This was a very thought provoking editorial. I'm still cogitating but immediately...

I see the value of having someone whose job it is to check these things out and know the gritty details of the data. I think this is a crucial role, but I'd encourage everyone involved in the production, storage, and use of the data to try and understand it at a fine level also.

That being said, I'm not sold on the idea that there can be sufficient resources to identify all trends emerging within the data and then investigating them before the rest of the business pick up on them - the other option is the question of 'releasing' data to folk and that seems like an impediment to work, and still couldn't guarantee success.