What is a Chief Data Officer (CDO)?
The Chief Data Officer is a data manager who is responsible for the entire data strategy of the company. He is the one who will optimise data collection, storage, reliability and quality and optimise the use of the data.
The CDO can have several training courses and come from different backgrounds, sometimes a technical profile, he can also have a profile of a marketer with specific skills in Data Management.
In addition, it is important to note that the Chief Data Officer must have management and communication skills to facilitate the digital transformation of his company while instilling the Data culture in all employees.
Why is the Chief Data Officer important?
Having a lot of data is good, but being able to use it well is even better. And that’s where the Chief Data Officer comes in, as the true conductor of the company’s data management strategy, it’s he who steers the data mapping for optimal use of the data.
He must ensure the quality of the data collected, but must also make sure that it is available in time to serve the various users/collaborators.
The CDO will have three main missions:
- To steer the company’s Data
Governance project - Implement Data policies in line with corporate values and specific regulations in this area
- Drive a data governance strategy that serves the company’s business objectives
What are the benefits to be expected from the Chief Data Officer?
The benefits of a Chief Data Officer are threefold:
- Improve the management of data and related technologies
The CDO will be responsible for implementing efficient and secure data mapping.Through a well-executed data strategy, the Chief Data Officer will break down silos, eliminate unnecessary data, improve data management for easy access, increasing its value as a strategic asset. - Reduce the risks inherent in using large amounts of data.The CDO provides overall control over data governance, consolidating data governance activities and operational controls. It is responsible for the quality of the data collected and the compliance of the metadata. All of this helps to improve regulatory compliance, notably by improving data traceability, while reducing the costs associated with internal controls and audits.
- Creating (business) value from data.The Chief Data Officer improves the use of data in the company to maximize its real value. By facilitating the movement of data flows, improving metadata for greater readability and uniting teams around a global data management strategy, the CDO democratizes a data culture in the enterprise.
This culture will enable better use of data flows, increasing their business value. The CDO enables data monetization by making it available in real time to all the company’s collaborators, allowing an obvious productivity gain.
What skills do I need to become a Chief Data Officer?
Strong technical skills (6%)
Knowledge of current regulations (25%)
Communication skills and project management (20%)
Ability to make decisions (14%)
Ability to manage large projects (14%)
Experience position’s background (11%)
Data Infrastructure Knowledge (10%)
