What does it really take to move from “data provider” to true decision-maker in the C-suite? And what happens to insights teams in an AI world where we might… simply vanish?In this episode of Innovation Impossible, our host Danniel Roumian Booker sits down with Dr. Liubov Ruchinskaya — Head of Strategy, Analytics & Consumer Planning at Diageo, former insights leader at Colgate-Palmolive and Electrolux, and founder of Insights Lighthouse, a global community of client-side insights leaders.From cannabis toothpaste and premium oral beauty to dishwashers, washing machines, and luxury spirits, Liubov has spent 20+ years turning math, econometrics, and human behavior into competitive advantage.In this conversation, we dive into:🚀 Turning “white space” into real products- How Colgate Elixir reimagined oral care as a beauty routine, not a boring daily chore- The cannabis toothpaste project: what worked, what didn’t, and why “gray areas” can kill great ideas- Why asking consumers what they want often doesn’t work — and what to do instead🧠 Leading through crises & ambiguity- How COVID forced Colgate to radically reshape insights work almost overnight- The three rules Liubov used to navigate chaos: flexibility, agility, and “falling in love with the problem”- Why you should fail fast and detach your ego from your favorite idea🧺 From R&D-led to people-centric at Electrolux- Building a global insights function across 4 regions and millions of R&D ideas- Using math, KPIs, and predictive models to prioritize which innovations deserve investment- Humanizing “boring” appliances and why packaging, emotion, and storytelling win when tech is equal🥃 Competing in a moderating, disrupted drinks market- Inside Diageo’s portfolio strategy across 11 very different cultures- Navigating tariffs, geopolitics, and a global shift toward moderation and no/low alcohol- Why focus and calculated risk are everything when the whole industry is under pressure🤖 AI, synthetic data & the future of insights- Why only a small minority of insights teams operate as true thought leaders today- How AI, synthetic data, and agentic systems will transform insights beyond “faster surveys”- Who should own Chief AI / Data roles — and why Liubov believes insights must step up- The blunt warning: why insights teams “might not exist any longer” if they don’t evolve, get fearless, and lead🌍 Career, networking & building your own ‘board of directors’- Why you should treat your career like being CEO of your own company- How to build a global network (even if you’re not a natural networker)- The origin story of Insights Lighthouse at Davos — turning a personal “failure” into a global movementIf you’re an insights leader, CMI professional, product innovator, strategist, or marketer wondering how to stay relevant in the AI era, this episode is packed with hard-won wisdom, honest career advice, and real examples from Colgate, Electrolux, and Diageo.This episode is sponsored by Prelaunch.com, the qual and quant platform that guarantees actionable insights from ready-to-buy customers… before you launch your innovation.#Innovation #ProductDevelopment #ConsumerInsights #AI #CPG #B2BMarketing #RD