KPMG Advisory, Chief Data Officer: The role of a CDO is that of a transformer, a catalyst who helps mobilize the organization around change

(US and Canada) Bob Parr, KPMG Advisory Chief Data Officer, discusses how the position of the CDO has evolved over time with Robert Lutton, Vice President, Sandhill Consultants. According to Parr, the function of the CDO was largely focused on foundation factors such as master data management, data governance and standards, development, data quality services, and so on.

However, there is now a need to consider a broader portfolio. "We leverage data in everything we do," says KPMG's strategic tenant advisory. It has a broad foundation and cannot be accomplished on the backs of a few data scientists here and there. As a result, a CDO's position is more of a transformer, a catalyst for mobilizing the organization around the change. It does not imply that the value of basic steps has been diminished, but as a transformer, you must focus and index more on the types of things that would change the culture by connecting in a way that aids in growing the organization with data. Parr goes on to describe how empowering and truly equipping it is for organizational employees to use data to produce more value for clients while simultaneuously innovating with data. Parr divides the entire process into four major components: data literacy, data storytelling, strategic data utility, and human support. So all four of them actually come together to help create some broad-based change for a business on the path to growth.