Juan José Alonso is a leading specialist in Data Governance and Privacy, with solid experience in the field of telecommunications. Currently, he plays a fundamental role as Data Governance at Orange Spain, where he leads key initiatives in the area of ​​Data and Artificial Intelligence.

With a unique combination of technical skills and knowledge of privacy legislation, Juan Jose plays a crucial role in Orange Spain’s success and reputation when it comes to the responsible and ethical handling of data.

His dedication, experience and leadership in the field of Data Governance and Privacy make him an invaluable resource for Orange Spain and a benchmark in the field of data management at the national level.

1. What has been the Data Governance initiative in which you have participated at Orange that has generated the greatest impact in value for the business? Why do you think it was achieved?

Since the need arose for companies to become Data Driven to be more competitive, data management and governance have gained great relevance. That is why In Orange Spain, the Data Area was created, a transversal area where the data governance initiative in which I have participated in Orange Spain, it was and continues to be the implementation of a governance framework and by extension the implementation of a data governance tool. And I say it continues to be, because the implementation of a government model is an iterative process that does not have an end date. It must always be in in continuous evolution, and even more so with new data management needs derived from new concepts such as Generative AI and Data Mesh, new IT architectures (cloud). Every time these new needs arise, our entire framework is tested to see if it is capable of supporting and evolving in the face of these new demands.

Starting the implementation of the framework first and then choosing the technology is very important, since many organizations make the mistake of starting the implementation of a governance model based on technology, without taking into account the business needs, nor the degree of maturity of the organization in terms of data management.

2.What are the obstacles that you have encountered in these initiatives and how did you manage to resolve them?

One of the main obstacles that I have observed in these years is achieving the commitment of all units of the organization related to data. Without this the governance program does not work.

It is therefore essential that they are involved from the beginning, that they understand the benefits of the implementation of a government program and that they visualize the initiative within the organization’s strategic plan. We must find ways to include data governance as part of company processes, so that it is not an isolated initiative that over time falls into oblivion.

3. What would you recommend to a company that is starting to work with Data Government and why?

I would recommend that a company considering embarking on a data governance initiative take into account a series of key criteria that will help it carry out this mission:

• Identify the drivers that allow the organization to demonstrate the value of government. Some of these drivers may be regulatory compliance (very common in banking), the management of new, increasingly complex IT architectures, the creation of a business glossary (to avoid ambiguities between business and IT) or data quality initiatives, and that will allow management to be convinced to carry out the initiative within the organization’s strategic plan.
  
• Having a strong degree of “sponsorization” at the data level, the most optimal thing is to have a CDO figure, which allows the dissemination of a data culture in the organization and serves as a link with the management of different business areas. This initiative has to be “bought” by the business from minute 1, otherwise it will be difficult to carry it out.
  
• Definition of roles and responsibilities so that each person knows from the beginning what their function will be in the government program