Part 4. The executive: Inspiring an industry

Successful DS executives and distinguished data scientists exude influence beyond their companies. They do this by producing highly valued accomplishments to demonstrate DS’s impact and inspire their industry. They operate with a sense of calm confidence with their executive presence, which leads to thoughtful and timely planning and actions, centered on bringing out the best from those in their organizations.

The executive leading DS may have a title such as chief data scientist, chief data officer, or VP of data. Sometimes, the DS team reports to the chief technology officer, chief financial officer, or chief risk officer. Individual contributor executives often have a title such as distinguished data scientist or DS fellow. Regardless of the reporting structure, a DS executive or a distinguished data scientist should be aware of an executive’s attributes and practices to make the DS function successful.

The capabilities of an executive who is leading DS encompass responsibilities both inside and outside a company. This scope is broader than that of a director, which is primarily to govern the DS function within a company.