Episode 19: How AI Innovation & Hiring Are Evolving Hand in Hand

In this episode of Harnham’s Data & AI Podcast, Luc Simpson-Kent is joined by Nathalie Baker, Managing Director and Lead Data Scientist for EMEA at FTI Consulting. They delve into the realities behind AI’s rapid adoption in business. What’s working, what isn’t, and where the real challenges lie.

Nathalie shares insights on:

• Why governance and GenAI tooling are reshaping the consulting space
• How FTI Consulting built AI tools like Ariadne to solve complex, real-world problems
• What hiring data talent really looks like today—and what often gets missed
• Why soft skills like communication and adaptability matter as much as technical know-how
• The pros and cons of in-house vs off-the-shelf AI solutions, and how firms can avoid vendor lock-in

Whether you’re building an AI team from scratch or scaling existing efforts, this episode offers straight-talking insights from someone shaping the future of AI in consulting.