(US and Canada) Sreeram Potukuchi, Director of Enterprise Data at Republic Services, speaks with Eleanor Treharne-Jones, Kensu CEO, in a video interview about a Chief Data Officer’s role and background, data literacy, the integration of data and analytics, and the skills future CDOs will require.

Potukuchi says that a Chief Data Officer is responsible for an organization’s data strategy, policy, and procedures and for protecting core data assets. Regarding his background, Potukuchi says that he started on the technical side as a database developer and eventually moved to the business-facing side.

He elaborates that today’s CDO is more of a business leader because all data initiatives are intended to drive business outcomes and create value.

As Potukuchi points out, data and analytics roles are intertwined and are being combined. This is in addition to the emphasis on driving value, aligning data strategy with business strategy, and serving as change agents in driving data culture and literacy across organizations.

According to Potukuchi, driving data literacy is a work in progress for everyone. He defined data literacy, paired it with self-service, and began co-creating data solutions with partners. He says that a byproduct of the co-creation model was data literacy. It was very intentional, Potukuchi adds.

When asked about the must-have skillset for future CDOs, Potukuchi says future CDOs are business leaders with a good understanding of data strategy. He concludes that they will require a far better understanding of what creates business value through data initiatives.

CDO Magazine appreciates Sreeram Potukuchi for sharing his insights and data success stories with our global community.