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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Turn on all the lights: why your AI fails without the right data
In our latest episode of Lexicon, we speak with Justin Graham, Director of the Innovation Solutions Center at Barge Design Solutions, and Jake Dein, PE, Technology Solutions Developer. Together, they demystify a crucial challenge in the age of artificial intelligence: why so many organizations are failing to derive value from AI, and how to address this issue. Their message is clear: before you bring in AI, ensure your data is in order. Also, subscribe to IE+ for premium insights and exclusive content! Jake opens the conversation with a powerful metaphor called the "streetlight effect." As he explains, this is a cognitive bias where people tend to look for solutions where it's easiest, rather than where it's most effective. 'It's where we tend to use data that is easily accessible to us, but not necessarily the best to answer engineering questions,' Jake explains. 'We borrowed the term from an old parable about a person looking for their keys at night under a streetlight—not because that's where they dropped them, but because that's where it's easiest to look,' he added This behavior is widespread across industries, particularly as companies rush to adopt AI without first connecting the dots between their siloed systems. 'AI, to be really effective, needs to leverage all the relevant data, not just what's easiest to find,' he explained. The episode's title comes from a core idea that Justin and Jake repeatedly return to: 'turning on all the lights' before diving into AI or advanced analytics. In practice, this means integrating and organizing fragmented datasets across an organization to create a single, trustworthy source of insight. 'Creating visibility into your business systems—integrating siloed data from HR, finance, customer service, design specs, project archives—is what turns AI from a gimmick into a true decision-making tool,' Justin says. He illustrates the point with a vivid example: Barge's relocation project. 'We had a warehouse full of 70 years of project records—paper boxes stacked to the ceiling. No one knew what was in them. Without visibility, without a system, even if the answer is in there, it's useless if you can't find it. That's no streetlights, just darkness.' One of the podcast's most actionable takeaways is deceptively simple: don't start with the technology. Start with a clearly defined problem. 'We see a lack of clearly defined problems all the time,' Jake explains. 'A problem well stated is a problem half solved.' He compares poorly scoped AI projects to going to a mechanic and asking for a front-end alignment when your car pulls to the left, without first checking if that's the issue. 'A good mechanic will confirm the real problem before fixing it. Otherwise, you're just wasting time. The same is true with AI,' he added. The highlight of the conversation is a compelling case study: how Barge helped a water utility save nearly $1 million by modernizing workflows and integrating systems. 'It started with a client goal—improving customer satisfaction. But instead of jumping to customer-facing solutions, we looked internally for inefficiencies and silos,' Justin says. The key wasn't just technology; it was fixing how information flowed. 'They had great systems: inventory, purchasing, HR, customer service, SCADA. But none of them were talking to each other,' Justin explains. 'So we integrated them, reduced workflow friction, and the impact was huge.' 'That kind of return—10X, 50X—isn't magic. It's the payoff of turning on all the lights,' he explained. The duo is candid about the less glamorous side of AI readiness, data hygiene. 'Good data hygiene isn't a delay—it's an accelerator,' Justin emphasizes. 'It's often overlooked because it's hard and not very sexy. But it's the foundation.' Barge even built a simple archive search tool for internal use that ended up saving $350,000 per year. 'That's just from reducing the time people spend looking for information,' he notes. 'It's not flashy, but it's incredibly impactful,' he explained. Both guests are skeptical of AI implementations done for trendiness rather than utility. 'We've seen plenty of flashy AI solutions that don't solve real problems,' Jake says. 'Without proper integration, they under-deliver—or worse, mislead.' He shares an example of a health and safety plan that they developed. 'It used to take 8–10 hours to write a good plan. With integrated systems and generative AI, we can now complete a draft in 10–15 minutes. That's the power of doing it right.' But they stress the human role isn't going away. 'We're big on the 'human in the loop' idea,' Justin says. 'AI should augment decision-making, not replace it. The goal is to free people to do higher-level thinking, not to automate away responsibility.' As the conversation wraps up, both guests offer practical advice for organizations excited about AI but unsure of where to begin. 'Just take action,' Justin urges. 'Start with a specific point of friction. Solve one real problem. That's how you gain clarity.' 'Ask yourself: how do you know what you think you know about your business? Can you point to the data that backs it up? That question alone reveals gaps you need to address,' Jake explained. 'Every company should be doing that—AI or not. Avoiding the streetlight effect is just good practice,' he concluded. As for what's next, Jake is optimistic, 'AI's need for integrated data might finally push industries to break down silos. But it will take critical thinking and focus. APIs exist—it's the people and processes that need to catch up.' Justin agrees, emphasizing balance, 'security and access need to be aligned. That's the art—pulling the right data without exposing everything.' Justin and Jake don't just preach best practices; they live them, showing how thoughtful data integration leads to real savings, smarter workflows, and better decisions. 'Turn on all the lights,' Jake says in closing. 'You'll build better, more effective solutions.'
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Syensqo announces revised segment reporting
Syensqo announces revised segment reporting Consumer & Resources segment renamed Performance & Care, focused on Novecare & Technology Solutions New 'Other Solutions' segment comprised of Aroma Performance and Oil & Gas Brussels, Belgium – May 13, 2025 - 8:30 CEST Syensqo SA ('Syensqo' or the 'Company') today announced that it has changed its segment reporting structure to align with its previously announced intention to divest its Oil & Gas and Aroma Performance business units. Effective from the first quarter of 2025, the Company will disclose net sales, underlying EBITDA, working capital and capital expenditure for its four reportable segments; Materials, Performance & Care, Other Solutions and Corporate & Business Services: Materials will continue to consist of the Specialty Polymers and Composite Materials global business units (GBUs). The Materials segment offers a unique portfolio of high-performance polymers and composite technologies used primarily in sustainable mobility applications. Its solutions enable weight reduction and enhance performance while improving CO2 and energy efficiency. Major markets served include next-generation mobility in automotive and aerospace, healthcare and electronics. Performance & Care, the new name for Consumer & Resources, will now comprise the Novecare and Technology Solutions GBUs. This new name denotes the segment's customer value proposition (i.e., enhanced performance, improved efficiency, and optimized resource utilization in applications), while 'care' reflects the segment's focus on sustainability, with an emphasis on natural, renewable, and biodegradable solutions. Novecare's portfolio of surface chemistry solutions and deep formulation & application expertise, is dedicated to innovations for natural and sustainable solutions spanning the home and beauty care, coatings and agricultural end markets. Technology Solutions is a global leader in specialty mining reagents and technical services to maximize performance in metal extraction and mineral processing. Other Solutions combine the specialty formulations of the Aroma Performance and Oil & Gas GBUs. Aroma Performance is the world's largest integrated producer of synthetic and natural vanillin and a global leader in the Hydroquinone market. Oil & Gas delivers a comprehensive range of products and solutions tailored for the upstream oilfield sector, focusing on enhancing operational efficiency and performance. Corporate & Business Services will continue to include corporate and other business services, such as research & innovation, cogeneration units dedicated to the Syensqo activities, new business development (NBD) and the Peroxides activities in the Zhenjiang entity. The Company has recast previously reported quarterly and full year segment financial information for fiscal year 2024 to reflect the new reportable segments. The segment changes have no impact on previously reported consolidated financial statements. To illustrate the changes, the Company has included the unaudited segment financial information in the supplemental information below. The Company will report under the four segments, as illustrated in Table 1 of the supplemental information below, with its results for the first quarter of 2025, which will be announced on May 15, 2025. Contacts Investors & Media Sherief BakrBisser AlexandrovLoïc FlamentRobbin Moore-Randolph +44 7920 575 989+33 607 635 280+32 478 69 74 20+1 470 493 2433 Perrine MarchalLaetitia Schreiber +32 478 32 62 72+32 487 74 38 07 About Syensqo Syensqo is a science company developing groundbreaking solutions that enhance the way we live, work, travel and play. Inspired by the scientific councils which Ernest Solvay initiated in 1911, we bring great minds together to push the limits of science and innovation for the benefit of our customers, with a diverse, global team of more than 13,000 associates. Our solutions contribute to safer, cleaner, and more sustainable products found in homes, food and consumer goods, planes, cars, batteries, smart devices and health care applications. Our innovation power enables us to deliver on the ambition of a circular economy and explore breakthrough technologies that advance humanity. Useful links Earnings materials Strategy Share information Credit information Separation documents Webcasts, podcasts and presentations Annual Integrated Report Subscribe to our distribution list Attachments 20250513_New C&R Segmentation_EN 20250512_SYENSQO NEW SEGMENTATIONError in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Fibre2Fashion
09-05-2025
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
US' Kimberly-Clark appoints Russ Torres as president & COO
Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE: KMB) announced that Russ Torres, President, North America, has been promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. As President and COO, Torres will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of Kimberly-Clark's business segments. He will also have responsibility for the Global Supply Chain, R&D, Global Growth and Digital Technology Solutions organizations. Torres will continue to report to Mike Hsu, Kimberly-Clark's Chairman and CEO. Kurt Laufer, current President of US Consumer Sales, will serve as Interim President, North America while the Company conducts a search to identify a permanent successor. Kimberly-Clark has appointed Russ Torres as president and COO, effective immediately. He will oversee global operations including Supply Chain, R&D, and Digital Solutions, reporting to CEO Mike Hsu. Torres previously led the North America business and brings over 25 years of industry experience. Kurt Laufer becomes interim president, North America during the search for a successor. Torres has served as President of Kimberly-Clark's North America business since October 2024, responsible for the Company's personal care, family care and professional businesses in North America. Prior to that, he served as Group President, K-C North America since 2021, where he was responsible for the consumer business in North America, and as President of K-C Professional from 2020 to 2021, where he led business-to-business operations globally. Torres has more than 25 years of experience in the consumer product goods industry, and prior to Kimberly-Clark served in a number of key senior leadership roles at Newell Brands, Bain & Company and Mondelez International (formerly Kraft Foods). "Russ is a purpose-driven leader who has driven commercial transformation and outstanding results in the businesses he has led. Under his leadership, Kimberly-Clark's North America business strengthened its growth trajectory, achieving mid-single digit compound annual growth," said Hsu . "As we embark on the next phase of our Powering Care strategy focused on bringing our global expertise and best-in-K-C proprietary technologies to every market, I'm excited to partner with Russ as we accelerate progress on our enterprise transformation. We're more focused than ever on sharpening operational execution to drive enhanced growth and profitability. Russ is the right leader to take on this new role." Torres commented, "There is incredible potential still to be unlocked at Kimberly-Clark, and I look forward to working with our teams around the world to continue to execute on Powering Care, build on the power of our brands across the mega categories we serve and usher in the next chapter of growth." Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RM)
