Iain Brown Ph.D.
Head of Data Science at SAS | Adjunct Professor | Author
Dr. Iain Brown is the Head of Data Science for SAS UK&I and Adjunct Professor of Marketing Analytics at University of Southampton. Over the past decade he has worked across all sectors, providing thought leadership on the topics of Risk, AI and Machine Learning and their ethical applications. During his time at SAS he has delivered numerous projects and driven innovation in the fields of AI and the corresponding fields of machine learning, deep learning and natural language understanding. As an experienced public speaker and published author he has presented at a number of internationally renowned conferences and conventions and has papers published in the European Journal of Operational Research, International Journal of Forecasting and the Journal of Expert Systems with Applications on the aforementioned areas of expertise. As of March 2020 Dr Brown was also recognised as one of the 100 most influential people in Data by dataIQ.
How did you get to become an expert in your key topics?
I have always had a fascination in the practical applications of mathematics, statistics as well as a love for computer science. So the rise of Data Science as a professional vocation was the perfect fit. For the last decade and a half I have held a number of roles focused on understanding and solving large scale data science problems and now head up the data science practice for the market leaders in AI, SAS. I also believe teaching makes you a better learner because it makes you work harder to understand, remember and apply what you’ve learned, and as such I also continue to lecture on subjects such as AI, Big Data and Marketing Analytics, currently holding the position of adjunct professor at the University of Southampton.
What topic areas are you most passionate about?
My main passion stems from a desire to make sense of the world around us through data and AI. An extension of this is my focus on AI for Good and Data for Good initiatives, to ensure with greater understanding all of society can benefit.
Which influencers influence you within those key topics?
How would you describe your offline influence?
Advising UK&I organisations on their AI and Data Science strategies. Teaching the next generation of data science enthusiasts. Speaking at events on all of the above.
If a brand wanted to work with you, which activities would you be most interested in collaborating on?
Twitter chats, blogs, podcasts, webinars, whitepapers, speaking opportunities, video interviews
What’s your best source of information for getting ahead of a story?
TechCrunch, Wired, podcasts, Google News.
What brands have you worked with?
SAS, DataIQ, Lionbridge, Kingston Technology, Huawei.
Which non-paid activities would you be keen to take part in if the opportunity raised your profile or delivered value to your audience?
I would be keen to co-create long form content (e.g. blogs, white papers, ebooks, research), provide a quote for content or news article, share or create a social post, speak at or attend an event. I would also be willing to participate in a podcast, webinar or online chat, and create video content.
What are your passions outside of work?
Family first, then with the limited time left over I like to keep both mentally and physically challenged through reading and travelling.
What would be the best way for a brand to contact you?
Please feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn or Twitter.