When I first stepped into the role of leading a data management practice, I realized something quickly: Success had little to do with frameworks, tools, or even talent, at least not initially. It had everything to do with mindset, especially at the top.

Too often, data leaders are handed the responsibility of fixing the data problem or building the data strategy, but without the necessary buy-in from leadership. And without that alignment early on, even the best-laid plans start to wobble.

So, how does a Chief Data Officer (CDO) win hearts and minds in the early stages of the journey?

Through influence. Authentic, intentional, business-grounded influence.

1. Talk outcomes, not just data

Executives are not asking for a glossary or a lineage tool. They are looking for better decisions, faster reports, improved risk visibility, and happier customers. And rightly so.

As CDOs, we need to translate our goals into their language. It’s not about saying, We need a data governance framework. It’s about showing how that framework helps reduce regulatory exposure, enables faster product launches, or improves cost transparency.

The biggest barrier is not data policy, it’s perception. Executives fear cost; analysts fear extra work. Your job is to translate governance into “what’s in it for me.”

What works:

Create persona-based messaging: What governance means for a risk officer vs. a marketing analyst.

Showcase quick wins. For example,

• “Because of this business data quality rule, we eliminated 12 hours of data reconciliation.”
• “Because the right, trusted data source was curated and maintained by accountable data stewards, analysts were able to discover the data in just 2 hours — a task that previously took days and involved chasing multiple teams. Governance didn’t just speed up access; it empowered confident decision-making with clarity and accountability.”

That’s when leadership starts leaning in.

2. Co-create, don’t just communicate

One of the biggest shifts I made early on was inviting business leaders into the data strategy process. Not as stakeholders, but as co-owners. I’d ask, “What’s not working for you today because of data?”

That opened up conversations about broken reports, misaligned metrics, and manual processes. Suddenly, the strategy wasn’t mine, it was ours.

And when leaders feel seen and heard, their support becomes active, not passive.

3. Start small, show impact fast

Early momentum is everything. I made it a point to pick a few targeted use cases, nothing fancy. One was around streamlining a manual reconciliation process that had always caused friction between finance and ops. Fixing that with trusted, automated data became a huge credibility booster.

To make data trustworthy, start by embedding clear business definitions and applying automated data quality rules at the source. Then, reinforce that trust with transparent lineage and consistent validation across systems.

Quick wins like that help build the internal brand of the data office. You become the team that delivers, not the team that talks in acronyms.

4. Make trust the North Star

Let’s be honest, most leadership hesitation around data comes down to one thing: Trust. “I don’t believe this number.” “That report doesn’t match what I see.” “Let’s double-check that with Excel.”

Our job as CDOs is to restore trust through quality, governance, and transparency. And we need to frame that work not as control or compliance, but as confidence. Confidence in decisions. Confidence in outcomes.

5. Keep the conversation strategic

It’s easy to get pulled into the weeds: Data dictionaries, ownership matrices, stewardship roles. And yes, those are important. But the real value of data lies in transformation.

I kept bringing the conversation back to the bigger picture: How will this data foundation enable real-time risk insights? How will it prepare us for AI adoption? How does it tie to our customer strategy?

If we keep thinking small, we’ll stay small. Vision creates gravity.

6. Bridge the worlds of tech and business

A lot of what we do as CDOs is translation, turning technical capabilities into business value, and business challenges into data opportunities.

That’s where influence lives in the ability to speak both languages and to help others see the connections they might not otherwise make.

7. Build a culture, not just a capability

Finally, influencing the leadership is only the start. To truly embed data into the DNA of the organization, we need to build a culture where curiosity is encouraged, ownership is shared, and decisions are backed by data.

When a senior leader asks in a meeting, “Do we trust this number?” and the answer is a confident “Yes,” you know the culture is shifting.

Conclusion

Influence is not about big speeches or grand strategies. It’s about presence, clarity, and persistence. As CDOs, we must lead with empathy, align with purpose, and speak the language of the business because that’s where real change begins.

The early stages of a data journey can be foggy and full of doubt. But with the right influence, we don’t just light the path we inspire others to walk it with us.

About the author:

Gopi Maren is a UAE-based data management and governance professional with over 15+ years of experience driving enterprise-wide data initiatives across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific. His expertise spans data governance, quality, privacy, and regulatory compliance, particularly within the financial services and government-linked sectors. Maren is passionate about enabling data-driven cultures by operationalizing metadata-led governance frameworks, promoting business-aligned data stewardship, and advancing data literacy across all levels of the organization.

Throughout his career, he has helped organizations realize tangible business value from their data by improving trust, transparency, and accountability across data ecosystems. Maren is also a frequent contributor to regional data forums and thought leadership platforms, where he advocates for responsible data practices that balance innovation with regulatory integrity. With a strong belief in simplicity, sustainability, and stakeholder collaboration, Maren continues to champion the role of data as a strategic asset in organizational growth.