At our recent Veeva Ortus roundtable event in Sydney, I had the privilege of moderating a discussion among forward-thinking regional leaders in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry on AI readiness and digital foundations. Rather than focusing on flashy future-state visions, we drilled into the real barriers and behaviours that are quietly stalling progress.
For all of these leaders, the conversation was no longer “should we use AI?” but rather, “how do we make AI right for us?”
Despite being awash in data, most consumer products organisations remain “insight poor.” Why? Because too often, their data is siloed, messy, or locked in outdated legacy systems that weren’t built for the speed and complexity of modern operations.
Here are my top four key takeaways from the discussion:
It’s no secret that the bulk of the FMCG industry is data-rich – from production and packaging to compliance, quality, and consumer feedback. But, as one executive put it bluntly during our session: “We spend more time cleaning data than using it.”
This friction between the volume of data available and the value it actually delivers was a recurring theme. Most organisations are grappling with fragmented systems, inconsistent data definitions, and processes that rely heavily on tribal knowledge or offline workarounds.
These sentiments mirror the findings of Veeva’s latest Consumer Products IT Leaders Survey, which seeded the discussion. The survey revealed that 65% of IT leaders say siloed data is the #1 barrier to digital transformation, and 58% cite data quality and consistency as the top issue when pursuing AI initiatives.
So while AI may be top-of-mind, the path forward remains murky unless companies address these foundational challenges head-on.
One of the most candid parts of our discussion came when we explored emotional attachment to legacy systems. There was collective agreement in the room when someone described the internal resistance to replacing outdated tools as, “It may not be perfect, but it’s ours.”
Whether it’s homegrown databases, Excel trackers, or outdated point solutions, the emotional investment in these systems runs deep. But clinging to these comfort zones is holding companies back from enabling AI-driven quality, traceability, and risk management.
To evolve, leaders must step back and ask: What is the legacy I’m building as a quality or IT leader? Is it a patchwork of short-term fixes, or a future-ready, unified platform that enables the business to grow, adapt, and scale?
A surprising insight from the event dialogue was the perception that AI is either “someone else’s project,” or they don’t know who’s project it really is. Whether it’s IT pointing to the data team, or QA leaders assuming AI belongs to innovation or R&D, many organisations lack a clear owner for this transformation.
But enabling AI isn’t a job for one department. It requires cross-functional alignment, shared metrics, and a common data language across quality, regulatory, supply chain, and manufacturing. As several leaders noted, AI success really begins with getting the basics right, including reliable data inputs, connected systems, and a collaborative culture.
Ultimately, what emerged from this roundtable discussion was this: AI cannot exist without a single source of truth. The advent of AI isn't some futuristic cure but more a test of organisational maturity. The brands that will lead and succeed in this space are not those who jump on the latest AI tool, but those who invest in a unified digital foundation that underpins data integrity, breaks down silos, and empowers clear and connecting decision making
And as our IT Leaders Survey shows, that foundation is still under construction for many. But the momentum is real, and the willingness to challenge the status quo is growing.
At Veeva, we’re committed to partnering with the industry to bridge this gap. From unified quality and regulatory platforms to real-time performance dashboards, we help FMCG leaders turn data into direction. If your organization is exploring how to turn insight into action and build lasting digital capabilities, reach out today to continue this important conversation.