The Measure Pod

The Measure Pod is your go-to fortnightly podcast hosted by seasoned analytics pros. Join Dara Fitzgerald (Co-Founder at Measurelab) & Matthew Hooson (Head of Engineering at Measurelab) as they dive into the world of data, analytics and measurement—with a side of fun.

#134 Building AI agents, from consciousness to collaboration (with Daniel Hulme at WPP)

In this episode of The Measure Pod, we welcome Daniel Hulme, an expert in artificial intelligence and the founder of Satalia, a company recently acquired by WPP. Daniel shares insights from his extensive background in AI, which includes studying at UCL, where he completed both his undergraduate and master’s degrees, as well as a PhD focused on modeling bumblebee brains. He discusses his experience in academia, including running a master's program in applied AI and his current role as an entrepreneur in residence at UCL, where he assists in spinning out deep tech companies. Join us as we delve into Daniel's insights on AI, consciousness, and much more.

#133 The role of AI in analytics (with Juliana Jackson at Jellyfish)

In this episode of The Measure Pod, Dara and Matthew sit down with Juliana Jackson, returning for her second appearance, Juliana shares her journey since 2010 and emphasises her identity as a product person and how her role has developed. With a knack for blending technical data insights with commercial strategy, she currently holds the position of Cloud Director at Jellyfish. Tune in to discover how her varied experiences shape her approach to product management and the evolving landscape of AI.

#132 The impact of AI on digital experience (with Yali Sassoon at Snowplow)

In this episode of The Measure Pod, Dara and Matthew sit down with Yali Sassoon, co-founder and CTO of Snowplow. Yali reflects on Snowplow’s early challenges, the transformation brought about by cloud data warehouses, and the shifting roles of data stakeholders. They also discuss how AI is redefining user experiences, the complexities of real-time data processing, and the breakneck pace of AI innovation. From OpenAI’s competitive rise to the societal implications of AI and the future of human–machine interaction, this episode offers a rich and forward-looking exploration of data-driven technology and its impact on the world.

#131 From raw export to insight-ready data (with Johan van de Werken at GA4Dataform)

In this episode of The Measure Pod, Dara and Matthew sit down with Johan van de Werken from GA4Dataform to talk about the evolving world of analytics engineering and data transformation. From his early career journey to his work with BigQuery and large language models, Johan shares insights into building scalable data workflows and the growing demand for learning platforms in analytics. They discuss the origins of Dataform, its connection with dbt, and how it’s enabling analysts to do more with GA4 data. Along the way, they touch on community insights from Superweek and explore how tools like GA4Dataform are reshaping the way teams think about data modeling and automation.

#130 GenAI in action: Cloud DevOps and Tagassistant.ai (with Mark Edmondson)

In this episode of The Measure Pod, Dara and Matthew sit down with Mark Edmondson, AI Engineer, founder of Sunholo and Aitana, and board member at 8-bit-sheep. They explore the rapidly evolving landscape of AI in business and analytics, from career progression in the age of AI to the practical realities of implementing AI-driven company strategies. Mark shares insights on DevOps, data pipelines, and the distinction between data engineering and data science, while discussing why so many AI projects fail and what it takes to succeed. The conversation tackles the human side of technological change, including productivity expectations, burnout, and how we should be educating future generations for an AI-driven world.

#129 The impact of AI on digital analytics and user privacy (with Brian Clifton)

In this episode of The Measure Pod, Dara and Matthew sit down with Brian Clifton, the former Head of Web Analytics at Google (EMEA), author, and founder of Verified-Data.com and Advisor to Piwik PRO. They discuss the intersection of AI, privacy, and analytics, from the evolving role of Google Analytics and data democratisation to the challenges of user consent and data protection, they unpack how privacy-first thinking is shaping the future of measurement. Along the way, they dive into issues like AI in user interfaces, copyright and data ownership, and the risks automation poses to professional journalism. The conversation also covers creativity in the age of AI, from automation and collaboration to the impact of hyper-targeting versus contextual advertising.

#128 MCP servers in digital analytics (with Gunnar Griese at 8-bit-sheep)

In this episode of The Measure Pod, Dara and Matthew sit down with Gunnar Griese from 8-bit-sheep to discuss MCPs and their growing role in digital analytics. From server integration with LLMs to customising prompt templates and tackling authentication, they explore how MCPs are reshaping workflows and access in analytics. Along the way, they touch on related challenges like API translation, automated tracking, and the balance between AI functionality and governance.

#127 Ensuring robust data collection - lessons from Trackingplan (with Josele Perez)

In this episode of The Measure Pod, Dara and Matt welcome Josele Perez, co-founder of Trackingplan, to dive into the evolving challenges and opportunities in data collection. Josele shares his personal journey, from his first computer experience to discovering coding as a form of therapy, before walking us through the mission behind Trackingplan. Together, they explore the most common pitfalls in data collection, why the collection phase deserves more focus, and how ownership and collaboration can transform tracking efforts across teams.

#126 First-party data strategy - a client side perspective (with Roman Petrochenkov at Carwow)

In this episode of The Measure Pod, Dara and Matt sit down with Roman Petrochenkov, a seasoned marketing analytics leader with deep expertise in data strategy and measurement. They discuss the growing importance of first-party data, unpacking strategies for its collection, ownership, and security, as well as the evolving role it plays in a post-cookie landscape. They also explore the rise of AI in analytics, its impact on incrementally measurement, and what the future holds for marketing teams and jobs in an increasingly automated world.

#125 Proactive pipelines - the power of shifting left (with Chad Sanderson at Gable)

In this episode of The Measure Pod, Dara and Matt are joined by Chad Sanderson from Gable.ai, a seasoned expert in the data space with a diverse background ranging from journalism to data science. Chad shares insights from his extensive career, which includes roles at large corporations like Subway, Oracle, and Microsoft, as well as at smaller startups. They discuss the concept of shifting left and how this approach aims to improve data quality, reduce costs, and accelerate data delivery by addressing issues earlier in the data lifecycle.