VIDEO | Truist CDO: A Financial Services CDO Is Well-Steeped in Defense

(US and Canada) Tracy Daniels, Truist Chief Data Officer, speaks with Robert Lutton, Sandhill Consultants Vice President, in a video interview about her role at Truist and the evolution of the CDO role.

Daniels says the scale of the business, the problems, and the touch with clients attracted her to the financial services industry. She started her career in infrastructure, eventually moving through project and program management, change management, and data.

Regarding the evolution of the CDO’s role, Daniels says that a financial services CDO is well-steeped in defense from a regulatory and compliance perspective. With two banks merging to create Truist, the defense had to be laid down appropriately, she adds. Daniels’ team started by harmonizing the governance structures between the two banks while partnering with all parts of the businesses. Simultaneously, the team paid attention to the business needs.

Elaborating further, she notes there are more CDOs across industries today. Daniels adds, however, there is a lot of variation in what CDO roles entail. Her role involves governance, architectural principles, and delivery.

She explains that the job is not just to conceptualize but deliver on behalf of teammates. Daniels also mentions that the CDO role is more tightly coupled with the service or analytics product the organization is trying to produce.

Another essential responsibility Daniels highlights is the culture, which she says is not just about educating people about data but acting as influencers and bringing together ideas.

CDO Magazine appreciates Tracy Daniels for sharing her insights and data success stories with our global community.