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ComputerWorld CIOs say ciao to CAO and CPSO, Rodney Gedda, 25/11/2005

If there weren't already enough three-letter acronyms used to describe the roles of senior management, the business analysts of today will be vying for another - chief analytics officer, or CAO - with a seat on the boards of tomorrow.

The CAO is a highly skilled individual who understands the importance of technology, information, and how the two combine to improve business marketing and performance, according to Marcel van Rooyen, media liaison officer of the Institute of Analytics Professionals of Australia (IAPA).

An advisory manager for consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, Van Rooyen said business analysts are ideal candidates to fill the technology and business "hybrids" role, as reported by Computerworld (October 26, p1), because they have acquired the necessary skills mix.

"In 10 years we will see chief analytics officers on boards bridging the role of the CIO and CMO," Van Rooyen boldly declared. "The core competencies of both will merge to form the CAO because we are the most strategically placed to plug the gap."

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