Many are talking about it, and in the past few weeks I’ve seen some articles about how “Chief Data Officers Are in Trouble” and generally folks like Kyle Winterbottom talk about the identity or branding of the teams from an internal/external recruitment perspective.

Well, the conversations I’ve been having on my podcast, speaking to some people in the data community this week, and listening to clients talk about their challenges, has compelled me to get this opinion piece out there.

So, let me just say it.

The data and analytics (D&A) community is facing an identity crisis and it’s not pretty.

After years of trying to prove their worth, many D&A teams are finding themselves downgraded or absorbed into the CIO/CTO, and some that we have seen, is in the CFO’s remit.

Honestly, it’s no wonder.

The truth of the matter, data teams have spent too much time focusing on technology and too little on delivering real, tangible value. As a result, business leaders are beginning to question whether D&A teams belong at the decision-making table or down in in the back-office dungeon.

How did “bleep” did they get here? Actually, more importantly, how do we start to change the narrative before it’s too late?

For years, the D&A space has been dominated by technology. Many teams have been caught up in the shiny allure of dashboards, data lakes, Lakehouses, and now AI in the form of GenAI. Data teams speak in fork tongue! The spoken work is the language of infrastructure, data models, and systems integration, convincing themselves that mastering the tech would prove their worth. But in doing so, teams have lost sight of what really matters and that is: value.

The fixation on technology has turned D&A into a commodity, something that could easily be shifted to the tech departments without much thought. This is why so many organisations are now collapsing their D&A teams under the CIO, CTO, or CFO, believing that the core of data is no longer a business function, but merely another tool to manage costs and infrastructure. A cost centre, not a profit centre.

Yet, the irony is glaring, because there is much empty talk about “Data is the critical asset for the modern organisation”. It drives insights, unlocks innovation, and when used strategically, fuels competitive advantage. But when was the last time it was communicated in this manner? D&A teams have failed to tie data back their efforts to business outcomes, whether that’s cost savings, revenue growth, or operational efficiency.

This shift in where D&A teams are reporting is more than just a structural change. It signals something much deeper: a lack of belief in the strategic importance of D&A. And if you think this is just a “branding” problem, think again. This crisis runs deeper it’s cultural.

Business leaders are frustrated.

They hear the promises of “data-driven” this and “data-driven” that but see little impact on the bottom line. The general make-up is then painted as D&A teams are just plain old cost centres, and their survival is in jeopardy. It’s no coincidence that many high-profile organisations have begun to reverse the decision to place a Chief Data Officer (CDO) in the C-suite, returning the role under the CIO or even eliminating it altogether.

So where do we go from here? How do we pivot from a tech-first mindset to a value-first strategy?

The D&A community needs to overhaul its narrative. Talking about technology isn’t the right approach, and it’s time to start talking about value creation. This isn’t just a branding problem; I think it is now a culture shift.

1. Speak the Language of Business: As I’ve said in previous paragraphs, too many D&A teams still talk about the tech. They drone on about the number of data sources, the intricacies of pipelines, or the sophistication of AI models. But the C-suite doesn’t care about how data works, they care about what data does. They want to know how data will improve customer experience, drive product innovation, reduce churn, and boost revenue. Start by framing data discussions in terms of ROI, business outcomes, and growth potential. Tie every data initiative back to a business use case that matters to the decision-makers.
2. Align Data Strategy with Business Strategy: How many times do I need to state this, but data should not be a standalone discipline and needs to be integrated into the fabric of the business strategy. If your data strategy doesn’t align with the company’s vision, growth targets, and market strategy, it’s just noise. The D&A community must focus on what matters most to the business and design operating models that deliver on those goals. That means not just focusing on the technology but addressing processes, culture, governance, and business alignment.
3. Focus On Relevant Use Cases: D&A teams often aim for long-term transformations that take years to deliver value. That’s part of the problem. Businesses need to see value quickly, not after a five-year roadmap. One of the best ways to change the narrative is to deliver short-term wins that clearly show the impact of data on the business. Whether it’s improving a customer experience metric, reducing waste, or unlocking new revenue streams, use cases that show near to mid-term value will turn heads and start reshaping perceptions.
4. Become Evangelists for Value, Not Technology: It’s not enough to just do the work, as always, the work needs to be sold! If D&A teams are to reclaim their seat at the table, they need to actively evangelise the value of their efforts. This means communicating with stakeholders, building relationships with business leaders, and framing every conversation around value. It’s time to stop being reactive to data requests and become proactive drivers of business impact.
5. Challenge the Status Quo: Finally, the D&A community needs to challenge the status quo. D&A teams have been placed under the tech umbrella because they have failed to make a case for why they belong elsewhere. It’s time to push back. If the CIO, CTO, or CFO is treating data like a commodity, you need to stand up and explain why that’s a short-sighted view. Data, when used strategically, is far more than an IT function, it’s a critical driver of innovation, growth, and long-term success.

The truth is, it’s both. The branding issue is obvious, D&A teams are seen as a tech function, not a business-critical one. But this branding problem stems from a deeper cultural issue. Too many D&A teams have failed to step up and demonstrate the value they bring to the table. Until they shift the culture to one that values outcomes over outputs, we’ll continue to see D&A teams marginalised.

The D&A community has a choice to make, they can we can continue to focus on the tech, waiting for the rest of the business to ‘get it,’ or take the reins and start driving the conversation toward value. This is about more than survival, it’s about relevance and standing in the world of business. It’s time to reassert the fact that D&A is a critical function within the business, not just a cost centre that can be shifted around like any other IT department. The clock is ticking, and the longer D&A teams wait to fix this identity crisis, the harder it will be to turn the tide.

Now’s the time to change the narrative. Your future depends on it.