Professional Role and Experience
Di Mayze currently holds the position of Chief Data & AI Officer (CDAIO) at Marks and Spencer (M&S), having commenced this role in June 2024. Her appointment marks a strategic leadership placement at M&S focusing on elevating the company’s data, analytics, and artificial intelligence capabilities. She brings over 25 years of experience in data leadership and is recognized as a results-driven transformational technical and data storyteller.
Before her tenure at M&S, Di Mayze accumulated extensive expertise in data, analytics, and digital transformation, with a career that began in 1999 focused on digital initiatives including building websites for media companies. This long-term experience underpins her current leadership in advancing M&S’s data-driven transformation.
She is noted for her role in leading data and AI integration aligned closely with business outcomes, driving growth, enhanced customer engagement, and operational efficiency within a major UK retail context.
Education and Credentials
Di Mayze holds an MBA from a top Business School, specifically Cranfield University, which complements her extensive practical experience in data and technology-driven business transformation.
Recognition and Industry Standing
- Named Data Champion 2021 by Data IQ.
- Shortlisted for Women in IT Data Leader of the Year (2018).
- Included in the UK’s Top 50 Data Leaders (Data 50 Awards).
- Recognized in the Global CDO 100 Awards, which honors the top 100 Chief Data Officers internationally.
- Actively participates as a judge for the British Data Awards, highlighting her influence and expertise in evaluating high-level data initiatives.
Her leadership is acknowledged within the data community for driving cultural and technical changes that foster data governance and governance cultures that enable rather than impede business outcomes.
Strategic Impact at Marks and Spencer
Under Di Mayze’s leadership, Marks and Spencer has been assertive in adopting AI and data strategies to accelerate business growth and strengthen customer engagement. M&S has expanded its AI data-driven capabilities across clothing and home divisions, employing initiatives that:
- Streamline processes
- Reduce costs
- Significantly boost customer engagement and personalization
Key pillars of M&S's data strategy include:
- Digital transformation & growth
- Data quality
- Data governance culture
- Data compliance
Di Mayze oversees the integration of these pillars, positioning data and AI initiatives as central to the retailer’s strategic evolution.
Leadership Style and Industry Involvement
Di Mayze is regarded as a transformational leader, known for her ability to translate complex data and AI technologies into clear business value and for fostering next-generation data leadership. She regularly engages in industry thought leadership events and governance forums:
- Member of the Evanta Governing Body Spotlight focused on Chief Data & AI Officers.
- Speaker and contributor at industry events such as the CDAO UK 2025 Leadership Roundtable.
- Active participant in communities cultivating data leadership and inclusion, including initiatives recognizing women in data.
Her approach emphasizes creative problem-solving and the amplification of data’s role in business decision-making across traditional retail sectors.
Personal and Professional Profile Links
- Featured across multiple data leadership platforms and industry-specific events.
This profile synthesizes Di Mayze’s strategic leadership role and proven expertise in data and AI to strengthen Marks and Spencer’s competitive positioning through advanced analytics-driven innovation, supported by her extensive recognition and engagement within the data leadership community.
