CIO OPINION
CIOs need to put time into establishing personal relationships with business peers to take a truly multidisciplinary approach to running the IT business .
Rosie Cairnes , Vice President APAC at Skillsoft
How CIOs can be heard in the boardroom
Rosie Cairnes , Vice President APAC at Skillsoft , tells us how the CIO has the potential to become an influencer within the boardroom by breaking down barriers between themselves and the rest of the C-suite .
Gone are the days of IT teams being stuck in a backroom solving user problems . As businesses of all shapes and sizes evolve with digital at their core , the rise of technology professionals has been steep and rapid .
The IT department has undergone profound change since its inception . Everything , from the platforms to the tools of the trade and the skillsets required to do the job , has changed . This is largely due to IT ’ s integration to all aspects of an organization as well as the influence of changing technologies such as social , mobile , cloud computing and Big Data analytics . to move from a traditional technology role to become more involved in business strategy .
The changing role of IT
Historically , IT teams have been considered a backend operation providing products and services such as infrastructure , security and maintenance to internal users . Now , a significant portion of IT budgets is devoted to cloud-based applications and IT is required to provide conventional technical services consistently , as well as innovate in a faster , more agile manner to stay competitive .
In turn , the role of CIO , overseeing these changes , is continually evolving to meet the new world of IT . With these profound changes , the CIO has the opportunity
Today , the IT department is operating on the front lines of business . In many organizations , customers have become an IT priority .
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