It wasn't so long ago that the chief technology officer was sequestered in the IT department, cut off for all intents and purposes from the hub of enterprise power. It is different now, of course: The CTO position has grown in visibility over the last 10 years and become more closely tied to that of the CEO.
It is understandable, then, that many customer advocates are wondering when - or whether - another relatively new C-level executive position will make that leap.
Several years ago, the chief customer officer burst onto the corporate scene with a few high-profile companies announcing appointments. Since then, a small but steady trickle of firms has continued the trend.