Building Collibra's data office with Stijn Christiaens

As companies grow and their market expands, their systems and processes become more complex. Managing data assets can be overwhelming without proper knowledge, organization, and mastery. This is where the concept of a data office comes in handy. In a time when data is more valuable than ever, it is imperative that a company understands how to make it work for them.

It might be time for you to consider forming a data office within your company, particularly if your company: is in a position of rapid growth, onboards employees daily, is expanding their market, and/or deals with systems and processes that may be out of date.

In this episode, Stijn Christiaens, Founder and Chief Data Citizen at Collibra, joins us to discuss the importance of handling data and starting a data office. He explains what inspired him to begin creating the data office within Collibra, and how this concept may pave the way for future companies. 

Tune in to the episode to further understand how to build a data office for your business. 

Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode: 

1. Understand the importance of data in a growing company. 
2. Identify if your company needs to build its own data office.
3. Learn from Collibra’s journey of building a data office.

Jay Militscher: “It meant to me that data and facts inform whatever point you’re making at the moment. Are you making a recommendation to buy something? Where’s the chart? Meaning data, to back up that decision. Are you delivering a critique on something? Again, where’s the data to back up an otherwise subjective opinion.”

Episode Highlights

[07:47] More People Means More Data

• Collibra experienced rapid growth in its company, onboarding more people than the system could handle.
• As more people filter into the company, more data is added to the system.
• This increase in staff also implies an increase in customer interactions. 

[08:19] An Expanding Market

• For Collibra, rapid internal growth meant growth in the market. 
• They needed to streamline their transition from data governance to data intelligence.
• Stijn believes that the growth in people and in the market means growth in data, which needs to be mastered.

Stijn Christiaens: “And, in that sense, we also said, okay, if we set up a data office now because we need it, right? Because systems and processes will also have the added benefits if we do this right to continue to lead our customers. And then you start to experience, really, also what some of your customers experience, right?” 

[09:58] Leading the Way

• Stijn took on the challenge of accepting the new role of becoming the “data boss” to lead the way not only for Collibra but for future organizations. 
• “Data Office 2025” is realized by Stijn and his team for future organizations that will face similar challenges as Collibra is experiencing. 
• This includes dealing with new data technology and new tools for data stakeholders across the business.

Stijn Christiaens: “All organizations, over time, we need to get better at mastering data assets. So all organizations, just like they have a chief financial officer. They will have a data boss or somebody responsible for data and maybe a data office just like their finance and HR, let’s say. So, we saw a trend, and then we said, okay, we can actually do this.”

About Stijn

Stijn Christiaens is the co-founder and current chief data officer at Collibra. He’s been involved with the company for 15 years and spearheaded the creation of the data office for Collibra.

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