Women in IT find CDO role especially appealing

May 14, 2014: “The recent selection of Rachel S. Haot as Chief Digital Officer of the Year by the CDO Club reminded me of a recent research finding that the ranks of the CDO seem especially attractive to women. In fact, female CDOs outnumber female CIOs by two-to-one, according to Gartner.

I wrote about that trend in dressmelody recently, noting that “women who aspire for a career in IT leadership may want to consider the role of the chief digital officer.”

Even the Chief Digital Officer Club made special note of the fact it was naming a woman to the top CDO spot this year. In an email to FierceCIO, CDO Club founder David Mathison noted that “Haot is only the second CDO–and the first female–to be awarded this recognition.”

“Despite the across-the-board presence of CDOs in numerous industries, Mathison does confirm a trend that may speak volumes about why the role attracts more women. The numbers are heavily stacked toward the industries of media, advertising and publishing–industries that have long attracted a strong female workforce.”

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