- 6/26/2025
In a landscape where consumer trust is fragile and tech investments must deliver ROI, executives face a high-stakes challenge: how to unlock the full value of data without compromising privacy or brand integrity.
At Fuel Up With Fortune in Cannes, Jarrod Martin, CEO of Acxiom & KINESSO, Kaveri Camire, CMO of DXC Technology, and Michael Lacorazza, CMO of U.S. Bank joined Fortune's Ruth Umoh to share candid insights and real-world lessons on rethinking data governance, optimizing investments, and reaching more consumers.
At Fuel Up With Fortune in Cannes, Jarrod Martin, CEO of Acxiom & KINESSO, Kaveri Camire, CMO of DXC Technology, and Michael Lacorazza, CMO of U.S. Bank joined Fortune's Ruth Umoh to share candid insights and real-world lessons on rethinking data governance, optimizing investments, and reaching more consumers.
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00:00So at Fortune, we interview C-suite executives at Infinitum, and I'm sure you all have heard
00:07the adage that data is oil.
00:10Data is a new oil.
00:11Companies are obsessed with collecting more and more data.
00:15I, however, would argue, I would posit that most companies today are actually drowning
00:20in data, but starving for insight.
00:23So first question, just to kind of level set and kick things off, how are each of you ensuring
00:28that your data strategy actually drives measurable performance and doesn't just become another
00:33nebulous call center?
00:35Perhaps you can kick us off, Kaviri.
00:37Sure.
00:38Thank you for having all of us here.
00:40So for me, I think, you know, I come from 20 to 30 years of just B2B world where everything
00:47is data.
00:47Data is around how we look at our customers, how we derive value from the customer set.
00:53But I think in my mind right now for my teams, especially in the era of AI that everybody
00:58is talking about, we've got to really look at, get rid of the noise, cut the noise, and
01:03really sharpen our focus on what truly matters and how you look at data that actually drives
01:07value.
01:08But for me, the biggest thing of that is customer centricity.
01:12There's so much data out there, but I think we have to pause and listen, and that's something
01:18that we're not doing that much of.
01:20And my biggest focus for the team right now is think about what our customers are saying.
01:26Think about what our customers want from us.
01:28Think about the problems they are looking to solve for.
01:32And that's the golden nugget that I want to look at from a data perspective.
01:35And there's a ton of technology out there today to advance that and leverage that for real
01:41value.
01:42Quick follow up there.
01:43At your firm, what are customers telling you?
01:46What are they craving?
01:47And what pain points are you trying to address?
01:49Yes, I'll give a quick view.
01:50DXC is 120,000 people.
01:53It's a global company.
01:54We're operating in 60 countries.
01:56A Fortune 500 company.
01:56Fortune 500 company.
01:58Thanks, Fortune.
02:00And it's really about understanding we are a global company at scale, but we also are very
02:06focused on local excellence.
02:08And what I mean by that is there are cultural nuances.
02:11There's data sovereignty.
02:12There are so many discussions that are happening, especially around AI right now, where customers
02:17are asking for answers.
02:18Nobody knows all the answers.
02:20There is a lot of hype.
02:21There's a lot of promise.
02:22But I think for us, what's really important is we work with some of the largest brands
02:27in the world.
02:27If it's Mercedes, BMW, Allianz, American Airlines United.
02:32The data for each of these customers is their lifeline because it's dealing with patients.
02:39It's dealing with passengers.
02:40It's dealing with people's lives.
02:43And they are asking us, and we're very fortunate that we've lived in the notion of trust.
02:49Our customers have trusted us for decades.
02:51So we've been around for a long time.
02:53We've been through many cycles.
02:54Internet, cloud, mobile, AI is next.
02:57Probably quantum will be the next one.
02:59And I think the single thread of focus is we trust you, journey after journey, helping
03:04us with innovation.
03:05So that's what they're asking us.
03:07Show us the path on how do we advance in AI, but how do we do it ethically and safely.
03:13And that's where the trusted layer for DXC is really important.
03:16Yeah, we'll momentarily zero into that angle on trust.
03:19Curious to hear from you, Michael, how you're using data to really pull out meaningful, impactful
03:25insights for U.S. Bank.
03:26Yeah, I'd love to build on that point around customer centricity.
03:30You know, there's no substitute for understanding your customers, what's important to them, what
03:36problems you're solving, how they make decisions, how does their journey come to life.
03:41And these, you know, larger companies like us have massive amounts of data on our clients.
03:48And we have also an expectation that we're going to do something productive with it and
03:54something meaningful and valuable to make the customer experience better.
03:59So it starts with that kind of level of understanding.
04:02And then what we start to think about is what do we know in our data that can help us deliver
04:07a superior customer experience that differentiates us in the market?
04:10You know, what kinds of solutions, products, and services are most valuable at what moment
04:14in time and, you know, when are those channels, those touch points when we serve them?
04:18And that's the foundation of where we start.
04:20And then from there, it's then analyzing and understanding what signals you have that can
04:25enable that because there is a lot of noise and you have to find the nuggets that really
04:30make a difference.
04:30And when you say signals, what do you mean by that?
04:32Yeah, so, you know, there might be some examples of how a client is moving money that could signal
04:42some sort of a life change where they need a piece of advice or guidance in enabling to
04:45do that.
04:46And so if we understand that from just how they're working with us, then we can proactively reach
04:52out and be of service.
04:55I was just going to say, like, these are all really great points.
04:57I think, you know, advertisers are obsessed with, too obsessed with collecting data to
05:01your question.
05:03And I think focusing on what matters is really important and what drives results and being
05:07customer-centric is really important as well.
05:09So I'm not going to duplicate all of those really great points.
05:12What I would say, though, is on top of that is an enabler of these things is being able to
05:18connect the data together.
05:20So most advertisers would say they have more than enough data to make decisions, but they
05:24don't have it in a form that they can use to make decisions with.
05:29And so by connecting that data together, what do I mean by that?
05:32Creating an identity spine that allows you to connect different lines of business together,
05:36to connect different touch points between paid and earned and earned media channels, that
05:41enables you to really recognize the consumer and treat them as an individual and recognize
05:46their journey with you.
05:48That's really the key for me on top of these great points is having that connected ecosystem
05:53that can then power both personalization at scale, but also having a way of allowing
06:01consumers to control their own destiny.
06:04So if you've got a single repository of data that's connected, if a consumer wants to opt
06:08in or opt out of anything, it's a really simple process to give them that control and to show
06:13them in marketing that you're listening to their feedback.
06:16I was just going to say that.
06:17That's the whole point.
06:18Like, are you listening?
06:19Like, you're hearing a lot, but are you actually pausing and listening?
06:23And that's your point on, like, having those connective tissue and the dots of, like, let's
06:27look at all the different facets and take a minute and listen.
06:31Yeah.
06:31I mean, an example might be, like, email can be a bit of a bugbear for some people where
06:35email doesn't cost much money to send, so everyone gets their inbox spammed, right?
06:40But email might pick up signals from the consumer about who they are and what they like.
06:44Let's just say they opt out of that email.
06:46Now, what the smart thing is to do is to not send them any more emails.
06:49That doesn't happen.
06:51But then recognize what you've learned from those emails to better inform the other channels
06:56that they still want to speak to you through.
06:58If you do that, you're managing the best of both worlds.
07:00You're creating the customization, but also the control.
07:03Kabiri brought up trust earlier, and that's really at the crux of this conversation.
07:07So let's lean in there.
07:09Michael, I want to turn to you.
07:10So U.S. Bank, obviously a financial institution, ostensibly highly regulated, so you cannot afford
07:17to treat data carelessly.
07:19What is your internal scorecard for evaluating third-party data partners, and just what's
07:25your overall framework for trust, for quality, for compliance, and how that shapes your marketing?
07:29Yes, and U.S. Bank, trust is at the center of our brand, and it's one of those elusive type
07:37of emotional connections where it takes a really long time to earn it, and if you make a mistake,
07:42you can lose it really, really quickly.
07:45And data and caring for that data is at the center of that and the expectation that we will
07:49care for it.
07:50So with respect to how we onboard third-party data, we have a very, we have very well-established
07:56processes and procedures to evaluate, you know, the veracity of the chain of control.
08:02Do we have the proper usage rights?
08:05Do we have the proper, you know, IP protections and so forth?
08:08And so for a partner that ends up in our ecosystem, you know, they, it's a pretty high bar.
08:14Let me turn over to you, Jared, because you, you alluded to this at the top of the conversation.
08:23Everyone is chasing personalization at scale.
08:25I think we're in the era of hyper-personalization.
08:27What does it actually take to do that well?
08:29Kind of make this really sticky for, for those in the room.
08:33Yeah, I mean, personalization at scale is an easy thing to say.
08:36It's a difficult thing to do.
08:37I think we talked about creating a connected data environment to enable that personalization.
08:42That's a really key infrastructural element.
08:44I think we also talked about marrying the personalization with the control that the consumer has
08:51so that they can opt in or opt out, whatever they like.
08:53I think the other thing to think about is that a lot of advertisers might personalize because they can,
08:59not because they should.
09:01And I think we should think about what elements of personalization are actually driving results
09:06versus what elements are driving complexity.
09:10The way I think about things is we need to bifurcate our thinking
09:13between how we operate as a business, as an advertiser, versus how we appear to an end consumer.
09:19We can be increasingly sophisticated under the water,
09:23but we need to be increasingly simple above the water
09:26and increasingly customized to that consumer.
09:29So personalization at scale is around simplifying the end user experience,
09:33focusing on what matters to that consumer while having complex decision logic
09:38and data sets that sit underneath that.
09:40A similar question for you, Kaveri.
09:44You know, DXC, as you already noted, works with clients like Mercedes-Benz,
09:48like United Airlines, like Lincoln Financial.
09:51These are all brands with vast and complex data ecosystems.
09:54So how are you helping them to unlock value while still balancing innovation with integrity?
10:00Yeah, so I think this goes back to what you were saying.
10:03I think we would not exist if our customers did not trust us
10:07and value us for taking them to these risk-driven journeys in technological advancement.
10:13Tech is moving at such a crazy pace and such a fast pace.
10:17The way we look at DXC and how we are operating with all of our customers is
10:22it's not just about ROI, it's trust ROI.
10:26Because if we don't have that trust ROI, it's not going to work for us.
10:30We have governments.
10:32We have, you know, like I was saying, we have airlines where lives of passengers matter.
10:37We have banks where people's, you know, money is sitting in those banks.
10:42And I think a slight glitch in the system is not just unacceptable, it is existential.
10:48You can't operate in an environment where you don't have that.
10:52So from a marketing perspective, I'll just say something as simple as
10:54we just had a client advisory council a couple of months ago
10:57where we brought closed-door session, something.
11:00Sometimes it's even nice to just go to simple things that existed in the past
11:03that we don't do anymore.
11:04Let's get in a room, talk to our customers.
11:07And I ask them a simple question.
11:09Where are you headed?
11:10What is your biggest challenge?
11:11And the third was, how do you like to communicate with us?
11:14And how do you communicate on a daily basis?
11:16What is the tool or the platform that you use the most?
11:19Is it long-lead blogs?
11:20Is it videos?
11:21Is it text?
11:22You will not believe.
11:23They all said, we don't want long-form things first.
11:27We would prefer to look at videos.
11:28And this is C-suite, CIOs, CTOs, CEOs.
11:32Time is money.
11:33And they're constrained.
11:35So I think those are the things that we're starting to do
11:37is really listen to hear how our customers,
11:41who are some of the most, you know, in the most mission-critical spaces,
11:44are consuming information.
11:46They all said video.
11:47Start with small video.
11:49Give us the TikTok version of the story.
11:53And then if we want to lean in more, we will come to you.
11:56Interesting.
11:56They want it digestible.
11:57You said you also asked that cohort,
12:00what are the biggest challenges and obstacles?
12:02What did they say were the pain points?
12:03Any trends that emerged there?
12:04So in the room, without naming, there were banks.
12:07No, name names.
12:08There was a bakery.
12:10Believe it or not, they are using robotics
12:12to distribute thousands and thousands of loaves of bread.
12:17And they are all trying to figure out
12:19how do they drive efficiency with AI.
12:22A lot of them have very private-focused networks within AI right now
12:26because they're not kind of sure yet of,
12:30is their data going to be exposed?
12:32So this goes back to my point where they are working with us
12:35and leaning on us to show them opportunities and direction of
12:39take advantage of AI,
12:42but our goal is take advantage of AI in the right ethical way,
12:47which is going to take them to the next level.
12:48So that was the big question, like show us how.
12:51How do you find the balance between helpful personalization
12:55and perceived surveillance?
12:57You know, the privacy conversation.
12:59Any thoughts, Michael?
13:00I'd actually be curious to hear from all of you.
13:04Absolutely, yeah.
13:05Big brother.
13:05Yeah, well, you know, surveillance is, for me,
13:10defined as you're listening in in a sort of cynical way, right?
13:15And if we get personalization right,
13:19we're listening to our clients,
13:20we know it's important to them,
13:22and we're using the data and the signals
13:25to improve their experience with us,
13:27to deepen those relationships.
13:30You know, there are several examples out there
13:33where, you know, one was, you know,
13:35a woman was shopping for, you know, one particular item,
13:39and it signaled that maybe she was pregnant,
13:41and then the brand starts to serve diapers,
13:42and it's like, to me, that's crossing the line, right?
13:45And that's like, that can be felt as too invasive
13:48in personal and surveillance.
13:51But if you find a way to do it
13:55where you're delivering value, you know,
13:59a value exchange for the information that you're acting on,
14:03then you've kind of got it dialed in.
14:05Let's talk financial metrics.
14:07As we begin to wrap this up,
14:09what would you say is the most important question
14:12a CMO or even a CEO should ask
14:14before making their next big data or more tech investment?
14:18I would say,
14:19is it going to simplify and connect what I have today,
14:23or is it going to complicate
14:25and further add cost to my business?
14:28I think when we talk about marketing ROI,
14:30we talk about the cost of the communication
14:32versus the benefit that that communication drives.
14:35What we don't talk about is the underlying cost
14:38of the infrastructure that's used
14:39to create those communications,
14:41and we don't actively manage that total cost
14:43to try to make it work better for us.
14:45If we can unlock the billions of dollars
14:47that are spent in MarTech around the world
14:49and make those work harder for us,
14:51that marketing ROI on a net-net basis
14:53will go through the roof.
14:55Yeah.
14:55Kaveri.
14:55I have two simple things I ask my team all the time.
14:59Show me how it's going to get us closer to the customer.
15:02Show me.
15:02Give me examples right off the bat.
15:05And the second one is,
15:06let's not just invest for investment's sake.
15:10Ask yourself,
15:11what's the outcome that you're getting at?
15:12Because I think sometimes we're all just moving
15:14at such hyperbolic speed
15:15that we're not stopping and thinking,
15:17what am I trying to get at?
15:18And these are some very basic questions.
15:22But I think oftentimes,
15:23to your point where you said,
15:24we're investing and we're not thinking about it,
15:25you have to ask yourself,
15:26what is the outcome that we want to get at?
15:29And for us, it's global.
15:31Most of our implementations and executions are global.
15:33So you've got to really, really be thoughtful
15:36about what's your outcome.
15:38Close us out, please.
15:39Yeah.
15:39So I would say before you contemplate
15:43adding on any sort of analysis tool
15:45or technology on top of what you're trying to achieve,
15:50do you have the right data sets?
15:51And are they in the right condition and format
15:53to be able to act upon?
15:55Because if you don't have that foundation in place,
15:58then you can put any fancy technology,
16:01AI, whatever, on top of it,
16:02and it won't matter.
16:03So you start getting that,
16:04get in that place first.
16:06Then you can start to begin to contemplate
16:08what do you put on top.
16:10Fantastic way to end.
16:11Thank you all.
16:12Lots of great takeaways.
16:13Trust is not optional when it comes to data,
16:15and you have to be outcome-oriented,
16:17really cutting out the noise.
16:18So thank you, thank you, thank you.
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