Analytics8 has reached a pivotal moment. After two decades of building a reputation as a trusted data and analytics consulting firm, the company is entering a new chapter with Tom Munley stepping into the CEO role. Analytics8 was founded with the mission to solve organization’s toughest data and analytics challenges. That’s not changing. With a new CEO at the helm, the company is poised to advance the firm’s capabilities in data and AI, and cultivate the talent and culture needed to support growth, all while staying true to what got Analytics8 here. We sat down with Tom to discuss what drew him to Analytics8, how he’s thinking about the company’s future, and what clients, partners, and the team can expect as the company moves forward. 1. You’re stepping into a company with a strong culture and 20-year legacy. What drew you to Analytics8, and what do you want to preserve as we grow? What drew me here is the opportunity with AI and how it has fundamentally changed what’s possible with data. Most organizations are still figuring out how to realize the benefits of AI without understanding how it is intrinsically tied to their data. Analytics8 has spent 20 years building exactly the foundation clients need to succeed with AI: the data platforms, the strategic thinking, the implementation expertise. We help organizations move beyond throwing something into ChatGPT toward AI adoption that delivers real, measurable results. It’s an exciting time for our team to build smart solutions that drive real business impact. Preserving the Analytics8 culture is key. One of the things I recognized as I met with everybody during the interview process was just how strong the culture is and how committed people are to doing great work for our clients. You don’t get to 20 years without having that track record and that level of commitment. 2. Our clients’ challenges are shifting, from building foundational data platforms to making AI and advanced analytics work at scale. How are you thinking about evolving our services to meet them where they are now? We help our clients look at the full picture, everything from raw data all the way through to AI. For us, that means tying it all together across the entire data lifecycle, which has always been a core strength for Analytics8. The difference now is we’re helping clients move from building strong data platforms to operationalizing AI and advanced analytics at scale. That shift shows up in our data strategy work, which now integrates AI from the start with a broader view of what’s possible. And we’re reinforcing something that’s always been true for us: every engagement needs to be anchored to the business outcomes our clients are trying to achieve. Delivering services that drive measurable results is still the priority. 3. Analytics8 has built its reputation on strong partnerships with leaders like Databricks, dbt, Sigma, and ThoughtSpot. What’s your vision for how we collaborate with partners, and what can they expect from you as we grow? We’re focused on deepening our partner relationships in 2026. We’re committed to doing more together and looking at everything from joint client workshops, live Q&A panels, industry conferences, to training sessions. We bring our data expertise and use case insights to our partnerships, while our clients will benefit from our direct access to product roadmaps and specialists. Key partnerships with Databricks, dbt, Sigma, and ThoughtSpot are core to how we deliver AI solutions. These platforms give us the modern data stack we need to help clients operationalize AI at scale. Our recent webinar on MCP for AI is a good example of how we’re using these partnerships to advance AI enablement work that used to take months or years. 4. What are you prioritizing internally to ensure our team has the expertise and stability to support customers through major technology transitions? We’re prioritizing continuous enablement that strengthens technical depth, delivery consistency, but most importantly, our ability to tie every initiative back to business value. We are focused on increasing our core consulting and analytics skills to ask the right questions of our clients to drive the best possible solutions. As AI becomes part of nearly everything we deliver, that consultative mindset is even more critical. Technology alone doesn’t solve problems. Real impact comes from understanding the decisions our clients are trying to make and designing data and analytics solutions that support making the right decisions to drive those business outcomes. Our consultants are trained to lead through change, grounding complex technology transitions in business context, and executing with discipline and clarity. 5. What will the most future-ready data teams be doing differently three years from now, and how are we helping organizations get there? They’ll spend far less time preparing, reconciling, and explaining data, and far more time partnering with the business. AI will handle much of the heavy lifting, from data discovery and quality checks to accelerating development and surfacing insights… but only when it’s built on a strong, well-governed foundation. Three years from now, the most future-ready data teams won’t be defined by the tools they use. They’ll be defined by how quickly they can turn data into action and outcomes. We’re helping organizations get there by shifting the focus from one-off projects to durable capabilities. That means designing modern data platforms that are AI-ready, establishing clear semantic layers and governance, and building operating models that allow teams to move faster without sacrificing trust. 6. What’s your message for the team, clients, and partners? What we do isn’t easy, but solving hard data challenges is our passion. We bring a comprehensive perspective, a strong work ethic, genuine enthusiasm, and a drive to see results quickly. When people work with us, they walk away with a great experience and see us as an extension of their team. That’s who we’ve always been, and it’s what we’re committed to delivering every day. Tom Munley joined Analytics8 as Chief Executive Officer in December 2025, bringing a disciplined focus on operational rigor, AI-enabled innovation, and talent development. His leadership positions Analytics8 for intelligent, scalable growth that will enable us to expand our impact for clients while preserving the culture, values, and commitment to client service that has defined the firm for more than 20 years. Talk With a Data Analytics Expert Key Takeaways Leadership transition. Tom Munley steps in as CEO with a clear mandate to preserve Analytics8’s culture and client-first approach while scaling the firm for its next phase of growth. AI changes what’s possible, not what matters. The core mission stays the same: solve hard data problems. The difference now is helping clients move from solid data foundations to AI and advanced analytics that deliver measurable business results. End-to-end data still matters. Analytics8 continues to focus on the full data lifecycle, from raw data to insights to AI, with a sharper emphasis on operationalizing analytics at scale. Business outcomes stay front and center. Every engagement ties back to the decisions clients need to make and the outcomes they want to achieve. Tools and models come second. Partnerships deepen, not broaden. Databricks, dbt, Sigma, and ThoughtSpot remain central. The focus is tighter collaboration, joint enablement, and faster paths to value for shared clients. Consulting skills are as critical as technical ones. Ongoing enablement prioritizes judgment, context, and discipline so teams can guide clients through complex AI and data transitions. Future-ready teams move faster with more trust. The best data teams will spend less time fixing data and more time driving action, supported by AI-ready platforms, strong governance, and clear semantics. The promise stays consistent. Clients and partners should expect the same commitment they’ve always seen: practical expertise, strong execution, and teams that feel like an extension of their own.
