(US & Canada) VIDEO | CDOs Can Be From All Backgrounds But Business Acumen Is a Must-have — Artera Services CDAO

Balaram Krishna Tidhi, Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Artera Services, speaks with Michael C Fillios, Founder and CEO of IT Ally and CDO Magazine Editorial Board Member, in a video interview about the multifaceted CDO role and its requirements, who should consider a CDO career, and how the improvement in hardware-software, computing, and Generative AI have a game-changing impact.

At the onset, Tidhi asserts that the CDO is a multifaceted role and securing it is challenging as those occupying this position possess different backgrounds. In addition to technical knowledge, the role encompasses change management and being creative to stay relevant with changing technologies.

Further, having broad business acumen to be in alignment with business objectives, is critical for a CDO role, says Tidhi.  Next, he mentions understanding financial metrics, and also possessing negotiation, communication, and leadership skills, to be successful in a CDO role.

To stay relevant, Tidhi practices speed reading. He follows professionals on X (formerly Twitter) and listens to podcasts such as Super Data Science and Data Chief. Additionally, he is building a list of people and places to stay up to date while also sharing insightful podcasts and blogs.

Moving forward, Tidhi suggests that it depends on where someone is in the career path when considering a CDO role — it is open to anyone, regardless of background. He notes that data is the common denominator in any business, and the individual must have the intent to make an impact with business and data.

If someone is on the technical track, Tidhi recommends that they become familiar with tools like SQL, Python, and cloud computing. This, combined with Kaggle datasets and other material will provide them with the necessary knowledge to pursue the position, he adds.

Furthermore, he highlights that the hardware and software improvements, combination of computing power, generative AI, and open source are game-changing. Tidhi finds the developments in open source, especially in the foundation models, to be phenomenal, referring to an open-source server mixing hardware and software. He notes that knowing how to build the foundation models with fewer parameters is astonishing.

However, he is excited to explore the many possibilities of applying generative AI to the project management area. Tidhi reveals that Artera is currently experimenting with a model that would allow a project manager to type in a project number and have a chatbot conversation, giving three or four remediations for any risks associated with the project.

In conclusion, he also mentions the possibility of using weather and ERP data to provide project managers with quick inputs.

CDO magazine appreciates Balaram Krishna Tidhi for sharing valuable insights and data success stories with our global community.