In this lively episode of Data Malarkey, Master Data Storyteller, Sam Knowles, is joined by Mark Bonner, Director of Football at Cambridge United. From academy coach to leading the club to shock cup victories, Bonner's football journey is anything but typical. Together, they explore the evolving role of data in football, the emotional highs and lows of managing a club, and what it really means to find balance between intuition and insight. Pep Guardiola's wild celebrations and Carlo Ancelotti's stoic eyebrow also make cameo appearances.

What you'll learn:

• How Mark Bonner's career evolved from grassroots to head coach and back to Director of Football at Cambridge United

• The role of data and analytics in modern football decision-making

• Why balance between emotional intelligence and cold, hard stats is crucial

• Behind-the-scenes realities of coaching, scouting, and club leadership

Resources mentioned:

• Cambridge United FC

• Mark Bonner on X

• Mark Bonner on Instagram

• Mark Bonner on LinkedIn

Want to learn more about Mark Bonner or Cambridge United? Check out the links in the show notes. And remember to subscribe for more episodes of Data Malarkey – the podcast about using data, smarter; where numbers meet nuance.

Recorded live at the DataComms 2025 conference in London, this very special episode of the Data Malarkey Podcast features Nick Ratcliffe, Customer Experience Director at Volkswagen Group UK. Host and master data storyteller, Sam Knowles, delves into how Nick and his team wield data to enhance customer experience, transform brand desirability, and prepare for the automotive industry’s electric future. With a career spanning leadership roles at BT, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz, Nick shares his evidence-based approach to marketing, the importance (and scarcity) of genuine insight, and a few personal stories from his eclectic selection of hobbies.

What You'll Learn:
• How VW Group UK uses data to be ever-more customer-centric
• Why insight is more than just data - it's about action
• The impact of behavioural economics and marketing science
• Nick’s view on the future of automotive CX in the EV era
• How storytelling and science intersect in successful marketing

Resources Mentioned:

• Volkswagen Group UK

• Nick Ratcliffe on LinkedIn

• Take the Data Storytelling Scorecard

Make sure to like and subscribe for more episodes.

We’ve reached 51 episodes and wrapped Season 7 of Data Malarkey! In this greatest hits episode, host Sam Knowles shares the most powerful moments from a season packed with insights—from AI ethics to data puppets, from psychology and kindness to practical business transformation.

Revisit brilliant guests like Sylvie Delacroix, Julie Holmes, Cecilia Dones, Robin Banerjee, Adam Davidson, and Scott Taylor, all of whom shared their real-world, often surprising, insights on how to use data smarter.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to rethink AI through the lens of humility and uncertainty
  
  

• The ethics of online trust and virtual relationships
  
  

• Why businesses need to upgrade soft skills, not just systems
  
  

• The power of kindness in society and psychology
  
  

• How satire and puppets explain data better than PowerPoint ever could
  
  

Special Mentions:

• Take the Data Storytelling Scorecard
  
  

• Guest Application Form
  
  

• Subscribe on YouTube: Data Malarkey
  
  

🧠 "Best of AI & Empathy"
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📊 "Greatest Hits: Data Gets Human"