Radical innovations in technology are increasing the

importance of IT in achieving core business objectives—and the

role of IT professionals is shifting accordingly. Chief Information

Of�cers are seeing their roles grow ever-more strategic.

The Strategic CIO

SOURCES

CMO Council. (2013 March). Big Data’s Biggest Role: Aligning the CMO & CIO.Economist Intelligence Unit (2013 June). The Strategic CIO: Survey ResultsEvans, B. (2012 September 28). The Top 10 Strategic CIO Issues For 2013. Forbes. Retrieved June 19, 2013, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/oracle/2012/09/28/the-top-10-strategic-cio-issues-for-2013/Gordon, H. (2008). The Chief Information Of�cer: A Review of the Role. Journal of Information, Information Technology, and Organizations, 5, 125+. Watson, B. (2009 October 9). ROI and the Strategic CIO. Retrieved June 19, 2013, from http://blogs.cioinsight.com/it-strategy/roi-and-the-strategic-cio.html

Customer-centric manager - Focus is on customer needs, desires and concerns and how IT can address them

Operates �rst as a business executive, second as technology expert; speaks the language of the business

Increased responsibility to promote game-changing innovations

The principal strategist in key emerging areas like big data analysis, customer-facing mobile applications, enterprise social networks, and online learning

Targets technology budget towards innovation, funding essential new efforts in analytics, cloud, mobile and social

VS.Operational CIO Strategic CIO

Tech-centric manager - Focus is on managing complex IT projects

Struggles to present complex topics through a non-technical lens and present a compelling business case for new technologies

Limited ability to promote game-changing innovations

A principal strategist in traditional areas of technology responsibility (business process infrastructure, security, and cloud computing)

Trapped in 80/20 budget habit – 80% of the budget goes to maintaining existing IT infrastructure and 20% to innovation

Challenges

Strategies

Explain how new technologies can solve customer problems

60%

In an Economist Intelligence Unit survey, sponsored by EMC, respondents cited key challenges faced by CIOs attempting to become more strategic, and the strategies they must adopt to succeed.

53% Better understanding of the business to align tech advice

with business goals

51%Ability to deal with constant change

40%Communication skills to

promote new ideas effectively

39%Educate other senior executives about the bene�ts of emerging

technologies for innovation

26%Setting realistic business

expectations and defending decisions in the face of technology

“hype”

23%Dif�culty creating

convincing business case for purchasing and

integrating new and emerging technology

Work with the CEO: CEOs are most likely to support new initiatives to align technology with business goals; they have a better understanding of how technology can in�uence the enterprise as a whole

Hone the top 3 skills needed to be an effectively strategic CIO:

37%An inability to predict costs and returns on

technology investments

36%Rapidly changing business models 38%

Inadequate technical skill sets among employees both on the IT and business sides

of the organization

Alignment of expectations among C-level managers (CEO, COO, CFO, CMO, CIO, etc.)