Edwina Dunn

Edwina Dunn OBE is an entrepreneur and a prominent figure in the global data science industry. Dunn began her career at CACI, a software consultancy, where she became the company's youngest vice president and developed a passion for data and technology. At CACI, she met Clive Humby, with whom she co-founded Dunnhumby. Together, they partnered with Tesco to launch Clubcard, the first mass customization loyalty program, which has been credited with significantly increasing Tesco's market share and transforming customer engagement strategies in retail. By the time Dunnhumby was sold, Dunn was leading an organization of 1,500 people, reaching 350 million customers in 25 countries, with a valuation exceeding $2 billion.

Dunn is the chairperson of Starcount, a data science and consumer insights consultancy. At Starcount, she has contributed to measuring the global tastes and trends of 1.7 billion people across major social networks, applying data science to help brands navigate social media and customer analytics. Her work emphasizes the ethical and creative use of data to enhance business-customer relationships. Dunn has served on several government boards, including HMRC, the Geospatial Commission, and the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation, where she has held the position of deputy chair.

Dunn also chaired the government-backed, private sector-sponsored Your Life campaign, which promoted STEM subjects to students in the UK and led to the creation of the Future Finder careers advice app. She is chair of the 100 Women in Davos Inclusive Leadership Committee and holds two honorary doctorates—one in Business Administration from Derby University and one in Science from Middlesex University—as well as three honorary fellowships, including at Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge, the Institute of Direct & Digital Marketing, and the Market Research Society, where she also serves as patron.

Dunn is the founder of The Female Lead, a nonprofit organization focused on providing leadership models for women and sharing stories and films that highlight women's achievements. The accompanying book, "The Female Lead: Women Who Shape Our World," was published by Penguin Random House and distributed to schools in the UK and USA. The Female Lead operates as an educational foundation, using data to analyze the challenges women face and collaborating with businesses and government to develop workplace policies. The organization has a social platform with over 9 million followers. Dunn has received the Fashion 4 Development Award for Women's Empowerment in New York City and was awarded an OBE for services to data and business in the UK.