Each year, Informatica’s CDO Awards spotlight the state of the art in enterprise data and AI leadership. Now in its fourth year, the initiative continues to recognize Chief Data Officers (CDOs) and Chief Data & Analytics Officers (CDAOs) who are transforming how organizations operate — embedding trust, advancing responsible AI, and unlocking enterprise-wide value through data.

In this conversation, Jim Kruger, Chief Marketing Officer at Informatica, sits down with Robert Lutton, VP of Sales and Marketing at Sandhill Consultants, to discuss how the awards have evolved, what defines a winning leader today, and why AI readiness starts long before an algorithm is deployed.

The evolving profile of a winning CDO

Speaking of how the profile of award-winning CDOs has evolved since the program’s inception, Kruger highlights a clear trend: today’s leaders are not just modernizing infrastructure, they are redefining the relationship between data, AI, and value creation.

“The focus is leveraging AI and agents across the entire enterprise,” Kruger explains. “Those who are most successful are getting their data in order first for AI. They’re reskilling their teams, focusing on the convergence of data and AI governance, and uncovering new use cases across the organization.”

According to Kruger, even as many enterprises appear modernized, significant work continues behind the scenes to transition to cloud-first infrastructures and scalable governance models.

“We’re seeing a shift from managing or containing risks to now making data available for value creation across the enterprise,” he adds. “Of course, with AI pilots, there’s complexity, bias, stakeholder buy-in, and the need for measurable ROI. The CDOs that succeed are those navigating all of it with precision.”

The selection process

Sharing how the Informatica CDO Awards is built, Kruger describes a detailed nomination and judging framework designed to recognize measurable excellence.

“We start with four key categories: Generative AI Visionaries, Performance Optimizers, Literacy Luminaries, and Data Strategy Gurus,” he says. “Of course, there’s some overlap in criteria, but the focus remains on excellence, leadership, and results.”

Nominations are sourced from Informatica’s front-line teams — across sales, product, and customer experience — who have a first-hand view of enterprise transformation in action. These teams identify innovators driving measurable business outcomes through data and AI.

“We spend a lot of time evaluating and making sure we’re putting the right rigor into understanding the success these companies and CDOs are achieving,” Kruger notes.

Generative AI Visionaries

Among the four categories, Generative AI Visionaries has quickly become the most watched. Kruger credits this to the way AI is reshaping both the data landscape and executive collaboration.

“This has been the most exciting category to watch unfold,” he says. “At Informatica, we often say, ‘Everybody’s ready for AI — except your data.’ That statement resonates deeply with our customers.”

Winners in this category tend to demonstrate not just technical excellence, but also organizational maturity and alignment.

“Those organizations that integrate their C-level stakeholders around a common purpose, generating business value while preparing their people, processes, and technology, are the ones that stand out,” Kruger emphasizes.

The awards honor CDOs who can tie AI use cases directly to company strategy, moving from pilot projects to scaled production environments while continuously upskilling their teams.

“The CDOs furthest ahead are operationalizing AI with confidence and trust. They’re the ones outpacing the competition,” Kruger concludes.