DGX Monthly – January
Hi everyone,
Chad Barendse here, co-founder of DGX, and welcome back to another DGX monthly newsletter.
Now that everyone is back and the year is properly underway, it feels like a good moment to pause before the pace picks up again.
I hope you were able to get a decent break and get some distance from day-to-day delivery. That space matters. It is often the only time we get to think clearly about what we have actually put in place, not just what we planned to do.
That is the intent of this month’s newsletter.
This week, I was speaking with a few fellow data governance leaders and one thing was very clear. Strong data governance programs are really about one thing. Solving problems the business actually cares about.
Forget industry frameworks for a moment. What matters is understanding your business, its key data challenges, and what you can do as a data governance team to help solve them.
So as the year gets moving, take the time to ask a harder question.
Is your data governance program actually solving problems and adding value.
And just as importantly, what work should be reduced or scrapped because it is not.
Meme of the Month
Credit: Chad Barendse
AI & Data Governance Summit 2026
📅 Thursday, 20 August 2026
📍 Rydges Melbourne
The AI & Data Governance Summit (ADG) is back for its second year, returning to Melbourne in 2026.
After the momentum and conversations that came out of last year, we’re bringing the Summit to Melbourne to continue the conversations that matter most for teams working through data and AI governance in practice.
We’ll be hosting the Summit at Rydges Melbourne on Thursday, 20 August 2026.
What started as a community-led event has grown into Australia’s largest independent conference focused purely on data and AI governance.
That growth reflects the reality that many organisations are facing. These questions are no longer theoretical. They’re live, complex, and sitting with teams right now.
ADG is built by people doing the work, for people doing the work. It’s a place for honest discussion, practical examples, and real lessons from organisations dealing with data quality, AI risk, privacy, and governance in practice.
This is a one-day, in-person event for people responsible for governing data and AI inside real organisations. The focus is practical and grounded in real work.
If you work in data, AI, risk, privacy, or governance, this day is designed for you.
Early bird tickets now available
Early bird tickets are now on sale. They’re limited and available for a short time.
Data Governance Masterclass – Driving Growth Through Trust
This is a free, in-person Data Governance Masterclass running in Melbourne on Thursday, 12 February.
It is designed for teams who want to move past talk and get practical about data governance, with a focus on what actually works inside real organisations.
The session will explore how governance is being used to support better decisions, clarify ownership, and manage risk without slowing delivery.
It will focus on the real questions teams struggle with, including how organisations are:
→ Using data governance to drive business value and better decisions
→ Putting clear ownership and culture in place, not just frameworks
→ Applying governance models that work in real delivery environments
Our co-founder, Tim Moon, will be part of the panel, joined by Andrew Andrews, Belinda Toniolo, and Kylie Kirkby, bringing perspectives from across different sectors.
Event details
📍 Experian, Level 14, 2 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank
📅 Thursday 12 February 2026
⏰ 5.00 to 6.00 pm, followed by drinks
Free to attend. In person only. Limited seats.
