL to turn natural language into precise SQL data quality checks
3️⃣ Derived relations to visualize multi-hop connections and lineage
4️⃣ Semantic Model Generation Agent to automatically generate semantic layers from physical data
5️⃣ Model Context Protocol server to give copilots and AI agents real-time governed context
6️⃣ Data recommender to guide teams toward trusted, approved data
7️⃣ AI model registry for governed model lifecycle tracking
8️⃣ Automated AI traceability across Azure AI Foundry
9️⃣ Microsoft Teams & Slack integrations for better data collaboration 

A lot of impressive innovation on display today. Interviews with Collibra leaders and partners coming soon.

Until next time, let’s keep putting the Lights On Data!
-George Firican  

#data #AI #datagovernance

💡 Award Winning Data Governance Leader | Content Creator & Influencer | Founder of LightsOnData | Podcast Host: Lights On Data Show | LinkedIn Top Voice

Navigating data challenges be like…

That’s why I recommend following these people here:

Learn Data Analytics here: Avery Smith  
Learn AI here: Christina Stathopoulos, MSc and Steve Nouri  and T. Scott Clendaniel  
Learn GenAI here: Doug Sheley  
Learn Data Engineering here: Andreas Kretz and Pooja Jain  
Learn Cybersecurity and Risk Management here: Mary Carmichael  
Learn Privacy, Risk and Compliance here: Thaïs Ramos
Learn Statistics here: Joshua Starmer PhD 
Learn Excel here: Matt Brattin  
Learn Tableau here: Donabel Santos  
Learn Data Visualization here: Kate Strachnyi  
Learn Data Literacy here: Jordan Morrow  
Learn Data Storytelling here: Brent Dykes and  Mico Yuk  
Learn How to Tell Your Data Story here: SCOTT TAYLOR
Learn Data Classification here: Susan Walsh  
Learn Digital Transformation here:⚡Achille Ettorre, MBA  
Learn Data Community Building here: Scott Stafford  
Learn Data Analytics Career Upskilling: Albert Bellamy  
Learn Business Intelligence here: Alex Freberg  
Learn Apache Iceberg here: Andrew Madson
Learn Data Management here: LightsOnData  
Learn Data Strategy here: Vin Vashishta  
Learn Data Freelancing here: Benjamin Rogojan 
Learn Data Contracts here: 🎯 Mark Freeman II  

Who else am I missing?

(Post inspired from Avery Smith)

#data #AI #datascience

It was a pleasure delivering my presentation on “Data Governance in the Age of AI” at The University of British Columbia’s Symposium 2025.

Great sessions, networking and knowledge sharing all around. 

Thank you again to the PrISM team for the invite and for putting together the month-long series of events to celebrate Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

Let’s keep putting the Lights On Data, Privacy, and Security!

—
Special thanks to Trevor Carpenter, Larry Carson, Zoe Armer and everyone involved behind the scenes to make this happen.

Thank you also to all the wonderful speakers and presenters such as Scott Baker, Maliheh Oliver, Salman Shahid, Dr. Gail Murphy, Mark Montgomery, Gráinne McElroy, Gurm Dhugga, Mawuena G., Waii Chow, Julie Le Hegarat, PhD, Tim Szigeti  and many others.

#data #privacy #AI

What if “data governance” wasn’t a checklist, but a way to ADVANCE your organization?
Here’s the 7-pillar framework I use to make it simple 👇

A – Accountability: Assign clear owners so decisions actually get made
D – Definitions: Create a shared language through glossaries and standards
V – Value Alignment: Tie every governance effort to business goals
A – Adaptability: Use governance as your engine for change
N – Necessity: Start where the value is highest and scale from there
C – Collaboration: Build cross-functional trust and shared goals
E – Education: Empower people to see governance as an enabler

If you could only strengthen one pillar right now, which one would move your organization forward the fastest?

And if you want to go deeper, my Practical Data Governance: Implementation course walks through how to apply each one (includes templates and examples): 
https://lnkd.in/gwBcYQg5

Let’s keep putting the Lights On Data.
-George Firican

#data #datagovernance #datastrategy

7 pillars of data governance

Great energy, amazing sessions, wonderful networking here at the Big Data & Analytics West Summit.

It was a pleasure catching up with the local data community, seeing old friends, and meeting new ones.

Let’s keep putting the Lights On Data!
-George Firican  

#data #ai

No alternative text description for this image

There was a clear theme emerging at the Big Data and Analytics West Summit, and it showed up in the breakfast discussions, the keynote, presentations and every conversation. 👇

Reliable AI still comes down to one thing: the strength of your enterprise data foundation.

At the IBM breakfast, several roundtable discussions pointed to the same realization. As teams accelerate toward AI, the real bottleneck isn’t tooling. It is the clarity, quality, and accessibility of the data behind it.

Paul Zikopoulos, VP Technology Sales at IBM, reinforced this in his keynote. He talked about the curiosity tax that comes from gated or fragmented data, and how governance, lineage, sovereignty, and explainability aren’t administrative tasks. They are accelerators for AI.
When organizations know where data came from, how it can be used, and who owns it, the entire AI lifecycle becomes more reliable.

One point he shared stood out to me: GenAI is fundamentally an unstructured data problem. Most organizations haven’t even started unlocking the value in documents, PDFs, forms, logs, images, and everything that never makes it into a warehouse.

During my conversation with Paul, he also highlighted how leaders can start simply. Focus on automation and internal optimization use cases. Decide whether each AI initiative is meant to save money or generate money. Build from there.

Across the day, the message was consistent throughout peer discussions, panels, and other presentations. Data foundations are the reason AI works and we need to invest in getting those right. Governance, security, quality, stewardship and so much more... they all need to be in place.

How's your data foundation?

#ibmpartner #IBMCanada #data #AI

Key takeaways from Big Data Analytics West Summit

Did you know that AWS announced 60 AI Competency Partners across 3 NEW categories that will define the next era of intelligent systems:

✅ Agentic AI Applications
✅ Agentic AI Tools
✅ Agentic AI Consulting Services

These organizations represent innovation, scale and real world impact.
They are building autonomous systems, enabling smarter workflows, and helping enterprises activate their AI strategy with confidence and speed.

Do you have a favourite category or partner you are most excited about?

I will add the full list of partners in the comments so you can explore their work, follow their updates and connect with leaders who are shaping the future. 

You can also read more about all this here: https://lnkd.in/g-g7T22Z

Until next time, let’s keep putting the Lights On Data and Agentic AI.
-George Firican

#AI #agenticAI #partnerpost

Here is my recommendation for this week.
If Agentic AI is on your roadmap, checkout this ebook  👇

It breaks down what many overlook: AI success depends on the maturity of your data architecture.
Here's what else you can find in it:
• Clear explanation of what a modern, AI-ready architecture looks like
• Practical guidance on data quality, cataloging, lineage and governance
• A real example of how a bank scaled agentic AI by modernizing its foundation

So if you are leading data initiatives or planning for AI adoption, this is a good resource to read.

Until next time, let's keep putting the Lights on Data!
-George 
#data #AI #partnerpost

Modernize Data Architectures for  Agentic AI Success

What are your thoughts on AI generated videos or art?
Here’s a good example, in my opinion, on what happens when human creativity and AI-powered implementation come together.

Credit: Le Voyage (Paint World 28)


#ai #artificialintelligence

Data quality starts at the source… kind of  like good coffee.

I visited a shop that roasted its own beans, and the difference was undeniable. Fresh, intentional, crafted with care.

When we source data with the same level of attention, everything that comes after becomes smoother. Analytics flow better, insights become richer, decisions become clearer.

What do you think?
Happy weekend everyone! Let’s keep putting the Lights On Data!
-George Firican 

#data #dataquality

What do you think? Is AI making Master Data Management and Data Governance obsolete... or more essential than ever?

I’m looking forward to sitting down with Bruno Billy, President of APGAR North America, and Ken Brown, Head of Customer Success, to explore how AI is reshaping MDM and Data Governance, plus...

...how these disciplines influence the success of AI itself.

From practical examples of AI-augmented governance to rethinking stewardship roles and making MDM truly AI-ready, we will unpack how leading organizations are using AI to strengthen their data foundations, not replace them.

WHEN: Dec 11 at 8 AM PT | 11 AM ET | 4 PM GMT
WHERE: Here on LinkedIn and LightsOnData YouTube channel

More details in the comments.

#datagovernance #AI #MDM

how is AI reinventing MDM and data governance

Tomorrow I’ll be at the Big Data & Analytics West Summit, and there’s something I’m genuinely looking forward to:

I love conversations that bring clarity to where data and AI are headed next, and IBM is putting a spotlight on a topic I care deeply about:
 👉 How organizations can build reliable AI by strengthening their enterprise data foundation.

A major highlight for me will be hearing Paul Zikopoulos share practical lessons and thoughtful perspectives on:
✅ Preparing enterprise data for agentic AI applications
✅ Combining retrieval approaches to improve AI reliability
✅ Real-world strategies for scaling trusted AI across teams 

Paul consistently brings insights that elevate how we think about data and AI, and I’m excited to learn from his session.

These are the kinds of insights I’m excited to learn from, explore, and share.
And of course the discussions, networking, and the exhibitor lounge where there’s always something new to discover.

You can explore the agenda here: https://lnkd.in/gkDXmrnq

If you’re attending #BDW2025, please let me know as I’d be happy to connect.
You’ll find me capturing moments throughout the day, and yes, I’ll also be hanging out at IBM’s booth as their #ibmpartner for the event.

#data #IBMCanada

IBM Big Data Analytics West George Firican

Oh wow, what a day!
Excited to have been part of the Big Data Analytics West Summit in Vancouver as an #ibmpartner for the event.

Grateful for the energizing discussions and sessions, especially the great session on preparing enterprise data for AI from Paul Zikopoulos (VP, IBM Technology Sales).

It was great catching up with fellow data professionals and having a day of learning.
Thank you again IBM! 

#AI #IBMCanada #data

What are the biggest misconceptions business leaders still have about AI?

I sat down with Stijn (Stan) Christiaens, Co-founder of Collibra, at Data Citizens to unpack what AI readiness really means for organizations. 

Here are 5 takeaways from our chat:

1. Many leaders still see AI as “a chat in the cloud.”
2. Organizations need the right foundations around AI
3. AI ready data requires more than quality
4. Unstructured data is no longer optional
5. Unified governance is becoming essential

If you want a clear picture of what it truly takes to prepare your organization for AI, this interview delivers.
Full conversation in the video below.

Until next time, let’s keep putting the Lights On Data.
-George Firican

#data #datagovernance #AI

I took a photo of my latte this morning.
A simple image…
Completely unstructured, yet full of information if you know how to look at it.

Here is the interesting part…
Unstructured data is everywhere in our organizations:
- Images
- Screenshots
- Videos
- PDFs
- Logs
- Messages

All of them packed with value
But without metadata, that value stays hidden.

Metadata tells us:
- Who created the content
- When it was captured
- What it represents
- How it should be used
- Where it fits in our ecosystem

Suddenly an image is not just an image.
It becomes
- Searchable
- Discoverable
- Reliable

This is why unstructured data is such a huge opportunity.
The insights are already there.
Metadata is what turns those insights into something we can trust and act on.

Curious to hear from you:
Where do you see the biggest metadata gaps today?
- Search
- Ownership
- Retention
- Context
- Priority
Or something else entirely

Let’s keep putting the Lights On Data and its Metadata!
-George Firican 

#data #metadata #dataquality

Why are we still managing data on week-long cycles while our AI expects answers every second? 
As a data management professional, that mismatch is the bottleneck I see most often. That is why I’m paying attention to Acceldata’s Agentic Data Management.

Here’s what stood out to me after watching some of their demos:
✅ Natural language use to diagnose data quality issue AND trigger the proper fixes
✅ Autonomous agents that observe, reason, and act across your data pipelines, lineage & policies
✅ Dynamic and context aware governance that interprets regulations and applies controls to the right data
✅ A reasoning layer (xLake Architecture) that turns metadata into business meaning
✅ Learns from incidents so issues don’t repeat

If you are exploring how to make data AI ready, this is worth a look. Start here and tell me what you think of the agent driven workflow:
https://lnkd.in/gVwUQQwy

Question for you: where do you lose more time today:
1. Detection or 
2. Resolution?

Let’s keep putting the Lights On Data!

#datamanagement #AI #partner

Every December I look ahead… and this year, one prediction feels very safe:

I'll be attending Subsurface Live on December 10, coffee in hand, curious about how Agentic AI and open lakehouse patterns will shape 2026.

The agenda lines up well with questions many of us are exploring right now:
➡️ How will agent-based execution reshape data workflows?
➡️ What signals are emerging around performance, formats and multi-cloud patterns?
➡️ Where is the Apache Iceberg ecosystem pushing innovation next?

For anyone designing data systems or planning next-year priorities, this feels like a valuable moment to absorb ideas and future direction.

Registration is free: https://lnkd.in/gmDPiaES
Where: Virtual
Date: Dec 10, 2025 
Time: 8AM - 2PM PT / 4PM - 10PM GMT / 5PM - 11PM CET

See you there!

#data #AI

As organizations deploy AI, how should master data management and data governance programs evolve, or be reinvented, to stay relevant?

Join George Firican and Bruno Billy, President of APGAR North America, and Ken Brown, Head of Customer Success as they will explore how MDM and Data Governance are being redefined for a world shaped by machine learning, generative models, and data products.  
Drawing on APGAR’s experience helping organizations define, build, and run their enterprise data programs, Bruno and Ken will share how AI is transforming the purpose and practice of master data management and data governance.
Tune in to hear how leading organizations are using AI to strengthen their MDM and Data Governance foundations. And why these disciplines could be even more important than before.

#datagovernance #AI #MDM

How Is AI reinventing MDM and Data Governance?

Onyx Data

Built and scaled a Microsoft Data & AI consultancy serving enterprise and public sector clients across the UK, UAE, and US.

Highlights:
Microsoft Fabric Featured Partner & Microsoft MVP (5x)
Delivered Azure AI-powered solutions across finance, education, and government
Launched FabOps – a Microsoft co-sell solution for Fabric observability
Enabled 3 enterprise clients to scale Fabric & Copilot across departments
Regularly featured at Microsoft Build, FabCon, and global MVP events

Founder / Chief Executive Officer

Forbes Technology Council

Thought Leader

LinkedIn

As a LinkedIn Learning Instructor specialising in Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI), I am dedicated to creating and delivering high-quality educational content that empowers learners to advance their careers in data and AI. My role involves developing comprehensive courses, engaging with the learner community, and continuously updating course materials to reflect the latest industry trends.

Key Achievements:

- Expert Content Development: Created and delivered high-impact courses that received positive feedback and high engagement from learners.

- Curriculum Innovation: Developed innovative and comprehensive curriculam that facilitated structured learning paths for students, enhancing their understanding and application of data and AI concepts.

- Effective Knowledge Transfer: Simplified complex technical concepts, making them accessible and engaging for a diverse learner base, resulting in improved learner outcomes.

- Community Building: Fostered an active and supportive learning community through regular engagement in user groups, helping learners overcome challenges and succeed in their educational journeys.

- Continual Improvement: Actively sought and integrated learner feedback, leading to continuous improvement of course content and instructional methods.

LinkedIn Learning Instructor

The AI Journal

Contributor

AI4C

The key aim of the AI4C is to help charities embarking on AI/ML deployments with pro bono insights/advice - all in a confidential, collaborative sales-free, vendor neutral environment. 

Over 30 charities have joined and gained value with their strategic thinking, user stories, design, deployment and operations. 

AI 4 Good / Tech 4 Good 

If you are a charity leader looking to get the most for the people you serve, feel free to contact the AI4C Chair Paul Excell paul.excell@member.wcit.org.uk

Member

Global AI Hub

Brainz Magazine Official

Executive Contributor

Pomerol Partners

Partner

Reassured

Head Of Data And Insight (Freelance)

Redkite

Principal Power BI Consultant (Freelance) 

Microsoft MVP | AI & Fabric Specialist for Business Transformation | Helping Enterprises Unlock ROI with Azure, Copilot & Power BI | Forbes Tech | Keynote Speaker | CEO, Onyx Data

Your data shouldn't just inform decisions, it should transform your business.

I’m Leon Gordon a Microsoft MVP, keynote speaker, and founder of Onyx Data, where we help enterprises turn Microsoft Fabric, Azure AI, Power BI and Copilot into measurable ROI.

I’ve spent the past 13 years leading enterprise data and AI transformations. From being a hands-on technologist to now heading up a global team, I’ve seen how the right data strategy, aligned with business goals, drives massive ROI.

Clients turn to Onyx Data when they need:
• End-to-end Microsoft Fabric & Copilot implementations
• AI strategy and deployment with Azure OpenAI
• Power BI governance, optimisation & adoption frameworks
• Executive training to build data culture from the top down

Real-world outcomes we’ve delivered:
• £3M in new revenue from insight-driven selling
• 187.1% reduction in data latency
• 35% increase in data accuracy
• 50%+ boost in data literacy
• Featured by Microsoft at Build, FabCon, and global case studies

Recognitions:
• 5x Microsoft MVP
• Microsoft Data & AI Solutions Partner
• Microsoft Digital & App Innovation Partner
• Microsoft Fabric & Real-Time Intelligence Featured Partner
• Microsoft Training Services Partner
• LinkedIn Top Voice
• Founder of #DataDNA – global monthly analytics challenge

Featured by Microsoft at Build, FabCon, and global case studies. Speaker at top industry events across the UK, US, and Middle East.

Latest launch - FabOps – our co-sell-ready Fabric observability solution designed for enterprise-scale efficiency and impact → https://fabops.ai

👉 Ready to move beyond insights and into action?
→ Book a strategy call → https://bit.ly/46MgPHM
→ Try FabOps free → www.fabops.ai
→ Join 28,000+ global pros in #DataDNA → https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9075495/
→ Subscribe to my weekly AI and Data insights → https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/ai-and-data-tech-trends-6933659594284023808?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base%3BxNISbSHFTkGWI32ogCOB4Q%3D%3D

Leon Gordon

Finally I can share this news with you all..


I was lucky enough to feature in Barclays’ new series "Working Lunch", where I, 
along with Barclays Business Banking expert Amy Morgan and the one-and-only superstar YouTuber WillNE (Will Lenney), help answer the question “how do you turn a side hustle into a business?”

We look at bootstrapping vs angel investors when starting out, and which is best for you.

Hope you enjoy it!

A massive thank you to Barclays for having me and my company Onyx Data.

The link to the episode is in the comments 👇

The client: "Can you just quickly throw together a report by EOD?"

The reality beneath the surface: 🛠️⚙️👇

It’s easy to forget that a seamless Power BI report isn't just drag-and-drop magic. It's a finely tuned engine of interconnected components.

This "engineering teardown" perfectly visualises the ecosystem we build daily.

1️⃣ It starts with raw materials (Connectors)
2️⃣ Gets processed in the factory (Power Query)
3️⃣ Is structured into a robust foundation (Data Model)
4️⃣ And finally, shipped out for consumption (Service, Mobile, Embedded)

If your "quick report" is slow, chances are the engine block (The Data Model) needs a tune-up.

Which part of this machine do you spend the most time wrenching on? Let me know in the comments. 👇

#PowerBI #DataEngineering #Analytics #Microsoft #BusinessIntelligence #DataViz

Turn Microsoft Fabric, Copilot & Azure AI into safe, real‑time business value in weeks, not months | Data & AI Transformation Leader @ Onyx Data | Microsoft MVP | Global Speaker | Forbes Tech Council

𝗧𝗵𝗲 "𝗢.𝗚." 𝗔𝗜 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱. 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁. 💀

It’s official... 
𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗜 𝗤&𝗔 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱.

For years, we spent hours tuning synonyms and linguistic schemas to make Q&A work. That era is over.

Microsoft has announced that by 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 2026, the Q&A visual will fully stop working. The future is 100% 𝗖𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁.

- 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗱 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀: You have a hard deadline to migrate your existing Q&A reports.
- 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀: Copilot is vastly smarter, context-aware, and easier to manage than the old Q&A engine.

We break down the timeline and your migration checklist in our latest newsletter.

𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗤&𝗔.

#PowerBI #Copilot #MicrosoftFabric #DataAnalytics #AI #Deprecation

The End of Legacy NLP in Power BI The Q&A Visual is Officially Dead. Copilot is the New Standard. Microsoft has announced the full deprecation of the 

Open article: Goodbye Q&A, Hello Copilot by Leon Gordon • 2 min read

Hardcoding Secrets? Stop It. 🛑

It is the #1 rule of secure data engineering... 𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

If your Fabric notebooks or functions contain lines like schema = "dev_db" or exposed API keys, you are creating a security risk and a deployment nightmare.

Microsoft Fabric just released Variable Libraries for User Data Functions, and it is the fix we've been waiting for.
- 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗴: Keep your logic clean and environment-agnostic.
- 𝗘𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆: Reference secrets securely without exposing them in source control.
- 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗜/𝗖𝗗: Swap values automatically as you deploy from Dev -> Test -> Prod.
- It’s time to mature your pipelines.

𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗩𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆.

#MicrosoftFabric #DataEngineering #DevOps #DataSecurity #Python

No more hardcoded secrets in your Fabric code. Preheader: Manage environment configurations securely with the new Variable Libraries for User Data Fun

Open article: Goodbye, Hardcoded Secrets - Variable Libraries for Fabric User Data Functions by Leon Gordon • 2 min read

Goodbye, Hardcoded Secrets - Variable Libraries for Fabric User Data Functions

𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗜𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴.

There are so many features to focus on.

- Agent mode
- App builders
- AI video creation
- Cross-app workflows
- Pricing tiers

There are definitely some features that matter more than others.

Here are my 5 key Copilot Microsoft Ignite announcements so far this week.

1. Agent capabilities that replace manual work - Excel agents now build full dashboards with one prompt. No sidebar tools needed. Charts, formulas, and insights appear automatically.

2. Seamless data flow between applications - Excel data becomes Word reports, then PowerPoint presentations. Three apps working as one workflow without exports or copying.

3. No-code app building that actually works - App Builder created a complete team ideas app in minutes. Changes happen through simple requests, not coding.

4. AI video generation with transparency - Sora 2 creates professional videos in seconds. Every output shows clear AI labels, keeping content honest.

5. Accessible pricing for small teams - At $21 per month for teams under 300, Copilot is finally within reach for businesses that couldn't afford the $30 tier.

And it is working for me.

The future of productivity isn't about learning every feature.

It's about knowing which ones actually change how you work.

If you’re planning how to roll this out responsibly, I’ve built a 2-week Copilot adoption playbook, complete with use cases, guardrails, and adoption steps.

👉 Comment “Copilot” and I’ll send it straight over.

Have you been keeping up with the Microsoft Fabric November updates?

Ignite happened this week and honestly, the pace of innovation is incredible.

I've just watched the latest update and there's a wave of features rolling out across the platform, from data engineering to Power BI and Copilot.

Here's what caught my attention:

1. Mirroring support for SQL Server, PostgreSQL, and Cosmos DB - bringing all your data straight into OneLake
2. Warehouse snapshots - giving analysts a consistent source of truth while ETL jobs are running
3. Data clustering in Fabric Data Warehouse - cutting query times from 40 seconds down to just 1 second
4. Read/write permissions in OneLake - enabling real collaboration without compromising governance
5. Copilot getting smarter - now identifying anti-patterns in your code and suggesting optimisations

The warehouse snapshots feature is particularly interesting. Imagine running hourly ETL jobs while your analysts query data without worrying about inconsistencies. The data engineer creates a snapshot, analysts query against it, and once ETL completes, the snapshot rolls forward seamlessly.

And the data clustering demo was impressive. same query, same data, but 97% less data scanned and a fraction of the CPU time used.

What strikes me most is how Microsoft is making Fabric more accessible without sacrificing governance or performance. Features like customer-managed keys at the workspace level and enhanced Copilot capabilities show they're thinking about both security and developer experience.

If you're working with data at scale, these updates are worth exploring.

Question - which of these November features are you most excited to try out?

Join our Microsoft Fabric - UK User Group for our latest webinar.

This session we are excited to announce our host Microsoft MVP Leon Gordon and co-host Microsoft MVP Pragati Jain will be introducing Microsoft MVP Andy Cutler.

Join the Microsoft Fabric UK - User Group on -

Microsoft Community - https://lnkd.in/dtrfGvy

LinkedIn - https://lnkd.in/dX_Ziaz

MeetUp - https://lnkd.in/d6wteZBn

Session Abstract -

Materialized Lake Views (MLVs) in Microsoft Fabric Lakehouses offer a declarative approach to building data loading and data materialization pipelines. This session introduces how MLVs simplify data loading piplines, automate refreshes, and visualize data loading lineage across the process. Attendees will learn how MLVs support integrated data quality rules, enabling trend analysis and alerting for violations, all without manual pipeline orchestration. We'll also cover current limitations and the roadmap for new feature support.

Biography

Andy Cutler is a Microsoft Azure Cloud & Fabric consultant, Data Platform MVP, and runs a UK consultancy Datahai. With over 20 years experience in Microsoft data technologies, Andy has worked with SQL Server, Azure Data Platform, Synapse Analytics Power BI, and Fabric.

Andy’s consultancy Datahai offers a range of services including assessments and reviews, architecture guidance, end-to-end data platform solutions, bespoke projects, training, & helps clients leverage existing technology investments, optimize costs and maximize the value of Azure, Fabric, & Power BI.

Social Media / Website Links

https://lnkd.in/eW69uSs9

Can Fabric Materialized Lake Views Deliver Low Effort Data Engineering?

“Most teams don’t have a technology problem, they have a clarity problem.”

Across conversations with CDOs and Data Platform Leads in the GCC, the story is the same:
Azure spend is rising, estates are fragmented, timelines are tight, and leadership wants ROI before the platform is even stable.

This isn’t a talent issue.
It’s a visibility issue.

When workloads scale faster than governance, dashboards explain what but not why, and Finance wants predictability you can’t yet provide, confidence drops quickly.

Modern Microsoft-first estates weren’t built for that level of pressure. Fabric, Azure governance, identity, cost, sovereignty… everything moves at once.

The teams winning today aren’t “faster.”
They’re clearer.

They put visibility before velocity.
They standardize workspaces before scaling.
They tie Azure costs to business outcomes.
They treat governance as an accelerator, not a blocker.

If you want to see what a 30-day clarity shift looks like, I’ve released a free Azure Cost Scorecard, the same one we use with leaders across UAE, KSA, Qatar, and Europe.

👉 Download the Azure Scorecard (First Comment)

No pitch. Just clarity.
Because sometimes that’s the real unlock.

#DataLeadership #MicrosoftFabric #AzureGovernance #CloudCostOptimization #OnyxData #CIO #CDO #DataStrategy #DigitalTransformation #AzureCosts #MicrosoftPartner

Azure Costs  Out of Control

Stop paying the "Spaghetti Tax" on your data architecture. 

The blueprint on the left isn't just messy, it's expensive, fragile, and slow. The Microsoft Fabric blueprint on the right is unified, efficient, and built for speed.

The gap between these two realities is smaller than you think, if you have the right vehicle.

Accelerate your move to the superhighway with our Onyx Fabric Accelerator. We have the methodology to get you there fast.

Better yet? You might not have to foot the bill.

Find out if your company is eligible for Microsoft funding to kickstart your Fabric migration with Onyx. 👇

Link for funding eligibility in the chat.

#MicrosoftFabric #DataAnalytics #CIO #DigitalTransformation #OnyxAccelerator

We spend too much time looking at the shiny dashboard and not enough time looking at the engine block. 

The Microsoft Data & AI ecosystem isn't magic; it's heavy industrial machinery.

It’s easy to forget that a seamless Power BI report, a unified Fabric estate, or a smooth Copilot experience aren't just single applications. They are complex assemblies of interconnected components, pipelines, and governance layers.

If you just treat the surface, you'll never build a resilient foundation.

So, I decided to visualize the stack differently. I wanted to strip away the slick UI and see the blueprints underneath.

Introducing my concept for "Microsoft Data & AI: The Disassembly Manual." 

Swipe through this carousel ➡️ to see the exploded-view engineering diagrams of the tools we use every day:

Slide 2: Power BI. It’s not just a drawing tool. See how the Data Connectors feed the Power Query transmission, which powers the critical Data Model engine.

Slide 3: Microsoft Fabric. The ultimate convergence machine. Visualize how distinct Synapse compute engines dock onto the unified foundation of OneLake.

Slide 4: Copilot & Azure AI Foundry. The "iceberg illusion." The simple chat interface at the top is supported by massive infrastructure for orchestration, safety, and model management below.

This is the architecture required for true enterprise intelligence.

Which one of these "machines" are you spending the most time wrenching on these days? Let me know in the comments 👇

♻️ Repost if you think these blueprints would help explain the architecture to your stakeholders!

#MicrosoftFabric #PowerBI #AzureAI #DataEngineering #DataArchitecture #TechViz #Microsoft #Copilot #BigData

Microsoft Data & AI The Disassembly Manual

Dataverse is No Longer an Island. 🏝️

Moving data out of Dynamics 365 or Dataverse for downstream apps has always been... painful. API limits, complex delta logic, and slow performance were the norm.

Microsoft just validated a new pattern that changes the game - 𝗙𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸 + 𝗖𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗝𝗼𝗯.

1. Sync Dataverse to OneLake automatically (Zero ETL).
2. Copy from OneLake to any destination (SQL, KQL, Cross-Tenant) with full CDC support.

This means you can replicate your ERP data to an external SQL database in near real-time, 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲.

We break down the 2-step pattern in our latest newsletter.

𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆.

#MicrosoftFabric #Dataverse #Dynamics365 #DataEngineering #LowCode

Moving Dataverse data just got easier (and smarter). Use Fabric Copy Job to replicate Dataverse changes to SQL, KQL, and more with zero code. What's N

Open article: Replicating Dataverse to Any Destination with Copy Job by Leon Gordon • 2 min read

Replicating Dataverse to Any Destination with Copy Job

Most data teams aren’t struggling because of skill.

They’re struggling because of complexity.

Pipelines with too many moving parts.
Manual fixes that eat entire mornings.
That constant feeling of: “We’re one error away from another fire drill.”

If you’re leading a data team, you’ve lived this:

- Late-night messages when a job fails
- “Quick requests” that are anything but
- Pressure to deliver faster with zero tolerance for mistakes

Here’s the part we rarely say out loud:

It’s not the work that’s breaking teams.
It’s the invisible steps, dependencies, and rework behind the scenes.

That’s where Copilot for Data Factory actually matters.

Not because it magically “automates everything”…
but because it strips away the friction that slows everyone down.

When complexity drops, your team finally gets space to:

- Think instead of react
- Design instead of patch
- Deliver outcomes instead of chasing errors

This isn’t about replacing people.
It’s about giving them their bandwidth back.

If your team could use more clarity in how they build and run pipelines, comment “CLARITY” — I’ll share examples, frameworks, and real-world Copilot for Data Factory workflows that actually help.

#DataLeadership #DataTeams #AIinData #MicrosoftCopilot #DataFactory #DataEngineering

Your data team isn’t overwhelmed…

Everyone sees the smooth interface of Microsoft Copilot at the top (#5). 💬✨

Very few see the massive industrial machinery required to run it underneath.

This engineering teardown perfectly visualises the reality of enterprise Generative AI. It’s not just calling an API. It's an integrated ecosystem known as Microsoft Foundry.

Look at what supports that simple chat window:

- A foundation of diverse models (#2)
- Complex orchestration logic via Prompt Flow (#3)
- Crucial guardrails for AI Safety and Evaluation (#4)
- End-to-end Management & Governance (#6)

If you are building your own "Copilot," are you just focusing on the screen at the top, or are you engineering the foundation beneath it?

#GenerativeAI #MicrosoftCopilot #AzureAIFoundry #LLMs #ArtificialIntelligence #MachineLearning

Let's finish the year strong!

Delighted to wrap up 2025 as the guest judge for the #DataDNA dataset challenge!

We are excited to announce that the December 2025 DataDNA - Dataset Challenge is LIVE!
 
Each month, we release a real-world dataset challenge that gives you the opportunity to:
✅ Practice analytics and data visualisation
✅ Showcase your work publicly in your own portfolio
✅ Compete and compare with a global community
✅ Get featured for top entries
✅ Win exclusive rewards and recognition in our new Global Leaderboard!
 
Ready to Get Started?
 
Head over to 👉 https://lnkd.in/giVVK3BF
 
This month we are visualising the Animal Shelter Operations Analytics.
 
1st place Wins 2 eBooks from Packt The Data Analytics Interview Software worth $500!
 
The winners will be selected based on how they visualise the data, define key indicators, find insights, and define calculations and metrics.
 
The prizes are amazing, including Amazon Vouchers for the ZoomCharts Mini Challenge, Data eBooks and much more.
 
We look forward to seeing your entries in this month’s #DataDNA challenge!
 
Challenge sponsors are Packt, ZoomCharts, AzureLearn AI Community, and Smart Frames UI.
 
Our guest judge for this month’s challenge is Leon Gordon!
 
Thank you to challenge founder Leon Gordon and our DataDNA Ambassador team Juliana Smith, Kavita Behera, Nazrin C.A, Santhana Lakshmi Ponnurasan, Sneha Srinath, Mariska van Kan and Tony Cua for the continued support of the community.
 
The deadline to participate in this month’s challenge is 16th December 11:59pm UK with the winner being announced on 19th December.
 
Check out the competition regulations and submit your entry by the deadline.
 
We can’t wait to see your amazing visualisations!

#excel #powerbi #qlik #tableau

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