Advice for 'the modern CIO'

CIOs must combine business acumen and leadership skills with their superior technical knowledge if they are to be successful in the modern environment.

That is the finding of a new report from recruitment firm Hudson, based on a roundtable discussion with 11 high-profile CIOs from New Zealand and Australia.

John Coventry, New Zealand national practice director for Hudson ICT, says the discussion suggested the role of CIO has come to have more in common with that of CEO.

"Superior technical skills are no longer enough,” Coventry says, "and it is expected that CIOs will provide greater business expertise and leadership than before.”

Coventry says most of the participants expected that in ten years’ time the CIO role will not even require a background in IT.

"Today’s CIO is challenged by demands to add value, increase competitive advantage and reduce the costs of business, which in many ways can represent conflicting objectives.”

Discussing recruitment, the group agreed that at a time when IT budgets are returning as the global economy recovers, there is also a skills shortage, which presents a unique challenge.

Like the CIO role itself, IT departments will also require broader skills, such as business sense to meet demands for return on investment, and change management skills to deal with the developing technology environment.

For more thoughts on the current IT environment, read our interview with Dell executive David Fox here, or go here for our report on the latest from VMware.

Image source here.