The 21st century CIO

The IT leadership role has transformed significantly since the late 1980s when the title chief information officer (CIO) was initially coined. As the intrinsic economic value of information rises, the CIO`s portfolio of responsibilities evolves to keep pace. The past three years have been especially turbulent for IT departments all over the world, and the ongoing process of rapid change and wrenching transformation is unlikely to end soon.

"The above was an introduction to the report compiled from the research and the feedback from in-depth interviews that had been undertaken by Korn/Ferry International over recent months," commented Lesley Mawhinney, Head of the ICT Practice at Leaders Unlimited, the strategic African partner of Korn/Ferry International. The role of the CIO and its impact on ICT was discussed at the company`s recently held IT conference in London.

The report indicates that there is one overarching truth emerging: the position of the CIO in the corporate structure is rising steadily and inexorably from the tactical/operational level to the strategic/management level. The CIO of tomorrow wants to help the organisation achieve its business objectives.

The ClO`s projected rise in stature and visibility will offer significant benefits, both to the CIO and to the organisation he or she serves, but there are also significant downsides, the most obvious being that as the weight of responsibility increases, speed and flexibility tend to decrease. As a result, the 21st century CIO will be required to master the analytic and forecasting capabilities necessary to plan and successfully manage a complex portfolio of IT investments. The CIO will also be required to possess the skills and means for tracking the business impact of technology investments throughout the organisation with a far greater degree of precision than the CIO of today.

The position of CIO will increasingly be recognised as a core executive business position. This will be driven by companies realising that information technology capabilities are not only critical to supporting their business strategies, but that they are also necessary to competitively shape their business strategies.

The 21st century CIO will be expected to enhance the value of information at multiple points along the value chain. The ClO`s responsibilities will extend far beyond the traditional boundaries of the IT department. Indeed, the CIO will be required to exercise leadership across the width and breadth of the enterprise.

As one senior executive of a major consultancy summarised: "If you look at the role of a CIO over the past 15 years, it has changed as dramatically as the technology has. Technology has in essence gone from supporting point solutions to supporting most day-to-day activities, underpinning all individual and corporate processes. In this period, the role of the CIO has evolved to providing technology that supports the entire strategy of the company and becomes an integral part of daily operations."

"Our experience within the local market also coincides with the international thoughts outlined above," concluded Mawhinney. "Although we are slightly behind with these changes at the present time, there are some notable exceptions, but there is no doubt that we are rapidly catching up."

For further information, please contact Lesley Mawhinney, Leaders Unlimited: telephone (011) 722 1600, fax (011) 722 1611, e-mail Lmawhinney@leadersunlimited.co.za.