A Chief Digital Officer (or CDO) is an officiary responsible for converting traditional "analog" businesses into digital businesses while using online technologies (i.e. digital transformation). The CDO's position is considered a meaningful and prominent position in the organization's top management level. It is usually positioned in the marketing or communication department or in a specifically designated department.
Digital Management is a relatively new field that reinvents itself on the move. During its two decades of existence, the field has gone through a meaningful perceptual change. If at its beginning the main criteria for this position were technical knowledge and information analysis skills, the current requirements are extensive and updated business/marketing knowledge.
In practice, a CDO is a multidisciplinary manager. They deal with content but is also responsible for the technology- the various digital channels through which this content is transferred; they are experts on information, but also must understand internet marketing (critical for extra-organizational content).
A CDO must also possess management skills, the ability to share information, to be open to innovation as well as seek innovation constantly.
Furthermore, the position requires:
An understanding of advertisement- Google, Facebook, and other channels
A comprehension of analytics and analytical abilities
Being goal-oriented
An understanding of the technology at hand and how to import new technologies in order to improve the organization
Project leading and management skills
Supplier management skills
The CDO's areas of responsibility vary and are still developing. They include the following areas:
Designing the organization's digital policy
Responsibility for advertising via the digital channels
Maintaining the organization's digital assets
Operating internet teams
Studying leading tools and platforms
Idea and strategy developing skills beside the ability to implement them
Knowledge of planning, marketing, advertising and quality monitoring methodologies for effective digital management
Nowadays 45% of the global organizations employ a CDO and others are set to doing so in the near future.
Is this position set to take on a more permanent form or will it change substantially? No one knows; only time will tell.
For further reading:
'Hello Chief!'- What is a Chief Digital Officer? By Hadas Gil, ROM Knowledgeware
References:
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