Intelligence beyond bounds

When most people look at data, they see numbers. But Lisa Claes isn’t most people. For her, every figure, percentage and metric represents a possibility and stories waiting to be connected.

Before she stepped into the CEO role at Cotality International, she had already spent her career connecting dots others didn’t realize were there – from pioneering digital account opening in Australian banking to helping build one of the country’s first truly digital banks.

“I am a designer at heart,” Claes tells The CEO Magazine. “I enjoy linking seemingly disparate concepts and data points into a cohesive whole that is richer than the sum of its parts.”

So when Claes was asked to steer the company, once known as CoreLogic, into its next chapter, she took it a step further, completely reimagining the company.

“The rebrand was more than a name change – it was a mindset shift,” she explains.

“Internally, it galvanized our teams around a bold new ambition: to become a global intelligence engine. Externally, it signaled our evolution to clients and partners.

“We’re no longer just a data provider – we’re a strategic partner helping industries navigate complexity with confidence.”

Under Claes’ leadership, Cotality transformed its strategy from one that was purely product-centric to a singular customer-solution focus.

“I am in a privileged position at Cotality to be one of the key strategic architects, crafting a strategy that converges data, technology and trust,” she says. “And in doing so, solves real-world challenges confronting our customer base operating across diverse segments.”

Culture before code

That’s not to say the success hasn’t been without its challenges. Far from it, Claes reveals.

“One of the most defining challenges has been leading Cotality through a period of deep transformation – transitioning our strategy, scaling innovation and aligning diverse teams around a bold new strategy,” she acknowledges.

“Shifting from a data provider to a global intelligence engine required not just structural change and capability augmentation but cultural evolution as well.”

Despite the magnitude of the issue, Cotality came out the other side stronger.

“We met these challenges by staying focused on execution, ignoring distractions, investing in our people and embedding customer-centricity into everything we do,” she adds.

The payoff has been worth it, saying the company has since witnessed record net promoter scores, strong revenue growth and a workforce aligned around a purpose much bigger than data alone.

Today, Cotality sits at the intersection of data, technology and trust. But what makes it different, Claes says, is not just the information it holds.

“What differentiates us isn’t just what we do – it’s how we approach problems and challenges,” she explains. “We start by understanding our customers’ reality and build solutions outward from there. Our edge lies in our ability to combine global scale and best practice with local relevance.”

From banks improving credit-risk decisions to insurers modeling climate exposure, governments planning smarter cities and real-estate professionals streamlining workflows, Cotality has moved beyond property.

“Our data is regarded as the benchmark for quality and reliability, but the real differentiator is what our people do with it,” Claes insists. “Our engineers and data scientists turn information into intelligence that helps our customers act faster and with more confidence.”

Responsible innovation

Claes is quick to admit that while technology is powerful, what genuinely matters is that it serves people.

“Responsible innovation means using technology to empower people, not replace them,” she points out. “Every solution we design is ethical, secure and built to make decision-making faster, fairer and smarter.”

Collaborations are central to this philosophy.

“Partnerships with organizations like CSIRO and Munich Re build on that foundation, combining scientific rigor and risk intelligence with our premium data to create solutions that are both timely and trusted,” Claes explains.

Already, she says, this approach has produced energy-efficiency analytics, AI-driven property valuation tools and digital workflow platforms that make client engagement not only easier, but more transparent as well.

Intelligence with integrity

Unsurprisingly, Claes confirms that when it comes to AI, Cotality’s approach mirrors its values.

“Cotality views AI not as a standalone capability, but as a strategic enabler of smarter, faster and more trusted decision-making across the property ecosystem,” she says.

“We are guided by a commitment to responsible innovation, ensuring technology enhances human expertise rather than replaces it. This approach reflects the company’s broader philosophy: to scale AI in ways that are ethical, commercially impactful and always anchored in customer value.”

This sees AI embedded into workflows like valuation and lending through the Smart Data Platform, delivering more than one million additional usable automated valuation models and slashing turnaround time.

“It’s not just about automation – it’s about intelligence with integrity,” she confirms.

With a firm foundation in place, Claes is excited about Cotality’s next chapter, which she says is about integration and expansion.

“A central tenet of our current strategy is the transition from a single solution delivery to embedding these seamlessly into our customer workflows,” she explains.

In real estate, that means bringing research, lead generation and customer engagement into a single platform. At the same time, Cotality is accelerating energy-efficiency initiatives, expanding into adjacent sectors and scaling solutions like SMARTval, which combines data-driven automation with professional valuer input to deliver a defensible, insured valuation typically within a single business day.

But for Claes, what’s most exciting is the scale of impact ahead.

“We’re redefining what intelligence means in the property ecosystem and beyond,” she says.

“As we expand into areas like sustainability, infrastructure and smart city development, we’re showing that intelligence has no boundaries. It can help every industry make better choices for a better world.

“We’re here to empower industries with intelligence that’s trusted, transformative and tailored to the future.”