The Chief Trust Officer: The New Must-Have C-Suite Role

A staggering 97% of UK organizations deem the Chief Trust Officer (CTrO) role essential amidst escalating AI, cyber, and data challenges, according to recent findings.

READING, England – A new study from Commvault (NASDAQ: CVLT), a leading player in cyber resilience and data protection solutions for hybrid cloud environments, reveals a compelling trend: an overwhelming majority of UK business leaders are advocating for the addition of a Chief Trust Officer (CTrO) to the executive suite. The research sheds light on boardroom discussions as companies in the UK and globally face increasing pressure to safeguard corporate reputations and maintain stakeholder confidence.

The survey highlights a concerning reality: 7% of respondents admitted that accountability for trust-related issues is fragmented across various roles including COOs, CISOs, and CIOs. This diffused responsibility underscores the urgency to consolidate these efforts, uniting customer trust, security, and compliance management under the leadership of a dedicated CTrO.

This emphasis on trust aligns with broader industry trends. A separate Commvault and GigaOm research report indicates that most UK organizations recognize an immediate need for advanced defense, resilience capabilities, *and* trust-building measures in the face of ever-evolving threats.

“Resilience has evolved into a strategic imperative for global enterprises,” notes Danielle Sheer, Chief Trust Officer at Commvault. “What was once primarily a technical issue – a data breach – now rapidly escalates into a headline-grabbing event, triggering lawsuits and a board-level crisis. Today’s leaders must transcend traditional infrastructure protection, focusing on safeguarding investor confidence, brand reputation, and even individual careers. Trust is becoming a critical component of enterprise strategy, directly impacting customer expectations and business requirements.”

The Multifaceted Skillset of the Ideal CTrO

When asked about the core priorities for a CTrO, business leaders highlighted customer trust and reputation management (31%) and rapid crisis response to events such as disinformation campaigns or data breaches (30%). These priorities reflect the diverse demands placed upon the CTrO role. To effectively address these challenges, the study revealed that the most sought-after skills include:

• A deep understanding of data privacy and regulatory frameworks (28%)
• Expertise in AI governance and the ability to translate complex, emerging technologies for a broad audience (27%)
• The capacity to build and sustain stakeholder trust (27%)

AI and Cybersecurity Threats Catalyze the Demand for Trust

The study, which surveyed 1,000 UK C-suite executives from companies with over £100 million in annual revenue, revealed that 97% of respondents believe that the CTrO role is urgently needed to improve data, technology, and governance trust. The prominent external pressures intensifying the focus on trust in these domains are the rise of AI (37%), cross-border data regulations (34%), and persistent cybersecurity threats such as ransomware (34%). The increasing sophistication of AI-driven attacks and the expanding regulatory landscape surrounding data handling are forcing companies to reconsider their approach to managing risk and ensuring ethical technology usage. The CTrO is increasingly seen as the key to navigating this evolving environment.

Research Methodology

This survey was conducted independently and exclusively for Commvault by Censuswide. The survey reflects the views of 1,000 UK business leaders from companies with revenue exceeding £100 million. The sample included CEOs, COOs, CFOs, CTOs, CIOs, CISOs, CMOs, Chief People Officers (CPO), Chief Sustainability Officers (CSO), Chief Compliance Officers (CCO), Chief ESG Officers (CESGO), and Chief Trust Officers (CTrO). Data for this report was collected in June 2025. Censuswide follows the Market Research Society code of conduct and ESOMAR principles.

About Commvault

Commvault (NASDAQ: CVLT) sets the standard in cyber resilience, empowering over 100,000 organizations to protect their data and drive business resilience. Commvault’s cyber resilience platform combines data security and rapid recovery capabilities across all workloads, providing enterprise-scale protection with a low total cost of ownership.