AI-Empowered Insights: Charting a Course as a Strategic Copilot with Ricardo Dalmas

The old “commission research, present findings, move on” model is breaking as growth fragments, media splinters, and AI accelerate decisions. Ricardo Dalmas, Global VP of Insights & Analytics at Kimberly-Clark, joins host Nick Graham, Founder of Vertemis, to explain why insights must shift from calibration and testing toward defining strategic growth choices: where to play and how to win. They discuss balancing scale with precision, listening and observing behavior before asking survey questions, and prioritizing timely 70% answers over perfection. Ricardo outlines how AI can automate tasks, spot patterns and early trends, and free insights teams to iterate faster, experiment more, and partner closely with decision-makers. He also shares why emotionally resonant storytelling matters in intimate categories and offers career advice on industry passion, following up on impact, and mentorship.00:00 Why Insights Must Evolve01:34 Meet Ricardo Dalmas03:52 Fragmented Growth Reality07:54 Speed Over Perfection09:23 From Research to Strategy13:50 Will Insights Still Exist18:07 Data Precision and Experimentation20:46 AI Changes and Human Empathy25:19 Emotional Storytelling Wins28:19 Mentorship and Leadership Growth31:35 Future Proof Career Advice34:56 Closing and SubscribeInsights & Innovators Podcast from MRII | Hosted by The Greenbook Podcast NetworkExplore more episodes and resources → https://www.greenbook.org/podcast-networkLearn more about MRII → https://mrii.org/