CIOs turn broker in changing environment

Johannesburg, 27 Jan 2014

The role of the CIO is changing dramatically, as software procurement and consumption models evolve.

This is according to Bjarne Rasmussen, CTO, SVP and head of pre-sales at CA Technologies, EMEA.

Rasmussen says the CIO is increasingly playing the role of solution broker, with inevitable changes to come in the CIO's job title and required skills.

"We are seeing a transformation in the market in the way in which software is being consumed," says Rasmussen. "The old way was that you buy it, run it and maintain it. Now - and increasingly in future - you will subscribe to a service and use it as needed, without having to buy or install it. Now, virtually everything is being evaluated for delivery as a service."

Rasmussen points out that platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are essentially software as a service (SaaS) offerings, although users may not see them as such. Consumer-style applications and services such as these are changing the game for the IT department, he says. Business sees the ease with which useful applications and services can be obtained in the consumer market, and expects similar service from the IT department.

"We see it in many places where business units engage directly to consume many services. So if the CIO cannot, or will not, supply the software and services business wants, business will get it themselves," he says. This, he notes, presents a range of governance, risk and compliance challenges.

CA IT Management Symposium

With IT now at the core of every business and every new business initiative, gaining a competitive edge rests on the quality and scope of a company's IT. Businesses wanting to go big should be sharpening and extending their focus on IT management to ensure IT is an enabler of business growth and innovation. The CA IT Management Symposium is the perfect place for South African IT and business decision-makers to do just that. This event, scheduled for 20 February, brings together leading international and local experts on IT management to provide an update on global IT trends, strategies and technologies. For more information, click here.

Rasmussen says this changing environment will impact on IT jobs, as with changes in any industry. He envisages the role of the CIO moving to one focused on finding the right portfolio of services to meet the enterprise's needs.

"The CIO will have to assess the business needs, analyse the costs and benefits of solutions as a service vs on-site solutions, procure the appropriate solutions, and manage this hybrid environment, building excellence around it."

Rasmussen will discuss this changing IT environment and service delivery models at the upcoming CA IT Management Symposium Africa. For more information about this event, click here.