The realm of product development in data intelligence is multifaceted, and working as a Chief Product Officer (CPO) in this realm is akin to wearing multiple hats to deliver an unforgettable customer experience. Navigating a novice team of talented individuals toward an enterprise-driven ambitious goal has been the core principle of Rafel Flores, the CPO of Treasure Data’s leadership. As the driving force behind Treasure Data’s data solutions, he takes pride in watching a risk-averse team conquer new heights of success.
Rafael’s Intelligent Customer Data Platform is the bedrock of whatever Treasure Data delivers to its customers. From Personalized A-suite to Creative AI suite, his guidance has transformed the picture of product development in this people-centric organization. What started as a powerhouse in data management and analytics evolved into an AI-driven customer-facing team under Rafael’s guidance as a CPO. The CEO Views recognizes his unwavering commitment to win as one team and honored Rafael Flores with the award of “Best CPOs to Watch 2025.”
1. Your Journey to Entrepreneurship & Role at Treasure Data
Q: Tell us about your path to becoming a CPO—and how you’re shaping the future at Treasure Data.
A: I started with a conviction: choose a bold North Star, then build an unshakeable culture of transparency, humility, and mutual respect. Whether I was scaling a Fortune 500 titan or a scrappy zero-to-one startup, I discovered where my passion truly lies, rolling up my sleeves with small, fearless teams and watching them conquer impossible heights.
As Chief Product Officer at Treasure Data, I lead a truly global, people-first organization united behind one singular vision to bake AI and data intelligence into every customer experience on Earth. From Silicon Valley to Tokyo to London, my teams move at startup speed with enterprise ambition: we win together, and if we stumble, we learn fast and come back stronger.
2. Your Most Outstanding Leadership Achievement
Q: What are you most proud of?
A: Numbers and headlines don’t fuel me; people do. My proudest moments are when unconventional hires, those overlooked by corporate playbooks, shine, innovate, and take on leadership roles themselves. Watching that spark in someone’s eyes when they realize “I belong here” is the real metric of success.
3. How Treasure Data Has Evolved & Key Solutions
Q: How has Treasure Data risen to its market-leading position, and what are your flagship offerings?
A: We began as a powerhouse in data management and analytics. Today, we’re the AI-driven backbone for every customer-facing team. Our Intelligent Customer Data Platform remains the bedrock of everything we do. On top of that, we’ve built:
- Personalization AI Suite: Hyper-tailored experiences that feel handcrafted for each individual.
- Creative AI Suite: Lightning-fast, on-brand content creation that supercharges marketing teams.
- Engagement AI Suite: The muscle that activates data-driven outreach across every channel.
All of it is powered by our AI Agent Foundry, the no-code engine that turns AI from a buzzword into a measurable, scalable impact.
4. Academic & Professional Background
Q: What academic and career experiences prepared you for this role?
A: I’m fortunate to have studied Business, Computer Science, and Entrepreneurship at UC Davis, UC Berkeley, and Stanford. Over the past 15 years, I’ve led cross-functional teams—UX, product management, marketing, data science, and AI, always with one goal: build products people love and that change industry.
5. How Your Expertise Drives Growth at Treasure Data
Q: How do you translate your background into results for Treasure Data?
A: I strive to be the “dumbest” person in the room, surrounded by experts who outshine me every day. My real contribution is emotional poise and an insatiable hunger to win as one team. That energy aligns everyone on a shared vision before we even write a single line of code.
6. A Defining Leadership Moment
Q: Can you share a pivotal experience that shaped your leadership style?
A: Growing up in a hardworking immigrant family taught me that “nothing” is just a starting point. In high school, challenges forced me to lean on values of integrity and empathy, principles rooted in my faith. I learned it’s okay to make mistakes, apologize, and then push the envelope forward. That cycle of accountability and ambition defines how I lead teams today.
7. Crucial Attributes of Today’s Leaders
Q: What qualities do leaders need right now?
A:
1. Adaptive Vision: Embrace emerging technologies and guide teams through constant change.
2. Contextual Agility: Quickly assess an organization’s biggest challenges and address them one by one with conviction.
8. Navigating Product Development Challenges
Q: What’s the hardest part about being a CPO?
A: Balancing the short-term wins that keep the lights on with the long-term vision that powers true innovation. Product leaders must unite finance, sales, engineering, and culture, ensuring each team is willing to trade an inch today for a mile tomorrow.
9. Future Aspirations
Q: Where do you see yourself in a few years?
A: Success is two-fold: at my desk and at my dinner table. I want every Treasure Data teammate, from our custodial staff to our newest interns, to experience the joy of breakthrough moments. And when I’m home, I want my kids to remember Dad as present, not just on-screen. My north star blends family and work into a single life of passion and purpose.
10. Advice for Emerging Entrepreneurs & Leaders
Q: What’s your top piece of advice?
A: Have unwavering conviction in your core instincts. Markets shift, investors rotate, and titles change, but your inner compass remains the truest guide. Trust it, lead with it, and use it to lift up the many, not just the few.
Today, I am back leading Treasure Data through a transformative era of intelligence and automation fit for scale, while returning to an organization that feels like home—rich with talent, poise, and a passion for progress.
