In this episode, I’ll be joined by Herman Heyns. He discusses what led him to start Anmut, the firm he is CEO of, and the role his personal purpose has played in their success. He also describes the links between data quality, making good investments, and addressing the big problems we face in the world.
Herman is incredibly passionate about helping companies sustainably create and protect value through data. Initially training as a triple-qualified accountant, Herman has over 30 years of experience in data & analytics, leading the data practices at Accenture, KPMG, and EY. He has worked on multi-billion-dollar transformations with clients such as Siemens, ExxonMobil, and AstraZeneca.
Whilst leading these practices, Herman repeatedly witnessed a problem. Digital transformations kept failing, as companies did not have the right, fit-for-purpose data they needed. These failures were costly, not only to a company’s bottom-line, but to the people they served.
Herman’s rare experience across data and accounting meant he recognised the root-case problem. Companies are used to managing everything else in their business as an asset, but not data. Today’s accounting practices do not apply to data, so companies have no mechanism to measure the value, cost, strategic alignment, and financial health of this highly valuable asset.
In Anmut, Herman has founded and built the world's first data asset management company, exclusively focussed on creating the tools and capabilities needed for companies to manage their data as a business asset. Anmut is now performing data valuations and applying the principles of data asset management for organisations across the Public Sector, Telecommunications, Automotive, Energy and Pharmaceutical industries.
Herman Heyns