Danil Mikhailov, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of data.org. He has over 20 years of experience setting up multiple start-ups and leading work across a range of diverse sectors, always investigating and innovating in the space where technology, culture and society converge. Prior to data.org, Danil was at The Wellcome Trust, where he founded and directed the Wellcome Data Labs, an interdisciplinary team of data scientists, software developers, and social scientists, creating open-source data tools supporting Wellcome’s mission. While at Wellcome, Danil coordinated the data and data science aspects of the Trust’s Covid-19 pandemic response. Before joining The Wellcome Trust, Danil founded and chaired the Digital Strategy Forum for Science, Art, and Culture, in the United Kingdom.

Danil strongly believes in the power of interdisciplinarity and, in addition to his tech expertise, he brings a social sciences and humanities perspective to his work. Danil holds a Ph.D. in Sociology and Communications from the University of Brunel, an MA in Philosophy, from Birkbeck, University of London, an MA in Chinese Studies, from SOAS, University of London, and a BSc in IT & Business Management, University of York.