Why and How the Chief Information Officer Role is Changing

Business competitiveness rules and technologies are constantly changing, and with them, the role of the CIO.

Today’s CIOs should be a strategic asset to their companies. If they’re not, then your company has a problem, you’ve got the wrong person in the position, or both. Businesses are becoming increasingly digitalized and as a result business and IT strategies must be unified.

“The CIO almost becomes a Swiss Army knife in terms of knowing something about the operations of everything because everything involves the technology in some way, shape or form,” said Rich Temple, VP and CIO at Deborah Heart and Lung Center. “The CIO is a much more strategically and operationally focused role than I think it ever was.”

Traditionally, the CIO was considered the chief nerd who really didn’t understand anything about business. As a result, many CIOs had to fight hard for a seat at the executive table which was otherwise populated by business leaders. Now, a growing number of CIOs are assuming leadership status in the C-suite because they understand how a combined business and technology strategy, process improvements and cultural adaptation enable innovation, growth and organizational resilience.

“My background in business, rather than engineering, offers a unique perspective and approach, and I think that’s reflective of the evolving C-suite as a whole,” said Antonio Vasquez, CIO at intelligent process automation platform provider Bizagi. “Executives with different backgrounds, educations and experiences are wearing hats or growing into hats beyond their typical job descriptions. My background allows me to stretch beyond my CIO lens and view companies’ initiatives and restructuring from a strategic, pragmatic, scalable business standpoint.”

Bill VanCuren, SVP and CIO at enterprise technology company NCR Global, makes a point of treating other members of the C-suite as peers, partners and customers. In fact, when a new CXO is hired, he makes a point of booking an introductory meeting with that person in the first 30 days and charting a course for a mutual partnership.

“The days of leading within silos have ended,” said VanCuren. “For any organization to succeed, the CIO must work in lockstep to help drive most functions including those led by both the CMO and CFO. Organizations [that] realize the need for non-compartmentalization of information technology will be the ones who not only succeed, but lead.”

Mary Gendron, CIO at wireless technology company Qualcomm, said she considers it her responsibility to stay one step ahead of the CTO, CEO, and CFO in anticipating Qualcomm’s needs and ensuring the company has the necessary capabilities in place to enable its engineers to do their best work.

“Great companies use CIOs because they are strategic enablers, they are leaders in the Information Age,” said Gendron. “My team is engaged at every level of the company, whether it’s resolving supply chain issues, addressing compliance issues or ensuring our intellectual property is secure. The CIO is everywhere in a digital company and it’s how the company stays connected.”

The C-suite is growing well beyond its traditional line of business focus to include titles such as Chief Digital Officer, Chief Innovation Officer, Chief Data Officer and Chief Analytics Officer. To whom those titles and the CIO report varies from organization to organization. For example, the CIO may report to the CEO, the COO or the CFO. Similarly, a Chief Digital Officer, Chief Innovation Officer, Chief Data Officer and Chief Analytics Officer may report to the CIO, or not.

“I think one of the reasons that you’re seeing roles like the Chief Digital Officer and Chief Innovation Officer is because the CIO is viewed like kind of the plodding along old guy and I need someone who can think fast and move fast and all that,” said Scott Howitt, CIO at antivirus, cloud, VPN, end point and enterprise security company McAfee.