Chief digital officers (CDO) have a lot of work to do to secure and leverage their seat at the boardroom table. They are expected to help their C-suite executive colleagues become ‘data comfortable’ and understand how data, data analytics, business intelligence and digital transformation strategies add practical value to business.
This is one of the takeaways from a panel discussion at the ITWeb BI Summit 2025, hosted at The Forum, Bryanston on 12 March.
The panel comprised Zjaen Coetzee, strategic advisor, Verushca Hunter, digital transformation and technology executive, and Jaybalan Goonahsylin, group CIO, iMasFinance Financial Services.
The panellists agreed that the CDO’s role has changed, and this position is viewed as being more about governance and compliance, and less about serving as an architect of business growth or innovation.
Their role has evolved from strategic to operational.
Hunter said various factors have led to this, including the financial crisis in 2008, continued investment in data as ‘the new oil’ and increased regulation that brought the CDO’s role firmly into the spotlight.
Coetzee, Hunter and Goonahsylin shared the view that one of the biggest challenges organisations face in managing business intelligence, data management and digitalisation is that CDOs struggle to communicate technology strategies into business language that decision-makers understand.
“CDOs must articulate these strategies into simple business terms and how technology will help to tackle business problems… they need to show the true value-add to business,” said Goonahsylin.
The panel emphasised that CDOs must have the ability to lead and manage change, and that their importance is not disputed.
However, the board doesn’t necessarily fully understand the role of the CDO and their contribution to business value.
“There is difficulty in linking project objectives with business objectives,” said Hunter.
Coetzee asked how the CDO can help the rest of the board become ‘data confident’.
Hunter and Goonahsylin agreed that data is the lifeblood of any organisation and C-level executives are an integral part of the data life cycle.
The panel added that a holistic approach is required, one that takes into consideration business strategy, a technology roadmap and factors in the contribution and role of each member of the executive board.
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