Edinburgh's SDF Hires Chief Data Scientist

Edinburgh-based financial researcher Smart Data Foundry (SDF) has appointed Gordon Baggott as Chief Data Scientist.

SDF, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The University of Edinburgh, works with nfp and public sector clients to develop dashboards integrating de-identified data from bank accounts with contextual information, to provide an overview of consumer financial well-being throughout the UK. Near future plans include the launch of a new research tool called the Economic Wellbeing Explorer, which will provide real-time insights into the financial health of the UK based on analysis of anonymised data from 5.3 million consumer bank accounts. In March, the company confirmed the appointment of Dougie Robb, who has been part of its leadership team since its founding, as its permanent CEO.

Baggott (pictured) brings more than two decades of experience in data science, including insights, machine learning and GenAI. He worked previously at financial service specialist 4most. In a statement on LinkedIn, the company said, 'Gordon is set to lead our data science strategy and drive innovative research that promotes financial well-being, economic resilience, and meaningful policy change. Under his guidance, we aim to advance our impactful projects, including the expansion of our Economic Wellbeing Explorer across Great Britain, and continue our commitment to using data for social good.'

Home page: www.smartdatafoundry.com .