About Us
Our Mission
Bridging Academic Rigour and Enterprise Execution.
IDEA is an independent, executive-led body that advances the global conversation on Data Architecture and AI readiness. We occupy a deliberate space between academic research and practical enterprise execution — translating rigorous, evidence-based analysis into insight that senior leaders can act on. Founded in 2025 in collaboration with the Open Data Institute, IDEA operates as a hosted programme with the full support of one of the world’s leading data research institutions. We are vendor-neutral, practitioner-led, and committed to producing work that matters beyond any single organization or technology platform.
What We Do
- IDEA Forums – Invitation-only, peer-led executive discussions held in major global cities. Each forum directly informs our research agenda.
- Primary Research – Academically grounded research briefs and publications on Data Architecture, AI readiness, and data governance. Produced in partnership with the ODI.
- Executive Contributions – A platform for senior practitioners to shape the evolving conversation through co-authored research, forum participation, and advisory board engagement.
- ODI Partnership – Our founding programme partner provides independent research infrastructure, academic credibility, and a global network committed to the responsible use of data.
Our Values
- Independence: IDEA is vendor-neutral and independently governed. Our research reflects no single technology platform or commercial agenda.
- Rigour: Our work is grounded in evidence – primary research, peer dialogue, and the academic standards of the Open Data Institute.
- Impact: We exist to close the gap between where data architecture research is and where enterprise execution needs it to be.
Leadership
IDEA Leadership
Scott Mackenzie
VP, Research & Advocacy — SAP | Founder
LinkedIn Profile
Scott leads SAP’s global Data Fabric advocacy function and is the founder of IDEA. With a mandate to advance the conversation on Data Architecture beyond SAP’s traditional audience, he established IDEA in 2025 in partnership with the Open Data Institute. Scott co-chairs the IDEA Advisory, and oversees global research forums and the ODI programme partnership.
Olivier Duvelleroy
Chief Product Expert, SAP Data & Analytics | Co-Founder
LinkedIn Profile
Olivier brings deep product and architecture expertise to IDEA’s research agenda. As Co-Founder, he shapes the technical direction of IDEA’s publications and contributes to the design of forum discussion frameworks. His work bridges SAP’s product vision with the independent research priorities of the programme.
Our Team
Open Data Institute — Programme Team
Stuart Coleman
Director of Learning and Consultancy
https://theodi.org/profile/stuart-coleman/
Elena Simperl
Director of Research, ODI
https://theodi.org/profile/elena-simperl/
Neil Majithia
Research Lead
https://theodi.org/profile/neil-majithia/
Thomas Carey-Wilson
Calum Inverarity
Senior Researcher
https://theodi.org/profile/calum-inverarity/
A Hosted Programme of the Open Data Institute
IDEA operates under the stewardship of the Open Data Institute (ODI), a global authority on data as a public good. Founded by Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt, the ODI works with governments, organizations, and researchers around the world to enable responsible data sharing and trustworthy AI infrastructure. Our partnership with the ODI provides IDEA with independent research infrastructure, academic credibility, and alignment with the most rigorous standards in data governance.