The CFO’s Guide to Data Valuation That Gets Boardroom Buy-In

If data’s an asset, why are you pitching it as infrastructure?

For all the hype around data, most boardrooms still don’t know how to talk about it.

You hear terms like "data is the new oil" or "data-driven growth," but when it comes to actually articulating the value of data in a way that moves the needle on strategic decisions, things tend to get vague. Fast.

That’s a problem. Because data isn’t just a technical asset - it’s a financial one. And unless CFOs, CTOs and senior leaders can present it that way, it risks being overlooked in critical conversations around investment, growth, risk and valuation.

The Language Barrier

One of the biggest challenges in board-level conversations is translation.

Technical teams speak in terms of platforms, pipelines and governance. Finance teams speak in numbers. Boards speak in risk, opportunity and strategic narrative.

If you’re the CTO, CDO or even the CFO tasked with making the case for data as an asset, the key is bridging that gap.

You need to frame data valuation in terms the board recognises: impact on enterprise value, implications for M&A, visibility in financial reporting, risk exposure, and investor expectations.

Start With Strategic Relevance

Don’t lead with infrastructure. Lead with impact.

How is your data supporting product development, enabling commercial partnerships, accelerating time to market or improving customer retention? Better still, what would it cost you to lose that capability? These are conversations that get attention.

Boards don’t want a technical audit, they want to know what makes the business more valuable. Data, when presented correctly, does exactly that.

Quantify Where You Can

Narratives are good. Numbers are better.

Data valuation gives you a way to turn a strategic narrative into something measurable. You can quantify:

The cost of generating or acquiring data, the revenue it enables (directly or indirectly), Its commercial potential via licensing or partnerships and the market comparables for similar datasets.

These aren't just figures - they’re tools to align your data story with the metrics the board already uses to make decisions.

Tie It to Risk and Regulation

If value doesn't grab attention, risk will.

Whether it’s compliance (GDPR, ICO enforcement, sector-specific data mandates) or operational exposure (loss of access, poor data governance), your board wants to understand the downside.

Data valuation helps you quantify the financial implications of data loss, misuse or underutilisation, and that makes it real. It shifts data from “tech issue” to board-level risk.

Anchor It in Competitive Advantage

Boards care deeply about differentiation. If your data helps you understand your customers better than anyone else, operate faster, price more effectively or develop new IP - it’s worth something. Possibly a lot.

Framing data in this way shows you understand not just what the asset is, but why it matters commercially.

Where This Conversation Is Headed

Talking about data in the boardroom isn’t about simplifying, it’s about translating.

Valuation is the bridge between technical potential and strategic value. It lets you speak the board’s language, using data not as a footnote but as a financial lever.

In a world where intangible assets drive most of the value on the FTSE 100, the ability to talk credibly about data is no longer a niche skill. It’s leadership.

Discover the Real Value of Your Data

It’s 2025, and data drives everything from boardroom strategy to national policy. So why is yours still being treated like back-office plumbing?

In today’s boardrooms - where strategic clarity is expected, not optional - vague claims about being “data-driven” no longer hold water. Whether it’s a funding round, a shareholder presentation, or a cross-border M&A deal, decision-makers want evidence.

At Data Valuation Partners, we specialise in independent, commercially credible data valuations that stand up to board scrutiny, investor due diligence, and cross-border regulatory expectations. Our methodology aligns with evolving standards across markets, drawing on real-world benchmarks and rigorous analysis.

We're not here to optimise your data stack, we're here to clarify its value.

The result? A valuation you can use to inform negotiations, drive investment decisions, and tell a strategic story that resonates where it matters most.

Curious What Your Data Might Be Worth?