Louize Clark Founder Of Keeping A Head Discusses AI And Digital Transformation With Dinis Guarda
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Louize Clark, an AI and digital transformation consultant and the Founder of Keeping A Head discusses the transformative potential of AI, digital twins, and risk management across various sectors including hospitality, education, and construction in the latest episode of the Dinis Guarda Podcast. The podcast is powered by Businessabc.net, Citiesabc.com, Wisdomia.ai, and Sportsabc.org.
Louize Clark is an experienced consultant in AI and digital transformation, with over 25 years of working with Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 companies. She is the founder of Keeping A Head, a consultancy that creates personalised strategies to help organisations use advanced AI technologies and build a future-focused mindset.
In her interview with Dinis Guarda, Louize discusses the purpose of Keeping A Head and how it aims to help businesses adopt innovation and get ready for the future.
"Keeping A Head is about two key principles: innovation and creativity, alongside the mindset needed to stay ahead. The name reflects the importance of being thought leaders and utilising the best tools to remain competitive. However, it also highlights a deeper truth—if you don’t keep ahead, you risk falling behind.
'Keeping A Head' combines business coaching with mastering the mind. I empower individuals and companies to innovate and remain creative while prioritising self-mastery and well-being. When people take care of themselves, they can achieve their best professionally and personally, ensuring they truly keep ahead."
AI adoption and organisational readiness
Since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, businesses have been swept up in a rush to adopt AI or, at the very least, to appear as if they are leveraging it. However, AI has existed for many years—Louize Clark recalls working over a decade ago on projects making kitchen washers ‘smart.’ Despite its history, the current AI hype has pushed many businesses to act hastily, often without first identifying the core problem they aim to solve.
“AI has been around for many years—I worked on a project over a decade ago making kitchen washers 'smart.' The current hype, though, has led many businesses to jump into AI without first stopping to identify the core problem they are trying to solve.”
Clark underscores the importance of first understanding a business’s challenges, analysing data, and identifying data flow inefficiencies.
“Are there bottlenecks? Are there inefficiencies? Only once businesses identify these issues can they begin to look at appropriate AI solutions. Yet readiness is critical—adopting AI isn’t just about buying technology; it requires a cultural shift.,” she advises.
This shift highlights a significant divide among employees. Some readily embrace AI, recognising its potential to drive business progress, while others remain paralysed by fear.
Clark explains, “Many worry that AI will replace their jobs, while others are concerned about its long-term implications. This highlights a major challenge: implementing AI effectively involves not only understanding business problems and data systems but also managing the human side of change. ”
Clark identifies a dual challenge for businesses: solving technical issues while managing the human side of change.
“Education is key. Companies must educate staff at all levels about AI, fostering understanding while respecting individual beliefs and concerns,” she states. This involves fostering understanding, building trust, and respecting the concerns of those unfamiliar with digital systems or data-driven decision-making.
“For those unfamiliar with technology or data analytics, the sudden influx of AI can feel overwhelming. If a role hasn’t previously required technology-driven decision-making, the current landscape may seem intimidating. Businesses must address this fear with patience, education, and support. The successful adoption of AI depends as much on preparing people as it does on implementing systems,” she asserts. By balancing technological readiness with human readiness, businesses can navigate the AI revolution confidently and cohesively.
NHS Hospital's digital transformation using digital twin technology
In one NHS hospital, a critical situation emerged when a surgical theatre was forced to close for 14 weeks due to essential repairs. With pandemic-induced backlogs already straining the system, this closure risked pushing priority cases back by up to 18 months. The challenge required an innovative solution to maintain operational efficiency and manage patient care.
Louize Clark explains how they piloted digital twin technology to address the crisis: “We used digital twins to identify underutilised spaces within the hospital. The focus was on maintaining patient flow and ensuring accessibility for those with disabilities or mobility challenges. By repurposing unused areas, we created a temporary theatre to accommodate surgeries during the repair period.”
The results were remarkable.
“By the end of the 14 weeks, the hospital not only caught up with anticipated delays but exceeded surgical targets. The optimised layout significantly improved efficiency, and when the original theatre reopened, it was clear that waiting times could be reduced even further,” Clark highlights.
This success revealed a broader issue: the underutilisation of space within NHS facilities. “Many hospital buildings were designed for a different era,” Clark notes. “As healthcare evolves, so must the way we use these spaces. Digital twins allow us to trial new layouts quickly and efficiently, offering insights before implementation.”
Building on this success, Clark and her team are now exploring two further applications of digital twin technology:
- Estates and facilities management – Enhancing operational efficiency, energy usage, and resource consumption.
- Patient journey optimisation – Streamlining patient movement while ensuring accessibility and quality of care.
Clark explains the importance of digital twins in change management: “This technology allows stakeholders to visualise proposed changes, address concerns, and test alternative solutions in real time. It’s an effective way to reduce resistance to change while demonstrating the tangible benefits of innovation.”
AI application in the construction industry
Louize Clark highlights that the construction industry is at a critical turning point, particularly concerning infrastructure and the need for sustainable repurposing of existing buildings.
“We are at a critical point in construction, particularly regarding infrastructure. For example, 20% of London’s buildings will become uninhabitable by 2030 unless we repurpose them. Demolishing these structures is neither sustainable nor necessary when retrofitting is a viable option,” she explains.
Clark draws attention to the tragedy of Grenfell Tower as a key lesson in the importance of data traceability and accountability.
“The lack of a clear data thread—showing exactly what materials were used and how—was a factor that could have been addressed with the right systems in place,” she notes.
Currently, Clark is working on multiple retrofit projects that incorporate digital twins, ranging from small buildings to large manufacturing units and high-rise flats. “With digital twins, construction projects can achieve a single source of truth. They provide a clear line—a golden thread—of traceability and accountability, which is essential for meeting legislative requirements like the Building Safety Act and Fire Safety Act,” she explains.
However, the retrofit market comes with challenges. “Much of the data is still fragmented and stored on paper,” Clark says.
“But AI-powered tools allow us to digitise quickly. For example, 2D plans can be transformed into 3D models using predictive technologies, enabling better visualisation and decision-making.”
Clark also highlights the evolving role of legislation and insurance in driving digital transformation.
“Legal and insurance companies are already indicating that businesses which fail to adopt this technology will face significant financial costs down the line,” she notes.
Ultimately, Clark sees digital transformation as an opportunity to reshape construction for a more efficient and sustainable future.
“By adopting technologies like digital twins and AI, the industry can overcome longstanding challenges, improve safety, and future-proof infrastructure. The tools are there—it’s time for businesses to act.”
The power of emotional intelligence in transforming workplaces
Louize Clark emphasises that emotional intelligence is a critical tool for addressing mental health and improving workplace dynamics.
“To address mental health, I use tools such as emotional and mental health wheels that help individuals pinpoint their challenges. However, if someone is truly struggling, I always recommend seeking support from qualified professionals. Workplaces, in particular, need structures that offer this support, helping employees manage emotions effectively.”
Clark stresses the need for workplace structures that support emotional well-being, enabling employees to manage their emotions effectively.
Emotional intelligence—understanding behaviours, patterns, tone, expressions, and reactions—can transform workplaces. Business leaders and managers who embrace emotional intelligence can foster greater empathy and compassion, creating an environment where staff feel at ease,” she explains while highlighting the importance of seeking professional support for those in deeper struggles.
Clark defines emotional intelligence as the ability to understand behaviours, patterns, tones, expressions, and reactions—skills that can profoundly impact workplace culture.
“Research shows that managers trained in emotional intelligence see productivity increase threefold and revenue double, with significantly lower employee turnover. This makes emotional intelligence not just a tool for personal growth but a business necessity,” she notes.
Clark stresses the importance of managing both the internal and external worlds.
“Managing emotional intelligence begins with understanding two worlds: the internal and the external. While we cannot control external factors—what someone says, thinks, or does—we can control our reactions.
Often, our reactions become the cause of our suffering. Personal development is key here; by being self-regulated and self-aware, we can approach others with greater empathy. We begin to see that their words or actions are not always about us but stem from their internal struggles,” she says.
Clark added, “For managers, this perspective is critical. Studies show that a significant reason employees leave jobs is poor management. Tools that build emotional intelligence can drastically improve workplace relationships, retain talent, and foster a positive dynamic.”
In an increasingly digital world, Clark reminds us that the human element remains irreplaceable.
“Technology learns from the data we feed it. If that data comes from emotionally regulated and intelligent sources, we can ensure technology serves humanity in the right way. If we program technology with care and emotional awareness, we ensure it serves humanity in the right way.”
Clark highlights a modern paradox: “We are more connected globally yet more disconnected on a human level.”
Emotional intelligence offers a solution. By nurturing this skill in workplaces and everyday life, businesses can reconnect meaningfully, ensuring technology enhances—rather than replaces—human connection.
“It’s about fostering understanding, building relationships, and putting humanity at the heart of progress,” she concludes.
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