Back

 Industry News Details

 
How Women Are Shaping The Big Data Revolution Posted on : Apr 27 - 2017

It has become abundantly clear by now. Successful business adoption of Big Data and analytics initiatives is largely a function of overcoming cultural impediments. These “cultural” factors have been the principal barrier to deriving value from data and analytics investments for most large firms.

Among the principal impediments these firms have faced are challenges of organizational alignment, communication between business and technical constituencies, transformation of key business processes, governance and leadership of data initiatives, business sponsorship and assurance that technical investments can be linked to measureable business outcomes. For the most part, the barriers to success for Big Data initiatives are not about technology – they are due to business issues. These business issues commonly boil down to “people issues” and the ability to forge and sustain a shared understanding among diverse business constituencies.

Increasingly, women executives are being called upon to take the lead in overcoming these “cultural issues.” In doing so, women leaders are being asked to shape the critical business functions that are most necessary to ensuring business value from Big Data and analytics investments.

Women Executives in the Chief Data Officer Role

Where the leadership of women executives is becoming most visible is in shaping the nascent role of the Chief Data Officer. It has only been in very recent years that the role of Chief Data Officer (CDO) has emerged as an industry standard business function and a key C-executive position. Just five years ago, only 12% of surveyed firms reported the appointment of a Chief Data Officer, while by 2017 this number has grown to 55.9%. The heaviest concentration of CDO appointments have been in financial services and insurance. These are industries which tend to be heavily regulated, and where massive volumes of data are maintained and managed. Firms within these industries have also been most likely to develop mature data management processes and practices.

During the past few years, I have had the unique opportunity to participate in several programs that are focused on shaping the role of the Chief Data Officer, and have both witnessed and participated in helping shape and define this role. The CDO-focused programs have been characterized from the outset by the strong presence and leadership provided by women executives – many of whom have assumed the mantle of leadership in helping shape the CDO role and data management functions. In helping drive this charge, women executives are assuming the top corporate leadership positions for data at a growing number of the largest banks, financial services, and insurance firms.  The active participation of women executives in shaping the future of data is reflected in the popular Twitter View More