• 3 are official (titled) CDOs
• 2 perform the CDO role but their organisation doesn't use the title
• 6 are from financial services
• 2 are from telecoms & media
• The remainder cover digital transport, retail, scientific research and consumer goods

The first key question asked was:

"Why did you decide to get involved as a speaker in the Chief Data Officer Forum Africa?"

The 3 most insightful responses to this question were:

1."This is a good opportunity to connect with like minded individuals and exchange insights. It is also an opportunity to shape the local industry that is still growing in data maturity" - Magan Naidoo, Group Data Manager, Dimension Data

2."To share my experiences and learnings with the wider community of data change agents as well as gain new learnings from others" - Yasaman Hadjibashi, Chief Data Officer, Barclays Africa

3."The CDO Forum is a great platform to engage with individuals from different spheres who have a vested interest in the effective management of data as an asset. Also, I will be exposed to various challenges experienced within other sectors and use this opportunity to measure our data maturity against other organisations" - Kaizer Manasoe, Data Governance Specialist, Standard Bank

The next question is probably the most important as it demonstrates the attitude towards the CDO role.

"How would you describe your company's view of the CDO role?"

• 48% of those surveyed said "My company is aware of the role but is not actively working towards creating one."
• 22% said "I am one so the companies sees value in the role."
• 15% said "Effectively I am one but my company doesn't use the title."
• 15% said "My company is aware of the role and is actively working towards creating one."

I was keen to know why South African companies weren't actively working towards having a CDO especially since they are aware of the role.

"If you're company is not working toward having a CDO, why?"

• 2 of the 6 (who gave this answer) said "Data & analytics is not mature enough yet."
• 2 of the 6 said "Can't figure where to place the role in the organisation"
• 1 said "Don't use or believe in using the C-title outside of traditional roles"
• 1 said "No understanding of exactly what a CDO would do"

I'm willing to bet that of the 100+ people that have registered for the event, the majority would have very similar answers to the speakers. The objective of the event is help companies overcome the barriers to having a CDO through information sharing.

The next question delved into where the speakers were applying most of their focus.

"What is your biggest focus when it comes to data and/or analytics?"

Speakers could choose multiple answers to this question. Results were:

• "Building a culture of data centricity across the whole organisation" came up 11 times
• "Monetising data through analytics and insights" came up 7 times
• "Improving the quality of data across the organisation" came up 6 times
• "Embedding robust data management and governance frameworks" came up 6 times

Other than building a data centric culture, each focus area is dependent on technology investments.

"What are the biggest technology investments you expect to make in the next 12 to 18 months?"

Like the previous question, respondents could select multiple answers.

• "Predictive analytics, advanced analytics and big data" came up 12 times
• "Data governance, data quality and data management" came up 10 times
• "ETL & data warehousing" came up 4 times
• "Data visualisation" came up 3 times
• "Data security, data breach" and "Consulting services" came up once each

Clearly, these companies are getting their data in order to drive business performance through analytics and insights.

The good news is Corinium is launching the Chief Analytics Officer Forum Africa in September 2016.

The second to last question was used to get insight into what needs to happen to drive the growth of CDOs.

"What do you think will drive the proliferation of CDOs in South Africa?"

The 3 most insightful responses were:

1. "Increased awareness and appreciation of having accountability at the C- level by an appropriately experienced person. Pressure to manage data related costs and leverage data as an asset" - Magan Naidoo, Group Data Manager, Dimension Data
2. "Pressure and results from big corporates that have shown the value in what a CDO can bring to the table. Companies will soon learn that the traditional CIO role does not give you a competitve advantage in the market" - Morne van der Westhuizen, Head of Data Analytics, Zoona

3. "The increasing data management and governance challenges presented by the advent of Big data and Analytics; The ongoing challenge that most CIOs face for not having the capacity to focus on data" - Junior Muka, Data Architect - Business Intelligence, Woolworths
Finally, I wanted to know what each speaker hopes to get out of their conference experience.

"What do you hope to get out of the event? What take-aways are you looking for?"

I have chosen these 3 responses although all were insightful:

1. "Exciting new connections from across Africa and learning from new as well as aspiring data leaders, who want to make a material difference for their companies, customers, and the African continent" -  Yasaman Hadjibashi, Chief Data Officer, Barclays Africa

2. "Because data and information as a valuable asset is a growing realisation in Africa, the opportunity to network with others dealing with the same challenges and difficulties will give us comfort that we are headed in the right direction" - PJ Bezuidenhout, Chief Data Officer, Wesbank

3. "Improved definition and shared understanding of the role and responsibilities of a CDO; Practical ways for growing toward such a role and influencing your organization to actively work toward creating such a role" - Junior Muka, Data Architect - Business Intelligence, Woolworths

Once all speakers and delegates have been surveyed, we will publish a detailed report on the South Africa CDO environment. Clearly, there is a lot of activity in this space and some deep thinking. All that is needed now is a concerted effort to push the value of data, analytics and leadership roles up the corporate ladder.

Think about how much insight there is to be gained by spending up to 4 days with over 100 data and analytics leaders if 13 surveyed speakers generated this post.

By Craig Steward: 

Craig Steward is the Content Director for Corinium’s CDO and CAO Forums in Africa. His research is uncovering the challenges and opportunities that exist for CDOs and CAOs and the Forums will bring the market together to map the way forward for these important roles. For more information contact Craig on craig.steward@coriniumintelligence.com