Shaping Executive Strategy with AI & Navigating the Data Science Job Market

Details
Welcome back to our March edition of Data Science Melbourne. It is impossible to escape the AI wave right now and we have a very special AI themed event to get the low down on everything surrounding the latest technological breakthrough.

Our first topic
AI for CEOs (and Data Scientists)

AI isn’t just a technical challenge—it’s a strategic and commercial opportunity. In this talk, I’ll share how CEOs and executive leaders are thinking about AI, what drives their decision-making, and how data scientists can better align their work with business impact. By understanding the non-technical realities of AI adoption—risk, ROI, regulation, and strategy—you’ll gain a powerful edge in bridging the gap between technical innovation and commercial success.

Our first speaker
Tony Gruebner has been hiring and leading data scientists for over a decade, long before AI became the corporate buzzword it is today. As Executive GM of Data Products at Sportsbet, he built and scaled AI and analytics teams, pioneering data-driven personalization and predictive modeling in one of Australia’s most competitive digital businesses. More recently, as CMO at Pepperstone, he drove AI-powered customer acquisition and automation strategies at a global scale. While his expertise is more commercial than technical, his unique skill is bridging the divide between data science and executive decision-making, ensuring AI delivers real-world business impact. He is also the author of AI for CEOs: The least technical book you'll ever read about Artificial Intelligence.

Our second topic
Navigating the Data Science Market: Opportunities & Career Growth

With 2025 well and truly upon it’s a great time to have a fresh look at the state of the market and how to best navigate it.
Are you looking for your first opportunity in Data Science or are you an established Data Scientist struggling to find that next step up? Then is presentation will delve into this subject and shed light on some of the ways to help improve your odds.

Our second speaker
Stuart is the Director for a recruitment firm specialising in all things data and analytics. With over 19 years of recruitment experience, Stuart has exclusively focused on Data Analytics and Data Science across both Australia and the UK.
Stuart has a passion in helping the next generation of Data Scientists achieve their potential and offering guidance and advice for their next step in their career.

Our Sponsor:
A big thank you to our sponsor, Method Recruitment Group, for their support and for providing us with food and drinks for this event.
Method recruits across Technology, Finance, Marketing and Not-For-Profit in Australia.
For more information on their specialised Data & Analytics division, visit: https://methodrecruitment.com.au/data-analytics/

Location
Huge thanks to Vanguard Australia for supporting the meetup and hosting this event at their offices

Wesley Place,
Level 13,
130 Lonsdale street,
Melbourne 3000

Schedule
5:30 - Networking with Pizzas & Drinks
6:00 - Tony's talk
6:30 - Q&A for Tony's talk
6:45 - Stuart's talk
7:15 - Q&A for Stuart's talk
7:30 - More networking
8:00 - Wrap up