The Truth About Why Data Governance Fails in Companies
- Jun 12, 2026
- Isha Taneja
Learn why data governance fails when people, trust, and business context are overlooked, as Sue Geuens shares practical lessons for data leaders worldwide.
Learn why data governance fails when people, trust, and business context are overlooked, as Sue Geuens shares practical lessons for data leaders worldwide.
In a world where organizations invest heavily in policies, frameworks, and data tools but still struggle to trust their numbers, Sue Geuens, Director of Data Governance and Master Data Management at Elsevier, brings a practical, people-first approach to data leadership. Her work focuses on something many organizations overlook: successful data governance is not only about rules and systems. It is about helping people understand why data matters and how their everyday actions influence business decisions.
In her conversation on The Executive Outlook, Sue explains why even well-designed governance strategies can fail, not because the framework is weak, but because people do not understand it, connect with it, or turn it into action. She shares how organizations can build greater trust by making policies practical, improving data quality at the point of creation, and defining clear business outcomes before investing in master data management.
For Sue, data governance is not simply about control or documentation. It is about creating trusted data that enables leaders to make decisions with confidence. Organizations that communicate governance clearly, understand the pressures employees face, and connect data responsibilities with real business outcomes will be better positioned to improve trust, strengthen operations, and make more reliable decisions.
Listen to Rebecca’s feature now.
CEO, Complere Infosystem | Editor-in-Chief of The Executive Outlook | Data Storyteller | Business Strategist
“Decisions that win are built on accurate and timely insight, not on data overload.”
Isha Taneja is the CEO of Complere Infosystem, a leading data engineering and analytics company that helps organizations turn messy data into business-ready insights. As Editor-in-Chief of The Executive Outlook, she curates bold stories and sharp perspectives from leaders shaping the future.
Whether she’s working with clients on digital transformation or sharing authentic leadership stories, Isha’s mission is simple:
Make data-driven decisions easier, faster, and more impactful.
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