Where to be trained and how to become a Chief Data Officer or Chief Transformation Officer?
4.0 technologies are not only changing the way we work, but are also driving a profound cultural transformation at the enterprise level.
This true revolution requires new talent that understands where business is heading and how to act within this framework. Two key positions in this scheme are the Chief Data Officer (CDO) and the Chief Transformation Officer (CTO).
What is it and how do you become a CDO?
The modern world is a data-driven world and companies need to manage and understand it in order to carry out their business. The Chief Data Officer is responsible for analyzing, classifying and converting them into statistics, prescriptive and predictive models that can be used by different areas.
This position is one of the most wanted in the corporate world. According to the World Economic Forum’s 2020 report, The future Jobs, the three most sought-after specialties worldwide are related to this area: Data Analysts and Scientists, AI and Machine Learning Specialists and Big Data Specialists.
It is clear that the CDO position plays an important role, to the point that it is one of the best paid profiles and is becoming more and more relevant as data acquires greater weight in business. According to Gartner, by 2025, 90% of large organizations will have a CDO.
Qualification to reach these positions is central and there are several university degrees, postgraduate programs and specializations that can be followed to gain access to these positions. These include Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science and Data Analytics.
At a global level, the main centers of study on the subject are the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where you can study the Master’s in Business Analytics, the University of Chicago with the Master of Science in Analytics, the European University with the Master’s in Big Data Analytics, Northwestern University with the Master of Science in Analytics, Cornell University with the Master of Professional Studies in Applied Statistics, EAE Business School with the Master’s in Big Data & Analytics, New York University with the Master of Science in Data Science and Stanford University with the M. S. in Statistics and Data Science.
In Argentina, undergraduate degrees in Data Science are offered at UBA, UNSAM, UCAECE and SIGLO XXI Universities and postgraduate degrees at UBA, ITBA, UDESA, Austral, Di Tella, UCAECE and UADE.
But it is clear that the position requires more than technical training. The CDO role requires an executive profile with communication and leadership skills. They must be familiar with current legislation on data protection and be involved in the company’s business strategy.
What is and how do you become a CTO?
CTOs are the architects of the business transformations that companies are currently facing. They are the ones who lead the cultural change but, fundamentally, they are in charge of the digital transformation, the node of this revolution.
According to the Business Transformation Consortium, although it is a key position in companies, the Chief Transformation Officer is not very common in organizations, beyond the value they place on Digital Transformation, Cultural Transformation and Continuous Improvement programs.
However, they represent a strategic value for companies and are currently the right arm of the CEO’s management. The WEF report mentioned above states that Digital Transformation could reach u$s 100 trillion by 2025 and it is essential to coordinate actions to optimize resources.
According to Dell, in times of “VUCA”-volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity-many organizations feel like they are on a burning platform, and putting out the fire requires an experienced leader capable of driving a successful transformation.
The CTO profile, therefore, must have certain core characteristics. He or she must strike a balance between short-term improvement and long-term value, have experience in turbulent corporate environments, and inspire employees as role models for the kind of behavior needed to encourage and embed change. The CTO is not the owner of the transformation, but its greatest ambassador.
Their skills include supportive and efficient leadership, systemic vision, flexibility and structuring at the same time and conviction to work in a team and with the whole structure of the company.
But how to become a CTO? Solid experience in change and cross-functional situations and continuous training are key. There are no careers per se that work the role of CTO, but it is recommended to obtain a master’s degree in process management and organizational transformation. Although one of the keys is to specialize in Digital Transformation or Strategic and Technological Management. For them there are master’s degrees in various universities and business schools, such as Universidad de San Andrés, Universidad Tecnológica Nacional (UTN), Universidad Tech School of Business, Universidad Di Tella, ITBA or UCES, just to name a few local alternatives.
A powerful tool for them
Conciliac EDM is the versatile and comprehensive data management platform that has proven to be the best ally for CDOs and CTOs. Ingesting data from different sources, validating its veracity, unifying its formats, extracting information from different types of files, consolidating and reconciling information, are indispensable processes for a correct management of real, true and organized data for the use that the business demands more and more. With a Data Management platform such as Conciliac EDM it is possible to optimize the management of data from different areas and make it automatic, efficient, secure and error-free.
If you want to know more leave us your contact or write us to info@conciliac.com.