Data has been dubbed the “new oil” because it is a valuable asset with the potential to change the way society operates. Data science is a fast-growing scientific field that employs big data, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics in an interdisciplinary, complex manner. Although it is increasingly used to inform policy and decision-making in both the public and private sectors, representation in the field remains unequal.

Tech firm, Dataleum, has released the second edition of its Outstanding Women in Data report, with the 2023 edition not only focusing on Africans but women across the globe.

In the latest report, Dataleum said the “expertise, leadership, and passion (of the selected women) for leveraging data to create positive change have earned them recognition as some of the top professionals in the global data community.”

Nigerians and other Africans listed include senior technology strategy leader, Microsoft, Mojisola Olawepo, senior cloud solution architect, Microsoft, Mary Osinowo Kolade, operations analyst, Ursula Koshie Wellington, senior BI specialist consultant, Medscheme Holdings, Henrica Makulu, senior program manager, Data4Now, Linet Kwamboka and senior specialists analytics & insight, Multichoice Group, Susan Gatura.

In Europe, the senior data science consultant, PwC Nederland, Thu Hien Vu, director, architecture, data & analytics EMEA, Nike, Irene Kujembola, BI solutions product manager, Global Blue, Jocelyn Rivera, data & BI analyst, IT_One, Mariia Novikova, chief expert data & program manager at House of Data at Deutsche Bahn, Claudia Pohlink, head of global data platforms at Unilever, leading the Data and Analytics COE, Fatema El-Wakeel, chief data officer, Elisa, Nina Marila, data lead, FreeTech Academy, Mina Saidze, and head of data culture and strategy, Telefonica, Britta Daffner were mentioned.

North America had the likes of the senior data engineer, Booz Allen Hamilton, Kedeisha Bryan, founder, Women in Data, Sadie St. Lawrence, chief data officer (govt and public services) Deloitte, Adita Karkera, data scientist, Google, Aishwarya Srinivasan, group product director, Data Science & Analytics Enablement, US Navy, Teneika Askew, principal analytics lead, Google, Sundas Khalid, VP Data Science & Engineering, Search and Assistant, Google, Caitlin Smallwood, senior data analyst, Predibase, Daliana Liu, and data analyst, Sobeys, Jessica Ayodele

In South America, data analyst, Factored, Gina Acosta Gutiérrez and the chief data officer, Banco Supervielle, Carolina Andrea Blasco Rial were named on the list.

The list also recognised some leading women from Asia including, senior faculty Ambeone DMCC for data science and analytics, Nita Mathur, director of data analytics, Damac properties, Shaily Verma, and data analytics manager, ION, Deeksha Anand

In Australia, Tabcorp’s chief analytics and data officer, Amy Shi-Nash, PhD, was named on the list.