Two-fifths agree there is currently a lack of support for candidates looking to move into a CDO role

Despite high demand for strong data leadership, there is still much confusion and uncertainty about the Chief Data Officer (CDO) role. This is according to a new study launched today by the high-performance analytics database, Exasol, which found half (50%) of CDOs believe the value of their role is not yet recognized in the business world, while a similar number (46%) say that organizations’ expectations for the CDO role are too high and are misinformed.

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This may explain why many organizations struggle to find the right candidate to fill vacant CDO roles. And even for those that do, it’s often a brief relationship, with CDOs having the lowest tenure of all C-suite roles. Exasol’s study, which aims to help employers and aspiring CDOs increase their chances of carving out a successful position, supports this in finding 1 in 5 (17%) of the CDOs surveyed had only stayed in their previous role for between one and two years.

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High demand and headhunting are of course a factor, but Exasol’s findings highlight other common patterns including: a lack of support/resources (23%); the scope of the role not meeting expectations (20%); a lack of fit with company culture (19%); a lack of a clearly defined role (18%); and members of the C-suite being difficult to work with (14 %) as key issues influencing their desire to move on.

Another factor at play here is that many organizations hiring for a CDO role are prioritizing those with technical expertise. Exasol’s study found that three quarters (73%) of CDOs surveyed came from a technical background, whilst just 3% were from an arts/creative background.

“Organizations need help to overcome the roadblocks to success and embrace a CDO who’s role is no longer about simply governing data – but liberating it and improving data literacy across all levels of the organization. In this respect, I believe tunnel vision towards only hiring candidates from technical backgrounds is resulting in a major missed opportunity,” said Peter Jackson, Exasol’s Chief Data and Analytics Officer. “From my own experience, candidates from diverse backgrounds, such as HR, marketing and philosophy, can bring a lot to the CDO position because they are inclined to focus on people, rather than just the technology. Non-technical candidates are often great data storytellers too as they can translate data into business results that engage and influence stakeholders and improve data literacy in the process.”

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