Biennial study uncovers expanding role of the CDO and wider establishment of data management across industries worldwide

(US and Canada) EDM Council, the cross-industry trade association for data management, has released its 2023 Global Data Management Benchmark Report, indicating the importance of Chief Data Officers across industries and the growth of data management as a formal discipline within organizations.

The 2023 Benchmark Report’s data revealed the growing strategic significance of the Chief Data Officer role and the practice of data management, specifically that:

• 65% of respondents stated their firm has formally appointed a Chief Data Officer or Chief Data Executive, up from 60% in 2020.
• 86% of finance industry CDOs now report to the C-Suite, increasing from 72% in 2020.
• 80% Data Executives in non-financial markets report to the C-Suite, with 20% of those reporting directly to the CEO.

“In my 30+ years as a data executive, the scope of responsibilities has expanded considerably, but especially so in the last few years,” says John Bottega, President, EDM Council. “This year’s Benchmark Report shows Data Executives, and the data management function as a whole, taking on a much greater strategic role as they help to define not only their firm’s data management vision but also their analytics, AI/ML, ESG and sustainability data direction.”

This fourth edition of the Benchmark Report saw a three-fold increase in overall participation, plus responses from more industries, with 58% of responses coming from non-financial companies, a 27% increase from the 2020 survey. The Benchmark studies use DCAM (Data Management Capability Assessment Model), which outlines best practices for data programs, as the framework to assess how the profession as a whole has progressed its data management program agenda.

Survey participants indicate that 80% have data governance programs in progress or already established. The Report also highlights the critical role of responsible, ethical management of the public’s data but the need for improvement, with only 62% of respondents indicating the establishment or progress of sustainable data analytic governance programs, although this has increased from 51% in 2020. The topic of data literacy as a crucial element of a strong data-driven culture is also represented in the analysis as key factors of a firm’s overall success.

Download the Report.

About EDM Council

EDM Council is the global association created to elevate the practice of data management and analytics as a business and operational priority. The Council is the leading, global advocate for the development and implementation of data standards, best practices and comprehensive training and certification programs. With over 350 member global organizations from the Americas, EMEA and Asia, and over 15,000 data management professionals as members, EDM Council provides a venue for data professionals to interact, communicate, and collaborate on the challenges and advances in data management and analytics as critical organizational functions. For more, visit https://edmcouncil.org/.