Sustainable, lasting growth in any organization starts with synthesizing the right information to make the right decisions. To speak about just that, Moin Haque, Head of Enterprise Data, Analytics & AI at IFF, sat down with Fivetran’s Kelly Kohlleffel to discuss effectively managing data and implementing AI, balancing innovation with governance, and developing key leadership strategies to drive both personal and professional growth. 

Data as an ingredient: The foundation of enterprise strategy

For organizations today, data is more than just an asset — it is a key ingredient that fuels growth, productivity, and innovation. However, data alone is not enough. According to Haque, the real challenge lies in understanding where data comes from, how it interacts with other business elements, and how to use it to create something meaningful.

“[Data is] an ingredient in the larger recipe,” Haque explains. You can have all the data in the world, but without knowing how to combine it with the right processes, people, and business objectives, it won’t deliver value.

Just as a chef selects ingredients based on the dish they aim to create, businesses must be intentional about what data they collect, how they prepare it, and how it serves the final outcome. Data must be:

• Sourced from the right places – ensuring it is relevant and trustworthy.
• Processed correctly – transformed in a way that aligns with business needs.
• Integrated with other elements – working seamlessly with technology, processes, and people.

Overall, collecting data has to serve a purpose — whether improving efficiency, driving innovation, or enhancing decision-making.

Balancing innovation with fundamentals: Unlocking AI's true potential

AI is a powerful and transformative force, with the potential to revolutionize industries and solve an array of complex business challenges. Its ability to analyze vast datasets, generate insights, and automate processes makes it a game-changer for innovation and efficiency. As AI capabilities continue to evolve, the long-term possibilities seem nearly limitless.

However, AI is not a standalone solution, nor can it replace the essential foundations of a successful business. Data management, process transformation, and digital strategy remain critical elements that AI relies upon. Without high-quality data, structured workflows, and clear strategic direction, AI risks amplifying inefficiencies rather than solving them.

True success lies in striking the right balance — integrating AI thoughtfully into well-established frameworks while maintaining focus on core operational fundamentals. Measuring AI’s impact in terms of productivity, growth, and process improvement ensures organizations are scaling intelligently, not haphazardly.

As Haque explains, while organizations have yet to fully explore AI’s foundational capabilities, Generative AI introduces exciting new frontiers, such as digital twins for scenario planning and risk management. But to unlock scalable, transformative value, organizations must ensure AI enhances — not replaces — the strong business foundations that drive sustainable success.

Empowering innovation with integrated governance and trust

Balancing the need for constant innovation with maintaining security, governance, and risk management requires establishing strong foundational "guardrails" that guide rather than block progress. These guardrails transform privacy, security, and regulatory requirements into actionable principles that enable safer exploration of new models and technologies without compromising data quality, safety, or customer trust. 

A key strategy to ensuring this process goes smoothly is forming "trust councils," multidisciplinary teams that bring together risk, legal, privacy, and operational experts to collaborate and create a framework that protects the organization while empowering innovation. 

Embedding compliance and safety champions directly into development teams ensures that governance is integrated into the innovation process and is not treated as an afterthought, enabling a seamless balance between creativity and security.

Understanding the three E’s of effective data leadership

Effective leadership, particularly in challenging moments, requires focusing on supporting and empowering teams, clients, and organizations. But through personal experiences, Moin has discovered three foundational skills as the most essential for fostering resilience and growth:

1. Empathy. Empathy enables leaders to connect, contextualize, and respond to situations with a people-first approach, leaning into challenges rather than retreating.
2. Entropy. Adaptability, or embracing entropy, is critical in navigating chaos and uncertainty, particularly in dynamic fields where flexibility and responsiveness are vital.
3. Efficacy. Distinct from mere efficiency, efficacy focuses on achieving meaningful, realistic outcomes rather than perfection, ensuring progress toward goals. 

While technical skills and critical thinking are important, these three foundational skills anchor leaders in a constantly evolving landscape, enabling sustainable success and meaningful impact.