In today’s digital-first economy, the Chief Data and Analytics Officer (CDO/CDAO) has emerged as a pivotal member of the C-suite, tasked with harnessing the power of data to drive innovation, efficiency, and competitive advantage. However, the actual impact of a CDO is realized not in isolation, but through deep, ongoing collaboration with fellow C-suite executives. This article explores how CDOs can work effectively with their C-suite peers to break down silos, align priorities, and deliver measurable business value.

The expanding role of the CDO

The CDO is responsible for leading all data and analytics efforts within an organization, setting the vision for how data is gathered, stored, and transformed into actionable intelligence. This role encompasses the responsibilities of the Chief Data Officer (CDO), who focuses on data management and governance, and the Chief Analytics Officer (CAO), who drives data transformation into business insights.

By uniting these functions, the CDO ensures a holistic approach to data strategy, enabling organizations to capitalize on big data opportunities, create new products, and minimize risk in data-driven initiatives. As per Gartner, managing the data and analytics (D&A) strategy (74%) and overseeing D&A governance (68%) remain top responsibilities for CDOs. Accountability for AI is also becoming a core part of their role. Notably, 49% of CDOs now identify generative AI (GenAI) as part of their primary responsibilities. Overall, AI falls within the scope for 58% of CDOs — up significantly from just 34% in 2023.

But the CDO’s remit goes beyond technology and analytics. As a core executive team member, a CDO must lead cultural changes, foster data literacy, and inspire the organization to embrace data-driven decision-making. This leadership is most effective when it is collaborative, when the CDO works with other C-suite leaders to embed data and analytics into the business fabric.

Why CDO collaboration with the C-Suite matters

If “cloud strategy, security, and architecture” is a top priority for Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), and “creating a cloud or hybrid data strategy” is a key focus for CDOs, how can they collaborate and align their efforts by referencing each other’s goals within their respective strategic plans?

One of the recurring pitfalls has been the development of siloed departmental strategies — executives must now move beyond these divisions to drive cohesive, enterprise-wide success. When each department pursues its objectives without reference to others, opportunities for synergy are lost, and efforts may even conflict.

CDOs’ cross-functional mandate positions them uniquely to break down these barriers. By collaborating with the CEO, CIO, CFO, CHRO, CISO, and others, the CDO can:

• Align data initiatives with business goals: By understanding and referencing the priorities of other departments, the CDO ensures that data and analytics efforts directly support enterprise objectives, from revenue growth to improved employee experience.
• Drive stakeholder buy-in: Collaboration builds trust and buy-in for data initiatives, making it easier to secure resources, implement new technologies, and drive cultural change.
• Enhance data governance and compliance: Working closely with the CISO and Chief Privacy Officer (CPO), the CDO can balance the drive for data-driven growth with requirements for security, privacy, and regulatory compliance.
• Foster innovation and agility: Multidisciplinary collaboration encourages creative problem-solving and enables organizations to adapt quickly to new trends, technologies, and market demands.

6 Best practices for CDO-C-Suite collaboration

1. Cross-pollinate priorities

CDOs should actively reference and integrate the priorities of other C-suite leaders into their strategies. For example, if the CHRO is focused on employee experience, the CDO can demonstrate how better data tools and analytics can enhance workforce engagement and productivity. Similarly, aligning with the CIO on cloud strategy or with the CFO on cost optimization creates shared accountability and amplifies business impact.

2. Build bridges by understanding challenges

Effective collaboration starts with empathy. CDOs should invest time in understanding the unique challenges faced by their peers, be it CISOs’ concerns over security, the CFO’s focus on ROI, or the COO’s drive for operational efficiency. By identifying where data and analytics can help address these challenges, the CDO becomes a valued partner rather than a siloed function.

3. Illuminate interdepartmental dependencies

When communicating strategy, CDOs should clearly articulate how their success depends on and contributes to the success of other departments. By making these dependencies explicit, CDOs foster a sense of shared ownership and accountability across the executive team. As Gartner recommends, this should be a continuous cycle: prioritize high-value data use cases, deliver measurable outcomes, and communicate success to reinforce buy-in.

4. Foster a data-literate culture

Collaboration is not just about the C-suit; it’s about cascading a data-driven mindset throughout the organization. CDOs should work with HR, IT, and business leaders to build multidisciplinary teams, promote data literacy, and encourage employees at all levels to engage with data. This cultural shift is essential for maximizing the value of data assets.

5. Leverage technology to break down silos

Adopting secure data collaboration platforms can facilitate data sharing across departments, reducing silos and enabling richer insights. CDOs should partner with the CIO and CTO to ensure the technological infrastructure supports agile, scalable data strategies.

6. Balance growth with risk

CDOs, CISOs, and CPOs must work together to ensure that data-driven growth does not come at the expense of security, privacy, or compliance. CDOs can jointly identify technologies and processes that enable innovation while managing risk by viewing the CISO as a key partner- and sometimes even as a “customer” of the data function.

The evolving power structure: CDO as strategic partner

As organizations become increasingly data-driven, the CDO’s influence within the C-suite is set to grow. Some experts even argue that the CDO should be a primary strategic partner to the CEO, shaping business strategy alongside the chief strategy officer or head of business development. This shift reflects the recognition that data and analytics are no longer support functions, but core drivers of business value and innovation.

A CDO should be seen as the chief source of partnership – the data ecosystem is the source of partnership and innovation. As CEO, I would like my CDO to monetize on data, so he had better generate revenue. I do not see this role as a traditional role in managing data and systems, but rather as responsible for creating new data services that I can sell and make money for the company.

Conclusion: The collaborative CDO as a catalyst for change

The future belongs to organizations that can unlock the full value of their data assets. This requires more than technical expertise; it demands a CDO to collaborate across the C-suite, align data strategy with business objectives, and lead cultural transformation. By breaking down silos, fostering trust, and building multidisciplinary teams, the collaborative CDO becomes a catalyst for sustainable growth, innovation, and competitive advantage.

In summary, the CDO’s success is inseparable from its ability to work with its C-suite peers. Together, it can turn data into a strategic asset that powers the next wave of business transformation.

*Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are those of the authors and not of the organizations they represent.

About the Authors:

Partha Anbil is at the intersection of the Life Sciences industry and Data and Analytics, including genAI/ML/NLP. He is a Senior Advisor to NextGen Invent Corporation, NY, an AI, Data Analytics, and digital transformation company. He has over twenty-five years of experience in the industry and was recently the Chief Data and Analytics AI Officer at IBM’s HCLS Integrated Accounts. Before IBM, he held senior leadership roles at Booz & Company (now PwC Strategy&), Wolters Kluwer Pharma Solutions (now Symphony), IMS Health Management Consulting (now IQVIA), KPMG Consulting, and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) LLP.

Anbil has consulted and counseled life science clients in structuring solutions for strategic, operational, and organizational challenges and issues. He has advised clients on different Clinical, R&D, and Commercial strategies based on Market, Product, and Company Characteristics and Regulatory Environments.

Deepak Mittal, MBA, M.S., chairs the Supply Chain Committee of CBSACNY and is a contributing author to industry thought leadership. He is an accomplished serial entrepreneur with a proven product, AI, and data Strategy track record. He is experienced in transforming an organization into an insight-driven, AI-enabled organization. Currently, Mittal holds the Founder and CEO position of NextGen Invent Corporation. During his career, he has served as a member of the Board of Directors of many companies, including the Columbia Business School Alum Club of NY, CMR Institute, D4DT, Optym, and Launch Right Now. He is a strategic advisor for various organizations that grew from small start-ups to unicorns and had successful exits.