Atif Ishaq

Building and leading high-performing data and AI teams to deliver actual business impact | Non-Exec Director | Mentor | Change Maker

United Kingdom

About

A data, AI and technology leader with over 20 years of experience working globally in senior roles within the public and private sectors across different, complex and regulated industries including healthcare, pharma, CPG, legal, food and beverage. Leveraging my extensive experience and skills to building and leading cross-functional data teams of 40+ size, frequently doing this in greenfield settings, hiring and building teams from the ground up. A thought leader and speaker at various internal and external events including expert round tables, Microsoft Ignite and Women in Data Flagship events. Bringing this thought leadership in my work as a Non-Executive Director with Executives and other Board Members to support commercial, innovation and digital strategies. A passionate STEM supporter and advocate for improving workplace diversity, equity and inclusivity and breaking down ceilings for the under-represented.

Experience

  • Enterprise AI & Advanced Analytics Director at Mars
    Apr 2025 - Present · 1 yr 3 mos

    Providing transformational leadership and business partnering with finance, audit, procurement and R&D functions to solve challenges with AI and Advanced Analytics, whilst building and leading a cross-functional, high-performing team of data scientists, machine learning engineers, data product owners and developers.

  • Associate Non-Executive Director at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
    Jul 2023 - Present · 3 yrs

    Invited to join the Trust Board to oversee, challenge and hold to account, the Trust management in their implementation of strategy, with a particular focus on its Digital Strategy and Capabilities. Responsibilities including member of People and Culture, and Digital, Education, Research, Innovation and Commercialisation (DERIC) sub-committees, positively challenging the organisation’s Digital/Data maturity and strategy as it aspires to become recognised as world-leading.

  • Digital Advisor at QUEST LEGAL ADVOCATES LTD
    Jul 2012 - Present · 14 yrs

    Advising on digital and technology opportunities to improve data, systems and processes within the field of advocacy.

  • Founder & Director at Digital Clinician Ltd
    Aug 2018 - Present · 7 yrs 11 mos

    Providing digital healthcare consulting services

  • Head of R&D Data and Enterprise Generative AI at Haleon
    Jul 2022 - Apr 2025 · 2 yrs 10 mos

    Haleon (LDN/NYSE: HLN) is a FTSE 25 within CPG Sector. Strategic partner to business leaders to realise and unlock the value of data as an enterprise asset while leading teams in building a suite of innovative data products using capabilities including visualisation, AI/ML, and automation. Focus areas included time-series forecasting, Natural Language Processing (NLP), Generative AI, sustainability reporting, R&D, and data asset valuation. - Delivered business value with data to an ROI of 12:1. - Led the strategy, design and delivery of three enterprise GenAI solutions to 20,000+ people. - Designed and executed a variety of data product and data platform strategies. - Engaged and built relationships with stakeholders across business functions including Commercial, Marketing, HR, Finance, R&D and Supply Chain. - Built and led teams winning three DataIQ awards and one finalist - Hired and led several cross-functional, geographically distributed, high-performing teams of 50+ people. - Mentored many product managers, data scientists, and data engineers as part of internal and external mentorship programmes