A Class Act - Navigating the AI Landscape

The 4 Pillars of AI Adoption Strategy EVERY Enterprise Leader Needs with Lead Enterprise Architect at NatWest Group

If 99% of executives say their AI rollout isn’t mature, so what’s actually going wrong? In this episode of A Class Act, Michael chats with Natalia Konstantinova, Lead Enterprise Architect in AI at NatWest Group. Natalia holds a PhD in Computational Linguistics and has spent her career at the intersection of AI research and enterprise delivery, including leading AI strategy at BP before joining NatWest. In this conversation, they get into👇 ✔ Why only 1% of executives describe their AI rollout as mature ✔ Natalia’s four pillars of AI adoption ✔ Why governance is critical and what good governance actually looks like ✔ Why less than one in five organisations are tracking KPIs for their AI solutions and what to measure instead ✔ The biggest barriers to AI adoption and why they’re not technical ✔ What good AI leadership actually looks like and hiring challenges leaders face ✔ Why hiring one person and expecting them to solve everything doesn’t work ✔ One concrete action a leader should take this week Guest Information👇 Natalia Konstantinova is a Lead Enterprise Architect in AI at NatWest Group. She holds a PhD in Computational Linguistics from the Research Institute in Information and Language Processing (RIILP) and brings deep expertise across NLP, machine translation, information extraction, dialogue systems, and data analytics.  Connect with Natalia Konstantinova on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nkonst/ About Your Host👇 Michael Young is the Managing Director of MBN Solutions and host of A Class Act: Conversations in Data & Leadership. With nearly two decades of experience helping organisations build high-performing data, analytics, and AI teams, he brings frontline insight into what makes exceptional talent and leadership. Please note: The views expressed by the guest in this episode are their own and do not reflect those of their current or former employers. Subscribe & Follow👇 Enjoying the series? Don’t miss an episode. Follow A Class Act wherever you get your podcasts and leave us a review to help more listeners discover these conversations in data and leadership. Connect with MBN Solutions If you’re hiring for data or AI leadership roles, scaling AI capability, or rethinking how talent supports your AI strategy, the team at MBN partners with organisations to build data and AI teams that actually deliver. MBN Solutions on LinkedIn – Explore industry updates, groundbreaking projects, and the latest in data and analytics talent. Join the conversation and discover how MBN Solutions is shaping the future of data leadership For questions, guest recommendations, or to connect: Email: michael@mbnsolutions.com Visit MBN Solutions website at www.mbnsolutions.com

S2E8: Nina Habicht [ Top 100 Women in Data & AI ] on the AI Funding Bubble & Founder Advice on Building AI that Lasts

Nina Habicht has been building AI since 2011 and is one of Switzerland's Top 100 Women in Data and AI. In this conversation with Michael of MBN Solutions, she's direct about what she actually thinks about why so much AI being built right now feels disposable, why the funding bubble is coming even if the technology bubble isn't and why generalist AI startups don't have an easy road ahead. In this episode, Nina shares: * Why so much AI being built right now feels easy to copy and hard to defend * Why she believes the funding bubble may come before any technology bubble * What she would avoid building today, even if it looks popular or fundable * Why domain depth matters more than generic AI capability * What founders should stop doing if they feel overwhelmed by the speed of AI change * Why under-digitised, less fashionable sectors may hold the biggest opportunity * The new AI roles she believes are coming next from agent controllers to ethical AI leadership Guest information Nina Habicht is the Founder and CEO of dreamleap, an Agentic AI tech company with AI consultancy and an own training academy based in Zurich, and one of Switzerland’s Top 100 Women in Data and AI. Across her career, she has built AI systems into production in multiple industries, including one of the first voice assistants for the Swiss federal train system and Swisscom. Dreamleap is her third venture, starting as a training business and evolving into both a training and technology company. Today, the company trains around four companies a week, employs 12 people, and is based in Zurich. Connect with Nina Habicht on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nina-habicht-%F0%9F%AA%84%F0%9F%91%80-b840a553/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nina-habicht-%F0%9F%AA%84%F0%9F%91%80-b840a553/] Connect with dreamleap: (1) dreamleap: Übersicht | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/dreamleap-technology/?viewAsMember=true] Visit dreamleap Agentic Factory: www.dreamleap.com [http://www.dreamleap.com] Visit dreamleap’s Applied Academy: www.voicetechhub.com [http://www.voicetechhub.com] (powered by dreamleap) About Your Host Michael Young is the Managing Director of MBN Solutions and host of A Class Act: Conversations in Data & Leadership. With nearly two decades of experience helping organisations build high-performing data, analytics, and AI teams, he brings frontline insight into what makes exceptional talent and leadership. Please note: The views expressed by the guest in this episode are their own and do not reflect those of their current or former employers. Subscribe & Follow: Enjoying the series? Don’t miss an episode. Follow A Class Act wherever you get your podcasts and leave us a review to help more listeners discover these conversations in data and leadership. Connect with MBN Solutions: If you’re hiring for data or AI leadership roles, scaling AI capability, or rethinking how talent supports your AI strategy, the team at NBN partners with organisations to build data and AI teams that actually deliver. MBN Solutions on LinkedIn: Explore industry updates, groundbreaking projects, and the latest in data and analytics talent. Join the conversation and discover how MBN Solutions is shaping the future of data leadership. Visit the company page here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbn-recruitment-solutions For questions, guest recommendations, or to connect: Email: michael@mbnsolutions.com Visit MBN Solutions website at https://www.mbnsolutions.comwww.mbnsolutions.com [http://www.mbnsolutions.com]

S2E7: Navigating AI Ethics in the Real World: Red Lines & Risk Tiers in Practice

AI is moving fast. Most organisations are trying to keep up. But the real question isn’t “should we use it?” anymore, it’s whether you can deploy it without creating risks you can’t explain later. In this episode, Michael Young is joined by Jeff Watkins (former CTO, fractional Chief AI Officer / advisor) to get specific about what “responsible AI” looks like in practice. Michael asks Jeff: * What does responsible AI look like day-to-day as a way teams make decisions, not a set of statements? * Where do you draw red lines (what you won’t do with AI) and who has the authority to stop a deployment? * How do you triage Gen AI use cases using a simple risk-tier approach (green/amber/red) so governance supports delivery? * What does evidence actually look like and how do you prove controls are working in real operations? * When AI causes harm, who owns the decision and what does accountability mean in practice? Guest information Jeff Watkins is a CTO and AI strategist with 25+ years of experience leading digital and AI transformation. Former CTO at CreateFuture, he led AI Enablement and now advises boards and delivery teams on secure, responsible GenAI, where AI, security, governance, and culture collide. Connect with Jeff Watkins on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-watkins-cto/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-watkins-cto/] About Your Host:  Michael Young is the Managing Director of MBN Solutions and host of A Class Act: Conversations in Data & Leadership. With nearly two decades of experience helping organisations build high-performing data, analytics, and AI teams, he brings frontline insight into what makes exceptional talent and leadership. Please note: The views expressed by the guest in this episode are their own and do not reflect those of their current or former employers. Subscribe & Follow: Enjoying the series? Don’t miss an episode. Follow A Class Act wherever you get your podcasts and leave us a review to help more listeners discover these conversations in data and leadership. Connect with MBN Solutions: If you’re hiring for data or AI leadership roles, scaling AI capability, or rethinking how talent supports your AI strategy, the team at NBN partners with organisations to build data and AI teams that actually deliver. MBN Solutions on LinkedIn – Explore industry updates, groundbreaking projects, and the latest in data and analytics talent. Join the conversation and discover how MBN Solutions is shaping the future of data leadership. Visit the company page here. [https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbn-recruitment-solutions] Visit MBN Solutions website at https://www.mbnsolutions.comwww.mbnsolutions.com [http://www.mbnsolutions.com]

LLMs in 2026: What’s Happening and What It Means for Business With Richard Bownes, Head of AI Solutions at Vector8

What’s actually happening with LLMs in 2026 and what does it mean for business leaders? In this episode of A Class Act, Michael is joined by Richard Bownes, Head of AI Solutions at Vector8, for a discussion on how large language models are evolving and why the biggest shift isn’t capability, but consistency, reliability, and system design. Rather than chasing the next capability jump, Richard explains why we’re seeing a slowdown in headline performance gains alongside an improvement in consistency and reliability. In this conversation, Richard shares: * What's really happening with LLM development right now in 2026 * Why the enterprise production lens matters: the trade-off between brilliant but unstable outputs and reliable, predictable systems. * Richard’s practical map of the stack: naked LLM calls → workflows → tool calling → MCP servers → agent skills (and what each step is designed to solve) * “Stateful” AI explained clearly * The organisational gap Richard flags as adoption scales that leaders must be aware of right now Guest information Richard Bownes is Head of AI Solutions at Vector8, where he helps organisations design and deploy practical AI systems that move beyond experimentation into real-world business impact. He’s worked across public and private sector environments, bridging strategy, delivery, and real-world implementation. His experience spans Voice AI systems, applied NLP, and the ethical considerations that come with deploying machine learning at scale. Connect with Richard Bownes on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjbownes/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjbownes/] About Your Host:  Michael Young is the Managing Director of MBN Solutions and host of A Class Act: Conversations in Data & Leadership. With nearly two decades of experience helping organisations build high-performing data, analytics, and AI teams, he brings frontline insight into what makes exceptional talent and leadership. Please note: The views expressed by the guest in this episode are their own and do not reflect those of their current or former employers. Subscribe & Follow: Enjoying the series? Don’t miss an episode. Follow A Class Act wherever you get your podcasts and leave us a review to help more listeners discover these conversations in data and leadership. Connect with MBN Solutions: If you’re hiring for data or AI leadership roles, scaling AI capability, or rethinking how talent supports your AI strategy, the team at NBN partners with organisations to build data and AI teams that actually deliver. MBN Solutions on LinkedIn – Explore industry updates, groundbreaking projects, and the latest in data and analytics talent. Join the conversation and discover how MBN Solutions is shaping the future of data leadership. Visit the company page here [https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbn-recruitment-solutions] : https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbn-recruitment-solutions For questions, guest recommendations, or to connect: Email: michael@mbnsolutions.com Visit MBN Solutions website at https://www.mbnsolutions.comwww.mbnsolutions.com [http://www.mbnsolutions.com]

What Enterprise AI Really Looks Like in Practice Inside One of The UK’s Most Regulated Digital Banks With Russell Collingham, Head of AI at Atom

What if you could sit down with the Head of AI inside one of the UK’s most regulated digital banks and hear the truth about what actually works and what leaders need to get right? That’s exactly what we explore in this episode of A Class Act. Shannon is joined by Dr. Russell Collingham, Head of AI & Data Science at Atom Bank, and one of the most experienced AI leaders in UK financial services. Russell has worked in AI since the 1990s.  He began his career as a lecturer and researcher in AI at Durham University, before moving into industry where he led engineering teams, served as AI Practice Lead at Hedgehog Lab, and now guides AI strategy inside a live, highly regulated banking environment. In this conversation, Russell shares: * How Atom Bank is using AI to automate back-office processes and remove manual, repetitive work * Why AI adoption must start in “safe spaces” before becoming customer-facing * The real risks of generative AI in regulated environments * Why enterprise AI success depends more on operating models, governance, and people than on tools * How the role of an “AI Champion” accelerated adoption across the organisation * What the future of AI in banking could look like from embedded systems to personalised financial education If you’re a CEO or responsible for shaping AI strategy where reputation, risk, and trust matter, this episode offers practical insight into what enterprise AI really looks like in practice. Guest information Dr. Russell Collingham is Head of AI & Data Science at Atom Bank and one of the most experienced AI leaders in UK financial services. He has worked in artificial intelligence since the 1990s, spanning academia and industry, and now leads AI strategy inside a highly regulated digital banking environment. Connect with Russell Collingham on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russellcollingham/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/russellcollingham/] About Your Host Shannon McKechnie is the Managing Director at MBN Solutions - the Data and AI talent experts, and a passionate advocate for building exceptional teams and authentic leadership. As co-host of A Class Act: Conversations in Data & Leadership, Shannon brings a grounded, people-first perspective to leadership ,exploring how trust, alignment, and shared success drive high-performing teams in today’s complex landscape. Please note: The views expressed by the guest in this episode are their own and do not reflect those of their current or former employers. Subscribe & Follow: Enjoying the series? Don’t miss an episode. Follow A Class Act wherever you get your podcasts and leave us a review to help more listeners discover these conversations in data and leadership. Connect with MBN Solutions: If you’re hiring for data or AI leadership roles, scaling AI capability, or rethinking how talent supports your AI strategy, the team at NBN partners with organisations to build data and AI teams that actually deliver. MBN Solutions on LinkedIn – Explore industry updates, groundbreaking projects, and the latest in data and analytics talent. Join the conversation and discover how MBN Solutions is shaping the future of data leadership. Visit the company page here. [https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbn-recruitment-solutions] For questions, guest recommendations, or to connect: Email: shannon@mbnsolutions.com Visit MBN Solutions website at https://www.mbnsolutions.comwww.mbnsolutions.com [http://www.mbnsolutions.com]