More than
twelve years ago, I had my first meetings with CIO’s in leading organizations
and businesses. I can remember at that time the vast majority had a rich technical background,
sometimes with little or no knowledge of the commercial business, so frustrated
from multiple tasks such as software development and ad hoc integration to
resolve, that looked to me very often as a hot boiler ready to explode. The pressure
resolving technical issues was monumental. Of course management couldn't ever understand
the cause of frustration. Let the CIO worry about technology.
The CIO’s
role was always there: Checking out new trends in technologies, making decisions
on key hardware and software purchases, deciding which are worth implementing
and which should be ignored. Their role was defined by the dominant technology and
the IT strategy as much as by their own expertise and talent in the field.
Today it is
hard to even imagine a mid or a large company without a CIO who is monitoring
the situation. And his image is changed too. The CIO looks more social, collaborative,
business looking and the multi skilled function is shifting the dynamics to the
modern day executive table. The CIO role has become so necessary, so counted
upon that they spend most of their time in the tactical execution of a task or
a project at a time.
The IT
sector is driven by Cloud-delivered services including both software and data.
As an increasing share of the new IT expenditure is going to such services, the
CIO of today balances the business needs against the stream of opportunities and
risks.
Software installation
and maintenance will soon be or is already replaced by systems availability,
responsiveness, information security and compliance. The CIO needs to be more
strategic and have a clear idea of how a current technology can increase the
company’s sales and not just how to reduce costs or to improve productivity.
The CIO is also
facing changing priorities, smaller budgets and the lack of internal skills. As
Information Technology and technologies it supports have become more complex,
the role of the CIO has become also increasingly complex. There is a clear need
for integration with the marketing team, and a direct line with the CEO. The
CIO’s role should continue to grow not only in influence, but with a vision for
the organization, to drive organizational change and enforce corporate
performance in brand new ways.
