The challenges of the CIO, beyond the digital transformation, are no longer the same.
Before, the CIOs role was to control the information system and be the authorizing operator of technologies for internal use, he is now confronted with complex problems that are related to business functions and customers needs, in a context of internationalization that is significantly increasing. The CIO has become the transformation business partner of the company.
He must make the companys operations adapt to new customs by providing technological building blocks that not only meet the new expectations, but also that can be integrated into a system that already exists and is often very complex.
Indeed, collaborators are very demanding. They introduce new tools (BYOD, Cloud, apps…) and the response of the CIO must be swift and secure. Customers on the other hand are more and more connected and are expecting offers that integrate this connectivity.
The CIO is no longer 2.0 but 3.0; he must therefore be proactive and offer new solutions in an environment that is unstructured. Beyond the technological dimension, he now must be a human and financial arbitrator, capable of resolving time to market problems.
ARROWMAN Key Insights
In order to anticipate these changes, Vincent Monnet advises leaders to integrate these new dimensions.
Beyond the ability to manage a team and a budget, it is necessary to evaluate the CIOs ability to put himself in the customers place, to evolve in a rapidly changing environment and to collaborate with others. The CIO must be able to bring an agile methodology within his teams, but also within business units by identifying business holders.
To top it off, Vincent Monnet recommends candidates to position themselves as Business Partners and therefore to develop a proximity with professionals (marketing, sales, etc.) and MDs in order to understand what their expectations are and to be able to popularize the technological choices that available to the company.
Within the framework of the recruitment of a CIO, his ability to project himself into the business challenges of tomorrow and to take on a managing P&L posture, are the differentiating elements that convince management committees.
Vincent MONNET is a Director and Digital & Technology expert of ARROWMAN Executive Search.
