CDO Numbers Continue Annual Trend of Doubling as Number Reaches 500 in 2013

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blue expanding arrowsNew data from the CDO Club has revealed that the number of Chief Digital Officers doubled in 2013 with ranks rising to 500, continuing a trend of doubling each year. The organization predicts that the number of global CDOs will again double in 2014. CDO Club Founder David Mathison revealed a talent map that included the following statistics on CDOs in 2013:

• Salaries for CDOs ranged from $250,000 to $750,000.

• 81 percent of CDOs are male, 90 percent are Caucasian, and 98 percent are between the ages of 30 and 59.

• The advertising sector is composed of the largest number of all CDOs with 36 percent, followed by media (18 percent), publishing (13 percent), nonprofit (10 percent), financial (8 percent), retail (7 percent), and public relations (3 percent).

• North America made up a declining share of global CDOs sitting at 68 percent in 2013, down from 88 percent in 2012), followed by Europe (23 percent), Asia (6 percent), MEA (2 percent), and South America (1 percent).

• 60 percent of CDOs in the advertising sector were previously CEOs, presidents, GMs, or managing directors.

• 30 percent of CDOs in the media sector were previously CEOs, presidents, GMs, or managing directors.

“The Harvard Business Review reported that only nine companies—less than 2%—of the Fortune 500 have boards that are considered to be ‘highly digital.’ Great Britain’s boards also suffer from a digital deficit: Only three companies on the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 have three or more tech-savvy board members,” Mathison said. “If your board is looking for a digital Director—and it should be—the CDO Club is a great place to start your search.”

 

By Joshua Bjerke