PeopleofSuperintelligence

Public voice

Victoria Holt

Also known as Dr Victoria Holt

Victoria Holt is a UK-based data and AI strategist and data governance leader who works on governance foundations and Responsible AI practices. Her database research appeared in the journal Information Systems in 2015, and she completed an Open University PhD in 2017 on the management of database systems. She founded the Data Toboggan conference, which began in 2020, joined the SQL Saturday board in 2021, and received Microsoft's Data Platform MVP award in 2025. In 2026, she wrote a run of posts on AI governance and its dependence on data governance. She is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP who speaks on the foundations of trusted AI.

Now at
SQL Saturday
Links
Website, X and LinkedIn

Timeline

  1. 2015

    A database best-practice paper

    Her paper "The Usage of Best Practices and Procedures in the Database Community" appears in the journal Information Systems in April 2015.

  2. 2017

    PhD at the Open University

    She completes a PhD thesis at The Open University in 2017, titled "A Study into Best Practices and Procedures used in the Management of Database Systems".

  3. 2020–2024

    Founding Data Toboggan

    She founds Data Toboggan, a virtual conference that begins in 2020 around Azure Synapse Analytics and grows to cover Microsoft Fabric. Its largest event so far, Cool Runnings, runs in July 2024, and the conference includes a track on Microsoft Purview and AI-connected topics.

  4. Since 2021

    SQL Saturday board member

    She joins the SQL Saturday board in 2021. An Enterprise Data Architect in the UK, she is also an organizer of Data Toboggan.

  5. 2022

    Data governance talk at SQLBits

    She speaks at SQLBits in 2022 on "Business benefits of good governance", a session on what data governance is, why it matters and how a business can start in simple steps.

  6. 2025

    Microsoft Data Platform MVP

    Microsoft recognizes her with its Most Valuable Professional award for the Data Platform in 2025.

  7. 2026

    Writing on AI governance

    In June 2026, she publishes "AI Governance is a Hollow Framework Without Data Governance", which argues that governing frontier AI models needs data governance built on provenance, retention and access control. In July 2026, she writes about her journey as a Fellow of the British Computer Society and her work championing Data and AI Governance.

  8. As of October 2026

    Data and AI strategist

    She is a Data and AI strategist, data governance leader and Microsoft Data Platform MVP. In October 2026, she speaks at the 75th Data Analytics Monthly Forum with two colleagues on building the foundations for trusted AI, covering AI governance, the EU AI Act and Microsoft Purview.

Career

  1. Since 2021SQL SaturdayBoard member

Education

  1. 2017Open UniversityPhD

From the biography.

  1. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes Open University. We estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.
  2. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974Includes Open University. We estimate where the people shaping AI worked when their most-cited papers appeared: the company share was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974, and Google led all organizations in 2020–2024.
  3. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes Open University. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and 5+ year employment links, career timing and current workplaces for 187 major-prize and 1,111 best-paper winners.
  4. Google had the most people shaping AI every year from 2014 to 2025Our estimates of which organizations employed the most people shaping AI each year from 1955 to 2025, tracing the shift from university labs to companies.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Victoria Holt yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Database Research: Publications sqltoolkit.co.uk. Checked 20 October 2026.
  2. Dr. Victoria Holt | SQLBits.com sqlbits.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  3. Dr Victoria Holt: life, the universe and everything: That's a Wrap Data Toboggan Cool Runnings 2024 blog.victoriaholt.co.uk. Checked 20 October 2026.
  4. Dr. Victoria Holt (SQLSaturday board) blog.sqlsaturday.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  5. Business benefits of good governance (SQLBits 2022) sqlbits.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  6. Dr Victoria Holt: life, the universe and everything: Microsoft Data Platform MVP 2025 blog.victoriaholt.co.uk. Checked 20 October 2026.
  7. Dr Victoria Holt: life, the universe and everything: AI Governance is a Hollow Framework Without Data Governance blog.victoriaholt.co.uk. Checked 20 October 2026.
  8. Dr Victoria Holt: life, the universe and everything: Why Fellowship Matters when Championing Data, AI, and Community Leadership blog.victoriaholt.co.uk. Checked 20 October 2026.
  9. Dr Victoria Holt: life, the universe and everything: Data Analytics Monthly Forum blog.victoriaholt.co.uk. Checked 20 October 2026.
  10. Dr. Victoria Holt's Speaker Profile @ Sessionize sessionize.com. Checked 20 October 2026.