CDO Magazine is proud to unveil the 40 Under 40 Data Leaders 2025, a celebration of outstanding young professionals who are reshaping what modern data transformation looks like. This cohort of rising executives represents a new wave of leadership: bold, technically fluent, execution-oriented, and deeply committed to building organizations where data and AI create real, measurable value.

This year’s honorees come from Boston, New York, and Washington, DC, to Paris, Melbourne, and Manchester, and from Atlanta, North Carolina, and Toronto to Chicago, Dallas, and Los Angeles, among many others.

Chosen from one of the most competitive nomination pools to date, the 2025 lineup showcases emerging leaders who are advancing enterprise data strategy, elevating AI maturity, and modernizing decision-making at scale. Their contributions span every dimension of today’s data landscape: from building trusted, high-performance architectures to operationalizing AI and machine learning, driving digital transformation, and strengthening data and AI literacy across their organizations.

These individuals are not just experts in analytics, engineering, governance, modeling, or innovation. They are change agents who bridge business and technology, guide teams through complexity, and champion inclusive, knowledge-driven data cultures.

This year’s honorees represent a wide spectrum of global industries, including:

• Banking and Financial Services
• Healthcare and Life Sciences
• Government and Public Sector
• Consumer Goods and Retail
• Aerospace and Defense
• Insurance
• Transportation and Logistics
• Energy and Utilities
• Food and Beverage
• Chemicals and Manufacturing
• Luxury and Fashion
• Hospitality and Restaurants

Their work reflects the expanding influence of data leadership across every sector of the economy.

A class defined by vision, impact, and momentum

The 40 Under 40 Data Leaders 2025 have demonstrated an uncommon ability to transform strategy into real-world results. They are advancing GenAI and agentic systems, building scalable data platforms, enabling frontline decision intelligence, and crafting governance models that build trust without slowing innovation.

Each honoree exemplifies the leadership required for the next chapter of enterprise data: multidisciplinary thinking, operational excellence, and a future-focused mindset grounded in responsible innovation.

“The leaders on this year’s 40 Under 40 List embody the creativity, discipline, and ambition that define the future of data and AI leadership. They are not only delivering impressive technical outcomes; they are shaping cultures that understand, value, and use data to its fullest potential. Their impact is visible today, and their influence will define the next decade of data and AI leadership,” says Molly Baab, CDO Magazine Chief Operating Officer.