(Oceania) Julian Delany, Chief Technological Officer, Data and Digital, News Corp Australia, speaks with Mark Johnson, Fusion Alliance Regional VP and CDO Magazine Editorial Board Member, about working with the C-suite to drive data value, and the characteristics needed to build talent.

Delany states that honesty is the secret sauce that made his working with the C-suite successful. He recalls addressing the data challenge in front of the C-suite by telling them they are not where they need to be in data.

The use cases were clear, says Delany, but the engine to deliver on them was missing. He commends the support he got from the C-suite, who understood the requirements. After 12 to 18 months of organizing data correctly, they now have a repeatable database that enables more use cases to come through, he adds.

Next, Delany emphasizes the need for talented people to execute a technological change. He believes that the leadership team plays a fundamental role in building talent. He stresses that having people with potential is crucial while being too prescriptive halts building talent.

Delany highlights the internal and external themes here. Internally, people with potential can have a better career path. But, bringing new ideas from an entirely different industry is a different story, he says.

News Corp focuses on bringing people from different industries to build talent, states Delany. If the talent is good, having someone from publishing or aviation is worthwhile, as they will utilize their principles to deliver what the company needs.

Finally, Delany shares that it is an exciting time to be at News Corp. With the right people, strategy, and the support of the C-suite, they can deliver on things, he says.