ODIN: How CAF turned data management into a driver of institutional transformation

CAF was undergoing a broader institutional transformation and recognized that data needed to move from a fragmented, operational resource to a strategic asset supporting decision-making, risk management, and regulatory compliance. However, years of organic growth had resulted in information silos, heavy reliance on manual processes, and accumulated technical debt. Critical data was dispersed across systems, definitions were inconsistent, and there was no shared governance framework to ensure quality, traceability, or trust.

This situation limited CAF’s ability to respond efficiently to internal management needs and external reporting requirements, particularly in a highly regulated multilateral banking environment. Closing cycles were slow, analytical capabilities were reactive, and business teams lacked reliable, timely insights to support strategic planning.

CAF’s technology vision was clear: establish a single, trusted source of institutional data, governed by standardized processes and supported by a modern, scalable architecture. The organization needed a solution that could deliver early value while laying the foundation for long-term digital transformation. Beyond technology, CAF sought to build sustainable internal capabilities and foster a data-driven culture that would enable the organization to grow, adapt, and innovate with confidence.

CAF achieved rapid, measurable results, including a production-ready data lake delivered in three months and nine analytics solutions deployed into operation. This demonstrated that value could be delivered quickly without compromising governance or control.

Platforms, information model, metadata and security: From simple to complex

A Microsoft Azure-based data lake built on Medallion architecture unified domain data with clear ownership, traceability, and quality standards. BIAN-aligned metadata, catalogs, and quality scoring enabled consistent definitions, continuous monitoring, reduced manual errors, and reliable information for governance, risk management, and decision-making.

Improved efficiency and reliability

With standardized data management and quality controls in place, CAF reached 89% data quality coverage across key sources and resolved 99.3% of data incidents. Manual corrections were significantly reduced, enabling teams to focus on analysis rather than remediation.

Analytics and data science

The analytics practice was structured under the CRISP-DM framework, leveraging short development cycles and agile principles to respond quickly to business priorities. Initial developments focused on critical areas such as operations control, risk management, and financial processes, where key indicators and dashboards were deployed on the gold layer of the data lake.

Cost optimization and scalability

A FinOps strategy embedded into the solution resulted in a 32% reduction in technology costs while expanding platform capabilities — proving that efficiency and innovation can progress in parallel.

Cultural and organizational impact

More than 230 employees across 60 organizational units became active members of CAF’s data community, marking a shift from data as a technical concern to data as an institutional asset. This cultural transformation strengthened collaboration, transparency, and evidence-based decision-making.

Positioned for future growth

By partnering with NTT DATA, CAF established a governed, scalable foundation that supports advanced analytics and prepares the organization for the next phase of digital transformation, including AI and GenAI. Data is now a strategic enabler of resilience, trust, and long-term institutional success.

CAF’s data transformation delivered measurable operational, financial, and cultural benefits aligned with its original vision of data as a strategic institutional capability.

Faster access to reliable information

CAF established a single, trusted source of truth that significantly reduced reliance on manual processes and fragmented systems. With governed, traceable data now available across key domains, teams can access consistent information to support management, risk control, and regulatory reporting with greater confidence and speed.

Operational efficiency and cost optimization

Standardized data management and quality controls improved reliability across institutional data while reducing remediation effort. At the same time, the introduction of a FinOps approach enabled CAF to optimize cloud consumption, achieving meaningful cost reductions while expanding analytical capabilities.

Stronger decision-making and risk management

With high-quality, integrated data, CAF strengthened its ability to monitor performance, anticipate risks, and support complex financial and regulatory processes. Analytics solutions moved from reactive reporting to proactive insights that inform strategic planning and execution.

A sustainable foundation for future growth

Beyond technology, CAF built internal capabilities through data literacy initiatives and communities of practice, embedding a data-driven mindset across the organization. Working with NTT DATA provided CAF with a structured methodology, accelerated execution, and a scalable model that positions the institution to adopt advanced analytics and AI—ensuring long-term resilience, transparency, and institutional trust.