How are the recession and CEO expectations transforming the CIO function? This was the focus of a recent interview with
Chris Patrick, a consultant at Egon Zehnder International, Dallas, by Rick Pastore, managing director of the
CIO Executive Council. The latest crisis created demand for cost-focused CIOs able to achieve results and successfully implement projects fast, reports Patrick. With the economy rebounding, CIOs now need to think about longer term strategic opportunities too, while keeping an eye on costs and efficiency, he adds. Patrick's experience suggests that CIOs need to cultivate strong working relationships with their CEO and their business unit peers to ensure that IT truly adds corporate value. Perhaps only 20-30 percent of today's CIOs have all of the strategic skills required to excel at the top, notes Patrick, because acquiring such skills requires extensive, long-term business exposure. However, given widespread recognition of the importance of business strategy and a customer focus, the number of strategic CIOs looks set to grow, Patrick concludes.
