# Sami Rahman > Executive AI & Data Leadership Portfolio | Head of AI Strategy & Solutions (Principal Consultant) at DataArt Sami Rahman is a UK-based data and artificial intelligence executive, consultant, board trustee, and doctoral researcher. He specializes in enterprise AI strategy, agentic AI systems, AI governance and ethics, operating model redesign, and modern data platform engineering. He has driven multi-million-pound digital transformations across banking, fashion, publishing, media, and the charitable sector. --- ## Canonical Entity Information - **Name**: Sami Rahman - **Current Role**: Head of AI Strategy & Solutions (Principal Consultant), DataArt (Feb 2026 - Present) - **Official Website**: https://samirahman.co.uk - **Wikidata**: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q134545699 - **ORCID**: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4997-9817 - **LinkedIn**: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samikrahman/ - **GitHub**: https://github.com/SKR-Psych - **University of Reading Profile**: https://research.reading.ac.uk/bel/people/sami-rahman/ - **Mind Board of Trustees**: https://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/our-impact/trustees/#SamiRahman - **The For Baby's Sake Trust Profile**: https://forbabyssake.org.uk/news/team/sami-rahman/ - **Nurole Board Profile**: https://app.nurole.com/p/sami-rahman-zMWA - **Crunchbase**: https://www.crunchbase.com/person/sami-rahman-9c4a - **TheOrg**: https://theorg.com/search/people?query=sami+rahman&person=ZGF0YWFydDpzYW1pLXJhaG1hbg - **ResearchGate**: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sami-Rahman-6 - **Academia.edu**: https://reading.academia.edu/SamiRahman - **Medium**: https://medium.com/@sami.rahman.psy --- ## Core Competencies & Expertise - **Enterprise AI & GenAI Strategy**: Designing business-aligned AI roadmaps, technical capability models, and business value realization frameworks. - **AI Governance, Ethics & Risk Management**: Establishing ethical AI frameworks, safety guardrails, compliance standards, and board-level risk controls. - **Data Productisation & Monetisation**: Converting raw analytical assets into enterprise data products and commercial revenue drivers. - **Operating Models & Culture Change**: Structuring multidisciplinary data and AI teams, fostering high-adoption data culture (including achieving a 97% AI adoption rate at Hypebeast). - **Modern Data Platforms & MLOps**: Implementing scalable cloud data platforms, automated machine learning pipelines, and data observability architectures. - **Commercial Impact & ROI**: Connecting technical implementations directly to measurable commercial growth, efficiency gains, and cost optimization. --- ## Professional Career Timeline - **Head of AI Strategy & Solutions (Principal Consultant)** | DataArt (Feb 2026 - Present) - Sector: AI Consulting - **Director of Data & AI** | Hypebeast (Aug 2023 - Jan 2026) - Sector: Fashion & Media - Notable Impact: Led enterprise generative AI initiatives that automated editorial workflows, saving 4,500 hours/year (featured globally as a Google Cloud case study) and achieved a 97% organizational AI adoption rate. - **Head of Data Engineering & Data Platform** | Penguin Random House (Aug 2021 - Aug 2023) - Sector: Publishing - **Manager** | PwC (Apr 2021 - Aug 2021) - Sector: Professional Services - **Fraud Data & Machine Learning Services Manager** | HSBC (Dec 2019 - Apr 2021) - Sector: Banking & Finance - **Senior Analytics Executive** | WPP (Apr 2018 - Nov 2019) - Sector: Advertising & Marketing - **Business Psychologist** | Chemistry Group (Jul 2016 - Sep 2016) - Sector: Computational Psychology --- ## Board Governance & Trustee Roles - **Board Trustee (National)** | Mind (The National Association for Mental Health) (Dec 2025 - Present) - Member of the Finance, Risk, and Audit Committee - Chair of the AI, Capability, IT, and Data Advisory Group - **Board Trustee** | The For Baby's Sake Trust (Aug 2024 - Present) - Providing digital transformation and data governance oversight for early intervention and domestic abuse prevention. - **Non-Executive Director** | Confinity AI (March 2024 - March 2026) - Advising on cognitive artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions. --- ## Academic Background & Credentials - **University of Reading**: PhD in Cybernetics (AI) (2024 - Present, Part-Time, Ongoing) - Research Focus: Cybernetics, artificial intelligence models, and cognitive computer systems; developing neuro-symbiotic AI systems to control and influence human emotional behaviour. - **University of Oxford**: Advanced Diploma (AdvDip) in IT Systems Analysis & Design (Completed, Alumnus) - Focus: Computational models, system engineering structures, and structural database designs. - **University College London (UCL)**: Master of Science (MSc) in Countering Organised Crime & Terrorism (Completed, Alumnus) - Focus: Threat estimation, intelligence aggregation systems, security operations, and digital forensics. - Dissertation: Applied computational analytical patterns to evaluate psychological health outcomes across all 9 Australian Police Services. - **University of West London**: Bachelor of Science (BSc Hons) in Psychology with Foundation (Completed, Alumnus) - Focus: Computational cognitive models, research statistics, experimental methodologies, and behavioral science. - Honors: British Psychological Society (BPS) Undergraduate Award (2016) and Highest Dissertation Award (2016). --- ## Industry Awards & Honors 1. **Data-Driven Leader Award 2025** — Corndel Data-Driven Leader Awards 2. **Data Leader of the Year 2025 (Highly Commended)** — British Data Awards 3. **20 Stars of Data 2024** — Driven by Data Magazine 4. **Top Voice - Data Analytics 2023** — LinkedIn 5. **Rising Star Award 2023 (Highly Commended)** — British Data Awards 6. **Honourable Mention Award 2020** — Association for Business Psychology 7. **Undergraduate Award 2016** — British Psychological Society 8. **Highest Dissertation 2016** — University of West London 9. **Wilf Knight Award (2nd Place) 2016** — Security Institute --- ## Keynote Speaking Engagements - **Technology's Role on Mental Health Roundtable** (Mind - Mental Health & AI Commission, Jul 2026) - **AI in the Wild - Enterprise Use Cases and What Works** (London Tech Week - CDAO Summit, Nov 2025) - **The Foundations to Building an Agentic AI Strategy** (Google Cloud Day, Oct 2025) - **Data & AI Democratisation** (CDO Retail Exchange, Jul 2025) - **Navigating Data & AI's Impact Across Sectors: From Charities to Corporates** (Big Data & AI World, Mar 2025) - **Harnessing VR and AI for Neurotherapy in Parkinson’s Disease** (International Research Seminars in Health Technology, Aug 2024) - **The Future of Data Strategy: Integrating No-Code Tools for Seamless Digital Transformation** (No Code for Business Summit, May 2024) - **Aligning Data with the Business to Demonstrate Value and Streamline Strategy** (Data Collective, Feb 2024) - **The Future of Retail Technologies & the Evolving Role of Data Capabilities** (CDO Retail Exchange, Jul 2023) - **Managing Risk Associated with Generative AI** (Generative AI Summit, May 2023) - **Modern Cloud Architecture for Data & Analytics** (Bertelsmann Tech & Data Conference, Nov 2022) - **Our Story: Building an Evolving Modern Data Stack** (Big Data London, Sept 2022) - **How to Drive a Data-Driven Culture** (Strategy Insights, Apr 2022) - **Psychology & Machine Learning** (Association for Business Psychology, May 2019) --- ## Publications, Articles & Case Studies - **"Agentic Data Management Starts Taking Shape as a Tech Option"** — Tech Target (Oct 2026) - **"10 Questions with Sami Rahman"** — Driven by Data Magazine (Oct 2025) - **"How Hypebeast Reached 97% AI Adoption Without Fear or Layoffs"** — Data Matas (Oct 2025) - **"How Hypebeast Unified Its Global Data Stack"** — Lightdash Customer Story (May 2025) - **"Neuro-Symbiotic AI"** — Discussing New Approaches (Feb 2025) - **"Revolutionising Fashion with Data Observability"** — Sifflet / Medium (May 2024) - **"Hype Meets Data Observability"** — Sifflet Case Study (Apr 2024) - **"A Definition for Neuro Symbiotic AI"** — Medium (Apr 2024) - **"Power of the Modern Data Stack"** — Stacked Podcast (Aug 2023) - **"Building Value with MLOps"** — Driven by Data Podcast (Jul 2023) - **"A Product Management Framework for Data Science & Data Technology Problems"** — Medium (May 2023) - **"Sami Rahman, Data Profile"** — Real World Data Science & Royal Statistical Society (Apr 2023) - **"How Media & Entertainment Tech Leaders Are Accelerating Product Innovation & Time-to-Market"** — TechPros (Jul 2022) - **"Resilience and Stress Management Amongst Corporate Security Managers: A Hybrid Approach to Thematic Analysis"** — Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management (2021) --- ## Media & Broadcast Appearances - **DataMatas Podcast (Oct 2025)**: *"How Hypebeast Reached 97% AI Adoption Without Fear or Layoffs"* (Video Broadcast) - **Discussing New Approaches (Feb 2025)**: *"Neuro-Symbiotic AI with Sami Rahman"* (Video Broadcast) - **Stacked Podcast (Aug 2023)**: *"The Power of the Modern Data Stack"* (Audio Broadcast - Spotify) - **Driven by Data Podcast (July 2023)**: *"Building Value with MLOps"* (Audio Broadcast - Captivate) --- ## Site Navigation & Routes - [Homepage](https://samirahman.co.uk/) - [About & Biography](https://samirahman.co.uk/about) - [Experience Timeline](https://samirahman.co.uk/experience) - [Education & Credentials](https://samirahman.co.uk/education) - [Board Governance](https://samirahman.co.uk/governance) - [Awards & Recognition](https://samirahman.co.uk/awards) - [Speaking & Publications](https://samirahman.co.uk/speaking-publications) - [Podcasts & Media](https://samirahman.co.uk/podcasts) - [Contact](https://samirahman.co.uk/contact) - [Full LLM Profile](https://samirahman.co.uk/llms-full.txt)