In a world where customer expectations evolve faster than ever, organisations are rethinking how they manage and leverage data. Legacy, monolithic Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) are increasingly challenged by rigidity, slow adaptability, and regulatory pressures. In this episode of Tech Transformed, Christina Stathopoulos, Founder of Dare to Data, speaks with Joe Pulickal, Director of Product Management at Uniphore, about the shift to composable CDPs and what it means for modern marketing technology.

Moving Away from Monolithic CDPs

Organisations are moving away from rigid, all-in-one CDPs as regulations around data privacy, consent, and cross-border data flows intensify. Joe explains that companies can no longer rely on systems that lock them into a single architecture or make compliance retrofitting difficult. Data governance, consent management, and data sovereignty have become critical considerations in every technology decision, forcing leaders to rethink the underlying structure of their CDPs.

Challenges in Composable Systems

While composable CDPs offer flexibility, they introduce new challenges. Organisations must define ownership and accountability within modular systems to prevent fragmentation and ensure consistent data quality. Leadership must consider how compute, storage, and access are distributed across modules while maintaining compliance and security standards. Joe notes that without clarity on ownership, organisations risk operational inefficiency and weakened governance.

Flexibility and Modularity in Data Management

The core advantage of composable architectures lies in modularity. By decoupling components — from data ingestion to activation — organisations gain the freedom to innovate without being constrained by a monolithic platform. Joe emphasises: “You need flexibility in where data lives, how compute happens, ultimately doubling down on sovereignty, security, and that composable idea that initially started with data.” This approach allows teams to adopt new tools, scale selectively, and respond to changing business or regulatory requirements with agility.

Embracing First-Party Data Strategies

The shift to first-party data strategies is essential in today’s marketing landscape. With third-party cookies being phased out and privacy regulations tightening, companies must rely on direct, trusted data from their customers. Composable CDPs provide the framework to centralise first-party data while giving teams the ability to personalise experiences, maintain compliance, and safeguard trust. Joe highlights that organisations need to view data not just as an asset, but as a responsibility, balancing customer value with ethical management.

Here are what leaders can do:

  1. Rethink data architecture: Move from monolithic to composable systems to gain flexibility, scalability, and regulatory alignment.
  2. Prioritise governance: Define ownership, consent management, and security practices across modular components.
  3. Focus on first-party data: Build direct customer relationships and leverage trusted data responsibly.
  4. Embrace modularity: Enable innovation, adaptability, and resilience in data management through composable design.

This episode offers practical insights for leaders navigating the transition from traditional CDPs to composable architectures. It highlights how thoughtful design, governance, and first-party data strategies empower organisations to act with agility, comply with regulations, and deliver better customer experiences.

For more information, book a demo with Uniphore.

Takeaways

  • Organisations are moving away from rigid monolithic CDPs due to regulatory pressures.
  • Composable architectures offer flexibility and modularity in data management.
  • The shift to first-party data strategies is essential in the current landscape.
  • Data governance and consent management are critical in modern marketing.
  • Organisations face challenges in defining ownership within composable systems.
  • Uniphore supports hybrid deployment options for data management.
  • AI integration is crucial for enhancing CDP functionalities.
  • Flexibility in architecture helps avoid vendor lock-in.
  • People and processes are as important as technology in CDP implementation.
  • Clear alignment on objectives is necessary for successful transitions.

Chapters

00:00 The Shift from Monolithic CDPs to Composable Architectures

08:18 Understanding the Limitations of Monolithic CDPs

10:59 Rethinking First-Party Data Strategies

17:44 Challenges in Implementing Composable CDPs

21:18 Uniphore's Role in Composable Marketing Intelligence

25:28 Future Considerations for CDP Ecosystems