IT is changing at a rapid pace, and so too is IT leadership. With digital transformation a top concern for many organizations and the analytics revolution in full force, companies are carving out new executive roles that might otherwise fall under the guardianship of the CIO. Among the most popular technical additions to the C-suite are the chief data officer, chief analytics officer, and chief digital officer.

Although the three titles describe distinctly different functions, there’s more overlap among them than you might think. That’s because these new positions mostly came into existence for a single reason: A large organization living in a rapidly changing world and facing technological disruption sees the need for an executive who can make the organization as a whole more data-driven, more digitally adept, and better prepared for the challenges of the future.