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

Summary

The ODIN program enabled CAF to make a qualitative leap in its data maturity through a modern architecture, standardized processes and a strong data culture — laying the foundation for its next phase of digital transformation.

From fragmented data to institutional intelligence

As part of a broader institutional transformation, the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) identified the need to change data 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, a heavy reliance on manual processes and technical debt. Critical data was spread across different systems, definitions were inconsistent and no shared governance framework was in place 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. They needed to speed up closing cycles, implement proactive analytic capabilities and access 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 demonstrate value early and lay 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.

Data drives institutional transformation

Accelerated value delivery

CAF achieved rapid, measurable results through ODIN, a comprehensive institutional data-transformation program. A production-ready data lake was implemented in three months and nine analytics solutions were put into operation. This demonstrated that value could be created quickly without compromising governance or control.

Platforms, Information Model, Metadata, and Security: From Simple to Complex

An 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. The need for manual corrections was significantly reduced, so teams could 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 reduced technology costs by 32% while expanding platform capabilities — proving that efficiency and innovation can be achieved at the same time.

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 for future growth that supports advanced analytics and prepares the organization for the next phase of digital transformation, including AI. Data became a strategic enabler of resilience, trust and long-term institutional success.

Turning data into a strategic institutional asset

CAF’s data transformation delivered clear institution-wide gains — strengthening operations, introducing cost efficiencies and creating a data-driven culture, turning data into 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, control risk and do 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 the remediation effort. At the same time, taking a FinOps approach enabled CAF to optimize cloud consumption, achieving meaningful cost reductions while expanding their analytical capabilities.

Stronger decision-making and risk management

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

Building sustainable capabilities that power long-term growth

Beyond technology, CAF strengthened internal capabilities by investing in data literacy initiatives and building communities of practice. This helped embed a data-driven mindset across the organization. Working with NTT DATA provided CAF with a structured methodology, accelerated execution and a scalable model — positioning the bank to adopt advanced analytics and AI while supporting long-term resilience, transparency and institutional trust.