Christian J. Ward
EVP & Chief Data Officer at Yext
Entrepreneur since 1999. Academic at heart. I love learning from others, through practice, and pushing myself into new territory. This newsletter is how I think in public.
What is The Be Datable Newsletter?
The Be Datable newsletter focuses on the critical relationship between AI implementation and data strategy. While many publications chase the latest AI tools and news, we focus on what actually drives successful outcomes: your data.
We aim to help you move past empty AI promises by showing you how to become “datable” — ready to leverage AI effectively.
Why I Write It
I created Be Datable because I saw too many professionals drowning in data yet struggling with AI implementation. Being “datable” means properly structuring your information and identifying the lean, quality data that truly matters. Success comes not from more data but from the right data in the correct format.
What's In It For You
Data-First AI Analysis
Clear analysis of AI developments with a data-first perspective.
Practical Frameworks
Actionable frameworks to make your organization “datable.”
Lean Data Principles
Insights on why lean data works better than big data.
Step-by-Step Processes
Clear processes to prepare your data for AI partnership.
Published weekly, Be Datable guides you through becoming “datable” professionally and personally. You'll learn how to structure your information, identify high-value data assets, and position yourself to maximize AI's potential.
Background
The internet convinced me to become an entrepreneur. I started my first data company in 1999 and have been building data businesses across different industries ever since. I'm an academic at heart — I love learning from others, through practice, and constantly pushing into new territory.
Currently I'm EVP and Chief Data Officer at Yext, helping clients structure their knowledge for AI and search applications. Before Yext, I served as Chief Data Officer at Arizent and Data Axle, and Global Head of Content Innovation at Thomson Reuters. I've founded and sold two structured data companies — one in financial analytics, one in media analytics.
I wrote Data Leverage with my brother (an attorney) because this book didn't exist and we thought it should. It became an Amazon #1 bestseller. I started this newsletter because I enjoy thinking in public, and we're living through the most exciting shift since the internet itself.
But I believe it still comes down to two things: what data you have, and what data you can access or partner to get. That's what being “datable” is all about.
I've been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Adweek, Fortune, and Forbes, and speak regularly on data strategy and AI.
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Speaking & Writing