A Class Act: Conversations in Data and Leadership
What does it really take to build world-class tech teams and lead with impact in today’s data-driven world?
I’m Michael Young from MBN Solutions and after two decades placing top talent across data, AI, and tech, I’ve seen the real stories behind high-performing teams.
On A Class Act, we go beyond buzzwords. You’ll hear real life, experience-led conversations with the leaders shaping digital transformation - those hiring top tech talent, building data science capability, and leading with purpose.
Whether you're a data leader, people manager, or recruiter, join us for honest, human-first insights into leadership, strategy, and building great teams in tech.
Follow A Class Act for honest, human-first leadership conversations in the data and tech space.
A Class Act: Conversations in Data and Leadership
Turning AI from Buzzword into Real Business Results with Tom McLaughlin of Tomoro
What if you could sit down with an engineer who’s building AI partnerships alongside the top companies shaping the future like OpenAI, NVIDIA, and Microsoft?
That’s exactly what we’re doing today.
In this Season 2 opener, host Michael Young sits down with Tom McLaughlin, Forward Deployed Engineer at Tomoro. Their partnerships with the pioneers behind the world’s most powerful models mean clients get early access and deep integrations that keep them months ahead of the curve.
Tom’s journey has taken him from Computer Science at Strathclyde, through J.P. Morgan, to founding his own AI consultancy and now to helping some of the world’s biggest organisations turn AI from buzzword into business results.
In this conversation, we ask the question:
How do you actually make AI work in practice?
You’ll hear:
- How Tomoro’s Strategy → Solution → Scale framework takes AI from idea to impact.
- What it’s like to build alongside OpenAI on enterprise projects.
- Lessons from Supercell on shipping production-ready AI safely.
- Why embedding engineers with client teams accelerates success.
- The leadership, mindset and cultural changes needed to actually make AI work.
If you lead Data, Digital, or AI strategy and want to understand how to move from experimentation to execution, this conversation offers practical insight from someone who’s in the trenches.
Guest Information:
- Connect with Tom McLaughlin on Linkedin
- Discover Tomoro
About Your Host: Michael Young is the Managing Director of MBN Solutions and host of A Class Act: Conversations in Data & Leadership. With nearly two decades of experience helping organisations build high-performing data, analytics, and AI teams, he brings frontline insight into what makes exceptional talent and leadership.
Please note: The views expressed by the guest in this episode are their own and do not reflect those of their current or former employers.
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Connect with MBN Solutions:
MBN Solutions on LinkedIn – Explore industry updates, groundbreaking projects, and the latest in data and analytics talent. Join the conversation and discover how MBN Solutions is shaping the future of data leadership. Visit the company page here.
For questions, guest recommendations, or to connect:
Email: michael@mbnsolutions.com
Visit MBN Solutions website at www.mbnsolutions.com