the health strategist
institute for
strategic health transformation
& digital health
Joaquim Cardoso MSc.
Chief Research and Strategy Officer (CRSO),
Chief Editor and Senior Advisor
August 29, 2023
What is the message?
Cargill Incorporated, a long-standing industry leader, is actively pursuing digital transformation and data-driven strategies to achieve growth and innovation.
CDIO Jennifer Hartsock emphasizes the importance of a unified approach across diverse business units, defining clear areas where digital can drive outcomes, fostering data ownership and governance, and cautiously exploring the potential of emerging technologies like generative AI.
Through these efforts, Cargill aims to align its digital and data capabilities with its broader strategic goals while empowering its workforce and adapting to changing market dynamics.
One page summary:
In this article, Jennifer Hartsock, the Chief Data and Information Officer (CDIO) at Cargill Incorporated, discusses the company’s commitment to digital transformation and data-driven strategies.
Cargill, the largest privately held company in the US with 158 years of history, operates globally with a presence in 70 countries, generating an estimated $165 billion in annual revenue. Hartsock, who joined the executive team 18 months ago, oversees Cargill’s technology portfolio, digital initiatives, and data strategies in alignment with the company’s overarching vision of collaboration and synergy.
Hartsock highlights the company’s shift from operating as separate business units to embracing a unified approach, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities this transformation presents.
With a workforce of 155,000 individuals spread across diverse sectors such as food, agriculture, finance, and industry, Cargill’s digital and data talent pool exceeds 7,000 members. Hartsock underscores the significance of nurturing this talent to drive the company’s digital ambitions forward.
Recognizing the multifaceted nature of digital transformation, Hartsock emphasizes that achieving a common understanding of “digital” is vital.
She identifies four key areas where digital should deliver business outcomes: digital products and services, enhancing the digital customer experience, improving efficiency and effectiveness across the supply chain, and enriching the digital employee experience.
Data ownership and governance also occupy a central role in Cargill’s approach. Hartsock highlights the importance of structured governance for meaningful data insights and the role of data scientists in driving data-driven decisions.
Notably, she discusses the collaboration between data teams and trading analytics units, underscoring the agility this partnership brings to addressing rapidly changing requirements.
Hartsock addresses the emerging frontier of generative artificial intelligence (AI), expressing Cargill’s keen interest in its potential. While in the early stages of exploration, the company’s focus lies on ingesting and synthesizing large volumes of data, particularly in market research. Hartsock emphasizes Cargill’s balanced approach to managing the opportunities and risks associated with this evolving technology.
The article also touches on executive change within Cargill, particularly the appointment of CEO Brian Sikes. Hartsock explains the strategic considerations taken in aligning digital and data capabilities with the company’s broader business ambitions. The priority lies in defining and delivering on these strategic objectives while empowering employees with digital tools for success.
In conclusion, Cargill’s journey towards digital transformation and data-driven strategies is underscored by Jennifer Hartsock’s insights. Her role as CDIO entails guiding the organization through a complex and multifaceted evolution, where data, technology, and collaboration intersect to foster growth and innovation.
DEEP DIVE
This summary was written based on the article “Examining Cargill’s push to nurture growth through digital and data strategies”, published by CIO, on August 23, 2023.
To read the full article, click here.
