Kira H. Barclay is a distinguished leader in the field of data and analytics, recognized for her visionary approach to driving business transformation through data-driven insights. With a career spanning two decades at John Deere, Kira built the company’s data and analytics function from the ground up, leading initiatives that generated over $1 billion in value. As Chief Data and Analytics Executive, she played a pivotal role in advancing the company’s analytics maturity, making John Deere the only Fortune 100 company to progress from stage 2 to stage 3 between 2020 and 2022.
Kira’s leadership philosophy centers on maximizing human potential through empowerment and continuous growth, creating a supportive environment where teams thrive and contribute to transformational change. She established a Center of Excellence for Customer Insights, significantly accelerating digital personalization efforts and tripling the speed to market. Under her guidance, the development of an Enterprise Data Lake revolutionized data accessibility and usability, achieving a fourfold improvement in these critical areas.
In addition to her work at John Deere, Kira founded KHB Enterprises, LLC, an executive advisory service focused on leveraging her expertise to help organizations maximize their potential through data and analytics. Her efforts in establishing core competencies in machine learning and AI at John Deere have enabled the deployment of over 100 solutions in the first year alone, significantly lowering the cost of implementation and improving scalability.
Kira’s commitment to talent development is evident in her creation of a development program that has prepared over 400 candidates for careers in data and analytics. She also established a leadership path within the organization, ensuring a robust internal talent pipeline for future leadership positions.
Beyond her corporate achievements, Kira is actively involved in her community, serving on the Board of Directors for Children & Families of Iowa, where she currently holds the role of Board President. Her thought leadership extends to numerous speaking engagements, including at AI World Tour 2023 and the DevOps Enterprise Summit, where she has shared her insights on advancing analytics and leveraging AI for business growth.
Kira holds an MBA in Strategic Management from Indiana University and both an MS in Statistics and a BS in Mathematics with a minor in Sociology from Iowa State University. Her contributions to the field have been recognized with multiple awards, including the 2023 Manufacturing Leadership Council Award for AI and Machine Learning and the 2019 John Deere President’s Award.
Kira Barclay is a dynamic leader who not only drives results but also fosters a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, making her a key figure in the evolving landscape of data and analytics.
Character: Kira Barclay is a visionary leader committed to empowering teams and fostering a supportive environment for continuous growth.
Knowledge: She possesses deep expertise in data and analytics, having built and advanced John Deere’s analytics function, resulting in significant business value.
Strategic: Kira has a proven track record of developing and implementing data-driven strategies that drive organizational transformation and scalability.
Communication: She is an effective communicator, frequently sharing her insights at major industry events and leading cross-functional teams to achieve unified goals.
