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#88 “Data Shapes AI, and AI Shapes Data,” Emilie Nenquin on VRT’s Digital Transformation

DataTopics: All Things Data, AI & Tech

Chapters
0:00
Introduction of Emilie Nenquin
3:02
From Banking to Public Broadcasting
8:29
Differences Between Commercial and Public Media
12:37
Data Types and Sources at VRT
19:14
Building a Data Team From Scratch
24:27
Tracking Systems and Data Platform Evolution
33:53
Content Metadata and Quality Challenges
40:32
Data Culture and Team Communication
45:34
Roadmap Planning and Future AI Strategy
DataTopics: All Things Data, AI & Tech
#88 “Data Shapes AI, and AI Shapes Data,” Emilie Nenquin on VRT’s Digital Transformation
Sep 11, 2025
DataTopics

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In this episode, we explore how public media can build scalable, transparent, and mission-driven data infrastructure - with Emilie Nenquin, Head of Data & Intelligence at VRT, and Stijn Dolphen, Team Lead & Analytics Engineer at Dataroots.

Emilie shares how she architected VRT’s data transformation from the ground up: evolving from basic analytics to a full-stack data organization with 45+ specialists across engineering, analytics, AI, and user management. We dive into the strategic shift from Adobe Analytics to Snowplow, and what it means to own your data pipeline in a public service context.

Stijn joins to unpack the technical decisions behind VRT’s current architecture, including real-time event tracking, metadata modeling, and integrating 70+ digital platforms into a unified ecosystem.

💡 Topics include:

  • Designing data infrastructure for transparency and scale
  • Building a modular, privacy-conscious analytics stack
  • Metadata governance across fragmented content systems
  • Recommendation systems for discovery, not just engagement
  • The circular relationship between data quality and AI performance
  • Applying machine learning in service of cultural and civic missions

Whether you're leading a data team, rethinking your stack, or exploring ethical AI in media, this episode offers practical insights into how data strategy can align with public value.