Data Leader reports to the CEO → company cares a lot about data
Data Leader reports to the COO → company cares about data
Data Leader reports to the CIO → company does not care much about data
Data Leader doesn't report to any CxO → company doesn't give a 💩 about data
Someone once said this to me and it made me laugh.
In 5 companies, I saw 5 reporting lines:
- CTO
- CFO
- CEO
- CMO
- CPO
No one knows where the Data Leader belongs.
The truth is: there is no perfect answer.
But there IS a better way to make the decision.
👉 I’m breaking down a practical, 5-criteria framework to confidently answer this one messy question here: https://lnkd.in/gU2HMpuU
Now tell me: Who is leading your data leader and does it work?
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Asad Mumtaz In practice, it works best when the data leader is closest to where decisions are made, not where systems are built. Apr 9 3 likes
KOMAL CHHEDA Agree with the framing but I would add nuance. Reporting line alone does not determine impact. What determines success is whether the data leader owns outcomes like revenue visibility, unit economics, and operational truth in the business. Apr 9 2 likes