#PBIBrum: Circyl Takeover

August 18, 2026

On 22 July 2026, Circyl partnered with Robert Walters and the Birmingham Power BI Meetup community, #PBIBRUM, to host a special takeover event at Robert Walters’ offices in Birmingham. Bringing together data professionals, business leaders and technology enthusiasts, the evening focused on sharing practical insights into AI, data and business intelligence transformations through real-world demonstrations, expert-led discussions and networking opportunities.

The session focused on practical, real-world applications rather than theory, sharing lessons learned from Circyl's own experiences adopting AI across its business and client projects.

The event provided an opportunity for attendees to learn from experienced consultants and practitioners working at the forefront of data and analytics transformation. The format combined presentations, demonstrations, networking and most importantly, pizza and beers! The relaxed format created an environment where attendees could discuss common challenges, exchange ideas and gain real world insights they could take back to their own organisations.

Introducing Circyl

The event opened with an introduction to Circyl from Andy McLean, our Director of Data & Analytics who shared the company’s journey and highlighted its core service areas, including Data & Analytics, Business Applications, Modern Workplace, and Mobile & Web Applications.

A key theme throughout the session was that technology should always be used to solve genuine business challenges, with successful transformation driven by outcomes rather than technology alone.

Key Themes

Several of Circyl’s consultants shared their expertise and experiences of adopting AI both internally and across client projects.

Jay Tuck, Circyl Principal Consultant, explored how AI is changing the role of the modern data professional, demonstrating how tools such as Claude can automate repetitive activities including documentation, analysis, content generation, and requirements gathering. The session reinforced that while AI can significantly improve efficiency, human expertise, critical thinking, and decision-making remain essential.

“Your job role is not at risk of being replaced by AI, but you are at risk of being replaced by those using AI.”

Andy McLean, Data & Analytics Director, Circyl - The Digital Transformation Experts

Andy Taylor, Principal Consultant at Circyl, expanded on this by discussing the components of AI and the journey organisations take from experimentation to enterprise-wide adoption. His session highlighted the importance of prompt engineering, knowledge sharing, governance and responsible AI practices to ensure organisations can scale adoption securely and effectively.

One of the highlights of the evening was a live demonstration from our Senior Consultant, Dom Tuck, who showcased how AI can accelerate Power BI development.

Through actual examples of real collaboration between Claude and PowerBI, the attendees saw how AI can support data modelling, report development, measure creation and rapid proof-of-concept delivery, helping organisations move from data to valuable insights much more efficiently.

To conclude the Circyl Takeover, Principal Consultant Toby Walke shared Circyl’s 10 Practical Workplace Tips for AI Adoption.

His session focused on helping organisations start small, solve meaningful business problems, measure success through business outcomes and scale AI responsibly through strong governance and continuous learning.

“This is all about getting to 70 or 80% of the outcome delivered so we can focus our expertise on the final stretch.”

Dom Tuck, Senior Consultant, Circyl - The Digital Transformation Experts

Final Thoughts

A special thank you goes to Robert Walters, particularly Matthew Collier and the #PBIBRUM community for providing the platform to host the Circyl Takeover.

An extended thank you to all of the Circyl speakers who contributed their time, expertise and live demonstrations throughout the evening, helping to make the event both engaging and insightful.

Through shared experiences, practical examples and open discussion, the evening reinforced that AI is no longer a future concept but a practical tool that organisations can use today to improve productivity, accelerate analytics and deliver better business outcomes.

*Robert Walters filmed the full event and the video can be accessed on YouTube below.