Data Owner

An individual or business unit with authority and accountability for specific data assets, responsible for determining classification, access rules, and appropriate use. Unlike data controllers (a legal classification), data owners are an internal governance role. Data owners typically make business decisions about data—defining who should access it, how it should be protected, retention requirements, and acceptable uses. For example, the marketing department might own customer contact data, while HR owns employee data. Data owners collaborate with data custodians (who implement technical controls) and data stewards (who ensure quality and compliance). Clear data ownership prevents confusion about responsibilities, enables accountability for data protection, facilitates decision-making about data use, and supports privacy compliance. Organizations should formally designate data owners, document their responsibilities, provide appropriate training, and include data ownership in governance structures.