Mars Veterinary Health VP Allyson Alston Joins CDO Magazine Global Board

CDO Magazine has expanded its Global Board with the appointment of Allyson Alston, Global Vice President of Data & Analytics at Mars Veterinary Health. The move underscores a broader shift across industries: organizations are increasingly leaning on proven data leaders to guide strategy, governance, and responsible innovation as analytics and AI become central to growth.

For CDO Magazine—an outlet and community focused on data, analytics, and AI leadership—adding an executive with deep experience in enterprise data transformation signals an ongoing commitment to practical, real-world viewpoints. Alston’s work sits at the intersection of technology, operations, and outcomes, an especially relevant combination as companies seek to move beyond experimentation into scalable value creation.

Why this appointment matters for the data and analytics community

Board appointments in the data space are about more than titles—they reflect what the market is prioritizing. In recent years, the role of data leadership has broadened from reporting and dashboards to include:

Enterprise data strategy aligned to business goals
Data governance and quality to support trustworthy decision-making
AI readiness, including model risk management and responsible use
Cross-functional enablement, ensuring analytics is adopted in day-to-day operations

Alston joins at a time when many organizations are navigating the same challenge: data is abundant, but converting it into consistent, measurable impact requires leadership, framework design, and cultural change. CDO Magazine’s Global Board is positioned to influence how these topics are discussed and operationalized across the broader executive community.

Data and analytics in veterinary health: a fast-evolving frontier

Mars Veterinary Health operates within a sector that has been modernizing rapidly. The veterinary and pet care economy has seen sustained growth over the past decade, fueled by increased pet ownership, rising consumer expectations, and expanding availability of advanced diagnostics and treatments. As a result, data capabilities are becoming more critical to:

Improving clinical and operational decision-making across networks of hospitals and practices
Optimizing scheduling, staffing, and capacity in service-driven environments
Enhancing customer experience through better communication, transparency, and personalization
Supporting population health insights and preventive care approaches

Within this context, a global data and analytics leader must balance innovation with reliability—ensuring that insights are accurate, systems are resilient, and data practices respect privacy and ethical considerations. These are the same themes increasingly shaping the larger data leadership agenda across healthcare-adjacent industries.

Board impact: leadership, governance, and responsible innovation

As analytics matures, executives are being asked to deliver outcomes while managing risk. The rise of AI—especially generative AI—has amplified board-level questions about transparency, bias, data lineage, and compliance. Leaders with hands-on experience in scaling analytics programs are valuable because they understand that “AI transformation” is not only a technology project; it also requires:

Clear operating models (who owns what, and how decisions get made)
Repeatable measurement tied to ROI and business performance
Strong data foundations so models and insights remain dependable
Change management that brings stakeholders along rather than leaving adoption to chance

Alston’s appointment aligns with the ongoing evolution of the Chief Data Officer and senior analytics roles—from technical stewardship toward enterprise influence. CDO Magazine’s Global Board, by design, can help elevate best practices and spotlight leaders who are building durable capabilities rather than one-off wins.

What this signals for the future of data leadership

This addition to the CDO Magazine Global Board reflects a larger trend: data leaders are increasingly expected to be strategic partners who can connect analytics to mission-critical outcomes. In sectors like veterinary health, where service delivery, clinical quality, and consumer trust are paramount, the stakes are high—and the opportunity to create value through data is significant.

Allyson Alston’s appointment reinforces the idea that modern data leadership is interdisciplinary, outcome-driven, and grounded in responsible practices. As CDO Magazine continues to convene executives and shape conversations across the data ecosystem, her perspective is likely to contribute to stronger, more practical guidance for organizations working to scale analytics and AI in a sustainable way.