First Steps: Understanding the South African CDO

Setting the Scene:

I've just recently joined Corinium Intelligence - a company which has made great strides in promoting the rise (and tribulations) of the Chief Data Officer globally. Through our CDO Forums we give CDOs and would-be CDOs a platform to discuss this burgeoning role. A role that is fraught with obstacles but that, once understood and assigned, can add so much value to an organisation. 

Our research and participation in this arena shows that:

• CDOs are most prevalent in the US - no surprise there since they are typically world leaders in such things
• The UK and Europe lag behind the US in terms of number of CDOs - again, no real surprise as that is how the evolution rolls out globally
• Australia and SE Asia are seeing a rise in the number of CDOs but it's still a very small community - surprise? Not really. Following the logical order of things
• South Africa...has 2 CDOs as far as LinkedIn has made me aware - unsurprising, we're late adopters

So, my task really is to understand why South African companies haven't embraced the CDO. Our banks, retailers, mines etc. are world-class organisations with just as much data as similar companies in Australia or the UK. 

This week was really the first of many in a journey of discovery not only for myself and Corinium but for the South African CDO. I hope that, if you're interested, you'll follow us as we develop a community that will support the development of this business-critical role. 

Our events are only as good as our understanding of the information requirements of the market. The majority of this will be uncovered through interviews but there's a lot to be gained from LinkedIn discussions amongst people in the industry. Please be vocal - use this as an opportunity to give your opinion on who should own data within a company and what challenges they face. 

My next post will share some of the early insights I have gained through research. I think they'll interest you and as a teaser...the issues in the South Africa arena are not far off those faced in other markets.