Can a Data Scientist Become a CEO?

No wonder, data science is one of the most sought-after professions. Someone who is good at playing with numbers has great analytical and critical thinking ability and holds the potential to make the best of data stands a good chance of becoming a data scientist. On following the path of becoming a data scientist, many are keen to know whether they could become a CEO in the long run. Well, with data being the foundation for any business, a data scientist, who holds enough knowledge about it could definitely emerge out as a successful CEO.

Can a data scientist become a CEO?

Having a look at all those data scientists who have become CEOs turns out to be a motivation for the ones who are interested in the field of data and are all set to aim big in life. A point worth noting is that most of the data scientists who have reached the C – suite have become the CEOs of the companies they founded all by themselves. Stepping into the magical world of data opens up doors for data scientists to grab as much knowledge as they can and become one of the most inspiring CEOs across the world.

All those widely recognized CEOs across the globe are a powerhouse of knowledge and they hold the potential to transform data in a manner that can aid in growing the business.

With much drawing inspiration from those CEOs who started off as data scientists, it is important to understand what skills do they possess and how you can inculcate all of this. Needless to say, being exceptionally good in the field of data science is critical but this isn't the only criteria that would enable you to become an inspiring CEO.

• Clear and concise communication is the first step to leave an everlasting impression. When the CEO follows clear and concise communication, it becomes a lot easier to convey the message to others. Only after this, they are inspired to work better and achieve the goals of the organization.
• A CEO should be able to gather ideas, concerns, and feedback from the employees. Such a level of comfort, when maintained, helps in building trust and of course stronger relationships.
• Successful CEOs should make it a point to maintain transparency at the workplace. This is one of the most important points to note because it has been observed that CEOs who fail to maintain transparency pertaining to even the smallest work-related decision has led to the employees questioning their intention.
• A CEO can never sustain if there is no new knowledge gained over the course of time. Since the world of data science is associated with staying updated on a regular basis, a CEO should make it a point to be well versed with all the latest data-related happenings.

Ultimately, what everything boils down to is – in addition to having sound knowledge about data, data science, data analysis and the tools and techniques required to make the best of data, it is important that factors like effective communication, transparency, approachability, etc. are well accounted as well.

Also, the road to CEO becomes way easier if a data scientist targets on becoming a Chief Data Officer (CDO) first. This is because a CDO is one of the most challenging jobs one can think of – A CDO needs to adapt quickly to the changes in the business while maintaining high standards of governance on how data is used. Thus, having an experience of CDO adds value to your career. This further results in a relatively easy path to becoming a CEO.