Susan Walsh, also known as The Classification Guru, is a globally recognised expert in data cleaning, classification, supplier normalisation, and AI-ready data. As the founder and driving force behind The Classification Guru Ltd, Susan and her team have helped over 100 organisations worldwide clean, classify, enrich, and normalise their data, making it more Consistent, Organised, Accurate, and Trustworthy through her proprietary COAT framework.

With more than 14 years of experience working in data and a proven track record of delivering measurable business value, Susan is widely recognised for her expertise in spend data classification, supplier normalisation, taxonomy development, and data quality improvement. In 2024, she launched Samification™, an innovative self-service supplier normalisation platform that enables organisations to take control of their supplier data quickly and efficiently.

Before making her mark in the data world, Susan built a successful career in sales and ran her own clothing boutique, experiences that sharpened her entrepreneurial instincts and deepened her understanding of real-world business challenges. These unique insights now fuel her mission to make data relatable, accessible, and just the right amount of sassy.

Susan is the author of Between the Spreadsheets: Classifying and Fixing Dirty Data and Optimizing Sales & Marketing Data, helping organisations understand the critical role clean, structured data plays in business performance, analytics, AI, and digital transformation. She is also the creator of popular online courses available through Pluralsight, O'Reilly, and the Analytics Institute, with a new LinkedIn Learning course on data cleaning and AI-ready data scheduled for release in 2026.

Her TEDx talk, Say NO to NO, highlights her personal journey of resilience and determination, showcasing her ability to inspire and lead through challenge. A sought-after keynote speaker and thought leader at global data, procurement, sales, marketing, and AI events, Susan regularly shares practical insights on data quality, supplier management, AI readiness, and business transformation.

Her impact on the industry has been recognised through numerous accolades, including being named to the DataIQ100 and receiving multiple industry awards. She is also a passionate advocate for helping organisations prepare their data for AI, ensuring that businesses build trusted foundations before investing in analytics, automation, and generative AI initiatives.

At the heart of Susan's work is her proprietary COAT methodology (Consistent, Organised, Accurate, Trustworthy), developed to ensure data remains clean, usable, and fit for purpose. This framework underpins The Classification Guru's approach and helps organisations save time, reduce costs, improve decision-making, and unlock greater value from their data.

Whether you're tackling dirty supplier data, preparing for an ERP or CRM implementation, improving sales and marketing data, or getting your organisation AI-ready, Susan Walsh is the trusted expert who can help you unlock the full potential of your data.