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Leadership

Strategies, advice and opinions helping to define and develop the role of IT leaders and their staffs.

Not another poke in the ‘I’ for the CIO

There’s an epidemic of proposals for a change in the CIO title that’s driving me nuts. Chief Innovation Officer, Chief Integration Officer, Chief Interaction Officer and others, all intended to place a different emphasis on the mandate of IT leadership.

I understand that in using different meanings of the ‘I’ in CIO, pundits are using it to make their point that CIOs should now focus on Innovation or Interaction or whatever bandwagon they’ve jumped on. Indeed, there are legitimate arguments to be made for each, but they are all so narrowly focused that they ignore a broad range of IT leadership responsibilities of equal importance.

The problem for CIOs is that the technologies and business trends now dominating corporate thinking are too many and too diverse for the traditional IT department to address. The CIO role has become more and more complex and embraces aspects of corporate endeavour that extend well beyond the bits, bytes, boxes and business applications of the technology manager of old. But information is still central to the role.

Poking the CIO in the ‘I’ is no answer. The whole executive team needs to refocus, embrace technology and, as well as contributing their individual skills and expertise, work collaboratively to maximise the business value of information and communication technologies.

It’s true that having a holistic view of the enterprise, its systems, data and business processes, the CIO is in a unique position to influence innovation, for example, but innovation is not just about technology or information. IT can be used to create an environment in which innovation can flourish in the business, but even the best technology can’t deliver meaningful results without a focus on business strategy, and that’s the collective responsibility of the C-suite, including the CIO.

Surely in a world where technology underpins almost every business initiative and strategy, it’s incumbent on every member of the senior management team to engage technology and understand the role it can play in the exercise of their individual mandates as well as working collaboratively with their colleagues to ensure that technology’s benefits accrue to the whole enterprise.

In progressive companies, technology is seen as a critical strategic component of business, and corporate leadership’s expectations of the CIO are high. Marketing and customer experience are becoming dominant and focus is shifting from departments to business outcomes. Line-of-business executives engage enthusiastically with technology and grow impatient with IT departments that are too slow to respond to their demands.

So although I see no reason to mess with the CIO title, as corporate leadership places greater emphasis on IT, CIOs do need to re-evaluate their role and their relationship with the rest of the C-suite in order to remain valuable and avoid becoming the Chiefly Ignored Officer.

See also Dave Carey's humorous take on this topic.

Google

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ADP - VP Architecture & Infrastructure

AESO - VP, Information Technology

Agnico Eagle Mines - VP, IT

Agrium - Global Mgr., IT Security

Agrium - Senior Director IT Shared Services

Aimia - SVP & Global CIO

Ainsworth Engineered - Director IT

Air Canada Vacations - Director IT

Alberta Energy Regulator - Director, Office of the CIO

Anthem Properties - VP IS

AON Risk Solutions Canada - Head of IT

Avison Young - VP Global Enterprise Architecture & Integration

Aviva Canada - VP, Architecture & Strategy

Bank of America Merrill Lynch - CTO

BC Ferry Services - VP & CIO

Bell Business Markets - Director, Strategy & Planning

Bell Canada - National Director, Digital Transformation

Bellatrix Exploration - Director, Information Technology

Bentall Kennedy - VP IT

BFL CANADA - CIO

BFL CANADA - Director, Cybersecurity & IT Risk Management

Black Press - CTO

BlackBerry - VP Corporate IT

BMO Financial Group - Director, Technology & Operations Transformation

BMO Financial Group - Head of Services Delivery

Bombardier Aerospace - CISO

Bonavista Petroleum - Head of IT

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP - Global CIO

Bow Valley College - Director, IT Services

Bridgewater Bank - Head of IT

BuildDirect - VP IT

Bulk Barn - Head, IT

Burnco - CIO

Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec - VP, IT Planning, Architecture, Governance, Operations

Calfrac Well Services - Head of IT

Canada Goose - CTO

Canada Live - VP of Technology

Canada Mortgage and Housing - VP, Information & Technology

Canada Protection Plan - Head of IT

Canadian Depository for Securities - CIO

Canadian Direct Insurance - CTO

Canadian Payments Association - VP & CIO

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Capgemini - Service Delivery Director

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CCS Corp. - VP IT

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Centerra Gold - Director IT & Comm

CI Global Asset Management - VP of Enterprise Infrastructure $amp; Operations

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CIBC Mellon - AVP, Enterprise Architecture

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CN Rail Service - Chief Information Security Officer

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Colliers - Head of Technology & Data

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Dairy Farmers of Ontario - Head of IT and Administration

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Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP - Director, Information Technology

DealerTrack Canada - Director, Technology

Defence Construction Canada - Corporate Manager, IT

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Dentons - Canada CIO

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Direct Cash - VP IT & Security

Dynamic Tire Corp - CIO

D+H Partnership - VP, Head of Canadian Mortgage Technology

eHealth - EVP, Technology

eHealth Ontario - VP, IT Systems & Services

Encana - Director, InfoSec

Enbridge Inc. - VP, Technology and Information Services

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ENMAX - VP, IT & PMO

Equitable Bank - CIO

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Expedia Cruise Ship Centers - VP IS

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Fix Auto Canada - COO & SVP

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Genworth Financial Inc. - VP IT

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Grant Thornton LLP - CIO

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Greenwin Inc - VP, Information Technology

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GSK Canada - IT Director

GTAA - Acting CIO

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Hewitt Equipment Ltd. - VP & CIO

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Home Trust Company - CIO

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Indigo Books and Music - CIO

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LaFarge Canada - Director, IT

Landmark Cinemas Canada - VP, IT

LAWPRO - CIO

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Leisureworld Senior Care Corp - VP IS

Lifeguard Digital Health - Chief Security & Informatics Officer

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London Drugs - GM IT

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Magna International Inc - VP & Global Leader, IT (CIO)

Manulife - Global Head of Private Markets & Real Estate Technology

March Networks - VP Professional Services & CIO

MaRS Discovery District - Managing Director, Fintech and Commerce

McCain Foods Limited - Manager InfoSec

McInnis Cement - Director of Information Technology

Medical Pharmacies Group - VP, Information Technology

MEG Energy - Manager, Information Technology Solutions & Services

Metrolinx - EVP & CIO

Minto Group - VP IT

MMM Group - CIO

Montreal Police Service - CIO

Morguard Investments - CIO

Moulding & Millwork - CIO

MullenLowe Group - Global CIO

National Bank of Canada - Information Security Officer

National Capital Commission - Chief, IT infrastructure & Support Services

NHL Players' Association - Head, Security & Technology

Northbridge Financial Corp - CIO

OEC Group Canada - Vice President, Information Technology and Client solutions

ODAIA - CEO

Oildex - VP, Architecture & Infrastructure

OPTrust - AVP, Enterprise Data Services

Olympia Financial Group - CIO

OMERS - EVP, Data & Technology

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Pacific Western Transportation - CIO

Packers Plus - Global IT Director

Pason Systems - Manager, Digital Communications & Corporate IT

Patient News - CTO

Peel District School Board - CIO

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Peterson Investment Group - Head of IT

PFB Corp. - CIO

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Public Works and Government Services Canada - Director, IT Security Directorate

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Qantas - Global CIO

Queen's University - Director, Information Technology

RBC Royal Bank - Head of Application Security, Data Protection & Security Consulting

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Regal Lifestyle Communities - CIO

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Rheem Manufacturing - CISO & Enterprise Architect

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Roche - Head of IT Americas – Operations

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SMART Technologies - Director, IS Corporate Services

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Sunco Communication - COO

Suncor Energy Inc. - Director, Application Portfolio Optimization, I&PM, Business Services

Symcor - CTO, VP Technology Services

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TD Bank - Enterprise Architect

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Tervita Corporation - VP, Information Technology

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The Source - VP, Information Technology

TMX Group - CISO & Global Head of Infrastructure Services

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Toronto District School Board - Chief Technology Officer

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Trillium Health Partners - IT Director, Applications & Clinical Informatics

UFA Cooperative - VP & CIO

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University of Ottawa - Senior Director IT Services & Infrastructure

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University of Waterloo - Director, Technology Entrepreneurship

Valencia Risk - Managing Director

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