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SHAPING THE FUTURE THROUGH DISRUPTION AND INNOVATION
Nottoo long ago, the idea of "work from anywhere" felt like a distant possibility. Fast forward to today, and it's not only a reality but a core strategy for many businesses. Who made this happen? CIOs. They were the unsung heroes behind the scenes, ensuring seamless transitions and driving the digital change that kept businesses afloat. And they continue to do so.
In today’s rapidly shifting landscape, the role of the CIO is more important than ever. Once viewed as technical experts, they have now transformed into strategic leaders who steer organizations through complex technological challenges. From managing cybersecurity threats to leveraging the latest advancements in AI and cloud computing, today’s CIOs are at the heart of innovation.
Let’s face it—being a CIO isn't easy. They balance the need for speed with the need for security. They’re the ones building bridges between IT and business goals, turning technology into a competitive edge. And with the pressures of constant innovation, they’re the ones who ask the big questions: What’s next? How can we use technology to create better customer experiences? How can we stay ahead of the curve?
In this issue of CIO Magazine, we explore the world of these visionary leaders. We’re thrilled to feature Luca Dell’Orletta, Global Head IT Innovation and Enterprise Architecture at Nestlé Group, as our cover story. Luca is on a mission to harness the power of technology, from Generative AI to Quantum computing, to drive innovation at one of the world’s largest companies. With over 280,000 employees and a presence in 186 countries, he’s leading the charge in defining what the future of tech looks like for Nestlé.
We’ve also lined up interviews and thought pieces from leading CIOs, providing insights into how they’re turning disruption into opportunity. Whether it’s future-proofing their companies or pioneering the next wave of digital transformation, these leaders are shaping the future of business.
So, as you flip through these pages, think about the challenges you’re facing as a leader in today’s digital world. What opportunities lie ahead? How will you harness technology to push your organization forward?
Enjoy reading!
Sarath Shyam
LUCA DELL'ORLETTA
Darin Morrow 18 Chief Transformation Officer, The Honey Baked Ham Company, LLC
Fostering Innovation, Growth, & Success
TECH TALKS
Shannon Chapman 32 Senior Director of Enterprise Service Management, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits
Helping to Create the Best-in-class Technology Enabled Experiences for Clients
Tom Rotmans
26 Founder & Managing Director, Rotmans Consultancy & Business Development
The Role of AI in Enhancing Data Governance and Security Compliance
42
Paul Connelly
42 Technical Advisor, Educator & Board Member
Optimizing Your Cybersecurity Program – Reporting Structure of the CISO
48
Bashir Agboola
48 Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS)
Leadership Intelligence: Three Keys to Leading Effectively in the Age of AI
COVER STORY
Hi Luca. Could you share your journey to becoming an expert in your current position?
I am a Telecommunication Engineer who began my career as a software developer and quickly transitioned to leading a team of developers. From there, I held various positions, including Business Analyst, Project Manager, Program Manager, and Business Applications Manager. The first half of my career focused on bridging the gap between Business and Technology, leading technical programs in what we referred to at the time as 'traditional' technologies, such as ERP, Business Intelligence, Customer Engagement, and Factory software. I gained significant knowledge about processes ranging from Sales to Finance, Supply Chain, and more. As digital technologies and the startup ecosystem began to emerge, I became eager to be part of this exciting evolution. I had the opportunity to join a top-tier digital agency, where I led numerous projects across various industries. This experience was like a "gym" for me in the digital world. Eventually, the outcomes of these projects evolved into products and new services, marking the beginning of the second phase of my career, this time in 'Product.' I specialized in Digital Product Management, launched two startups (working overnight), designed and launched a Master’s program in Digital Product Management, and built products and platforms used by millions of users. I consider myself a 'Product Person.' I joined Nestlé in 2016, and two years ago, I was given the privilege to lead Innovation in Information Technology and, more recently, Enterprise Architecture. These areas have always been close to my heart, and I am incredibly passionate about them. What has likely made me an expert in my role is a combination
From a technology innovation perspective, the latest advancements in Artificial Intelligence will revolutionize the way we work and interact with consumers and customers
of three key factors: a deep understanding of end-to-end business processes, the ability to engage in detailed technical discussions, and a product-building mindset.
What do you love the most about your current role?
I consider roles to be missions, and I am currently on a mission to unlock tech-powered innovation while strategically guiding a futureready Information Technology landscape. This enables business growth and supports Nestlé’s Digital Transformation. What I love the most is the large-scale impact I can bring to the world’s largest food, beverage, and nutrition company. The impact of our technology innovation and architectural decisions resonates with consumers, customers, and employees. I also deeply enjoy the connections (and the learnings) I make across the globe every single day.
What are the three major trends do you foresee in your area in the next 12 months?
From a technology innovation perspective, the latest advancements in Artificial Intelligence will revolutionize the way we work and interact with consumers and customers. In the short term, we will see AI—and the power of the latest Large Language Models—integrated into most existing processes, digital products, and platforms, though still in a fragmented and not fully end-to-end unified way. However, the biggest impact will occur when processes and user journeys are designed with an "AI-first" and "by-design" approach. That will be truly transformational.
We will also witness the gradual rise of Quantum Computing, representing a paradigm
As I am deeply passionate about leadership, I am always seeking to capture and absorb any ideas, practices, or concepts that can help me improve as a leader and contribute to building and developing high-performing teams
shift beyond classical computing, capable of solving problems once thought to be permanently out of reach.
From an architecture perspective, it will be all about laying the "railways" that allow companies to move with speed and agility. It will focus on intelligently connecting— and in real-time—the organization from front to back and end to end, from business processes and operating models to services, data, and technology. Organizations that can achieve this at scale will operate on a foundational platform allowing them to continuously build competitive advantage and deliver increased value to customers and employees.
What has been your most careerdefining moment that you are proud of?
I've had highlights and incredibly fulfilling moments throughout my journey, such as pitching to Richard Branson early in my career. My startup experiences have been immensely enriching. Then, there was leading the development of digital platforms for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, and for Art Basel (the world’s largest and most prestigious fair for dealers in modern and contemporary art). I also contributed to growing our Nestlé Global Digital Hub in Barcelona from 0 to 800 people. However, I believe that leading our most recent AI enablement journey in 2023—during the incredible rise of Generative AI—stands out as a potential turning point. The build and launch of our global Gen AI conversational platform, 'NesGPT', for employees, along with the platforms enabling various functional use cases, is likely something I'll look back on in
a few years as a career-defining moment in technology and for myself personally.
If you could have a one-hour meeting with someone famous who is alive, who would it be and why?
Oh, there are so many... but I would choose Julio Velasco. He is the head coach of the amazing Italian women's national volleyball team, which won the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. As I am deeply passionate about leadership, I am always seeking to capture and absorb any ideas, practices, or concepts that can help me improve as a leader and contribute to building and developing high-performing teams. Over the years, I have found Velasco to be an incredible source of inspiration, which is why I would love the opportunity to engage with him.
You were recently recognized as one of the Top AI Leaders 2024. Our readers would love to know the secret sauce behind your success.
I really don’t view it as a personal success, but rather as recognition for the very intentional and cutting-edge work our teams are doing to accelerate our digital agenda, leveraging the immense potential of AI. I believe the key lies in the strategic and focused approach we’ve taken—responsible, agile enablement, and most importantly, the talent, passion, and expertise of our people and partners.
Is there a particular person you are grateful for who helped get you to where you are?
There isn't one specific person, but many along the journey. I was fortunate to have managers
who contributed to my personal growth. I am still in contact with all of them and often reach out when I need a second opinion. Many of my peers have taught me something about their areas, and that has always helped me gain a broader perspective, which eventually allows me to make better decisions. Finally, I want to recognize Annabel Harper, an executive coach I had the pleasure to work with. She changed my perception of coaching, and I truly admire the work she does and how she does it.
How do you keep your mind healthy and stay resilient? And how do you motivate your team?
Firstly, it's about loving what you do. But this can also become a trap if you don't disconnect as needed. I still find myself reading about Product Management, Leadership, and Innovation in bed. Therefore, I make it a point to schedule 'detox moments' throughout the day. I always take 3045 minutes for swimming or a long walk without my phone. I also plan for a full three-week
disconnect annually, usually in remote rural destinations. Then, of course, there are my two young kids, who constantly push me out of my comfort zone, and playing with them is the most refreshing moment of the day.
As for my team, it all starts with being surrounded by the right individuals and creating a sense of belonging. I recently read, 'if you have the right people, you don't need a lot of them,' and I find this to be very true. You need to look for people with potential, the right attitude,
proactivity, and a strong sense of ownership. Once you have the right team, it's important to establish a compelling vision—a north star that motivates people to go the extra mile. Finally, design for intrinsic motivation. Not everyone is driven by the same things at the same time. Leaders must understand what motivates an individual at different points in their life: a potential promotion, a salary increase, more visibility, greater flexibility, or more time with family. And always be alert to signs of burnout.
Once you have the right team, it's important to establish a compelling vision—a north star that motivates people to go the extra mile
It's crucial that we stay close and foster a caring environment where we look out for one another.
What
is your favorite quote?
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” — Maya Angelou.
The reason this is possibly my favorite quote is that it embodies the spirit of how I believe we should act, and how I strive to operate daily. Firstly, it starts with an action: ‘Do.’ It's a call to advance, make decisions, and be a force for change. Then comes the need to always give our best: ‘Do the best you can.’ This is followed by the need for continuous learning: ‘Until you know better.’ The pursuit of knowledge, paired with a habit of continuous discovery, makes us more informed and more effective. Finally, the quote concludes with a call for continuous improvement: ‘Then when you know better, do better.’ No matter where the bar was set, raise it. Be a better version of yourself, day after day.
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
Five years in these times of rapid change can feel like a very long time. However, possibly I see myself still somewhere at the intersection of Business and Technology, maintaining the product mindset and entrepreneurial attitude that brought me here. I imagine I'll still be reinventing how we work and think, possibly making a process, a platform, or even my own job obsolete. Others will do otherwise
What advice would you give to anyone starting out on their career in your industry?
Firstly, that there is nothing written in stone. Stay humble, stay curious and learn from anyone, anywhere, anytime you can. Own your career and never let anything hold you back from thinking and dreaming big. Follow your passion, stay resilient, and always be your own biggest believer. Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter where you land—what truly matters is how fulfilling the journey has been.
Darin Morrow
Chief Transformation Officer, The Honey Baked Ham Company, LLC
Fostering Innovation, Growth, & Success
Darin Morrow has over 40 years’ experience leading, innovating, and transforming and innovating business and technology. He is currently the Chief Transformation Officer at The HoneyBaked Ham Company. He served over 28 years in the US Air Force (active and reserves) in technology and leadership roles. During his AF Reserve career, Darin spent 22 years at AT&T building high volume complex systems across several businesses including sales, order, digital, provisioning, and financial services. He led M&A integrations, built a startup wireless company, led technology strategy, and served as VP/CIO at Cricket Wireless. He also is a professor at Kennesaw State University. Recently, in an exclusive interview with Digital First Magazine, Darin shared his professional trajectory, insights on the latest FMCG industry trends to watch out for, significant career milestones, future plans, words of wisdom, and much more. The following excerpts are taken from the interview.
Hi Darin. Could you share your journey to becoming an expert in your current position?
As the Chief Transformation Officer, my role spans both technology and business. My work experience and leadership roles in the US Air Force and AT&T were critical in preparing me for this role. Leading multiple programs and projects across the end to end of the business and technical systems helped me comprehend complexities, set a direction and plan, remove roadblocks, and deliver innovation to enable the business. Building complex and highvolume systems from long distance, television, and wireless businesses, as well as building Cricket Wireless from the ground up provided many challenges and opportunities to work across the business and technology spectrum. My experience in previous roles covered, sales, ordering, billing, finance, supply chain, compensation, digital services, and network provisioning. You might say that “the breadth and depth of my experience” allows me to innovate with the business while building resilient and secure technology platforms
What do you love the most about your current role?
There are several things that I enjoy. Working with a brand and a product that is well known and being involved with every part of our business, technology and security efforts are probably the two that I enjoy most. My energy comes from helping people and the business solve problems. I enjoy providing the solutions and technology that truly enable the business. Bringing the future to both the business processes and new technology is satisfying. Bottom line-solving problems and moving the company towards the future is what I love most and that’s what I get to do everyday!
BOTTOM LINESOLVING PROBLEMS AND MOVING THE COMPANY TOWARDS THE FUTURE IS WHAT I LOVE MOST AND THAT’S WHAT I GET TO DO EVERYDAY!
What are the most significant challenges you face in driving transformation in a traditional industry, and how do you overcome them?
Transformation always has its challenges and the cliché of encompasses people, process, and technology is absolutely true. But, if I were to create a list of actions
Define clear strategies, roadmaps, and build out a plan. You must define what transformation means and set the priorities. Avoid analysis paralysis as the strategy, roadmap and plan will evolve and remember that perfection can be the enemy of good.
Don’t under estimate change management. When you come into any business that is steeped
I DON’T ASK PEOPLE TO DO THINGS I HAVEN’T DONE BEFORE, AND I UNDERSTAND THE WORK THEY WILL NEED TO DO FOR US TO BE SUCCESSFUL
in tradition, you need to first seek to understand and appreciate that history before you start proposing changes. Leading people through change can be the hardest part of the people, process, and technology triad.
Execute, deliver and adjust. In other words, set the first priorities and deliver, learn and adjust your plan and priorities as you go. Quick wins are always good, but you can’t just focus on quick wins. You have to deliver on the larger initiatives as well. That takes good planning and good partners.
What leadership qualities do you believe are essential for successful transformation, and how do you embody those qualities?
That’s a great question. From my experience these come to mind
1. Vision. Transformation starts with communicating and helping everyone understand the vision and strategy at every level; not just at the top. I work closely with the business and technology teams from the C-Suite to individual contributors. My team and I work to lay out what we need to do across all our teams to successfully transform the company.
2. Partnership. I pride myself in working with teams to comprehend and communicate. When both the business and technology teams know the strategy, can see the vision, can review the plan, and begin to really work together then success will follow.
3. Transparency. Be transparent with what you know, what you don’t, and why the plan and change is happening.
4. Approachable. People may not list this one, but I had someone in a non-managerial role simply tell me that the fact that I valued their
input and I was willing to take time to listen was what made them get on board with the changes. All these together in the end will build trust and unite the effort.
What are your thoughts on the latest trends, such as sustainability, digitalization, and changing consumer behaviors in the FMCG industry?
Consumers are changing so do your homework. You have to understand customer segmentation, customer journeys, pain points, etc. and today’s consumers not only expect but demand digitalization as the only way they want to engage your company. They also want choices. They want to engage you when they want to and how they want to – you have to be ready for that. They want new products and familiar favorites.
Is there a particular person you are grateful for who helped get you to where you are?
There are several people that help shape me, teach me, and grow me. Limiting that to one person would be difficult so I’ll mention a few: Paige Beckum, James McGlennon, Kate Hopkins, Jennifer Tilson, Melissa Arnoldi and Pam Parisian all significantly influenced and invested in me at AT&T. On the Air Force side, General James Munganest taught me to lead and yet not get in the way. Really everyone that I’ve worked with and for has taught me something and helped mold me.
What does the term "authentic leadership" mean to you?
Be real and be transparent. I am a pretty direct individual. I am exactly what you see. I
work to be clear and communicate the journey we are on. I travel that road with all those involved in what we are trying to accomplish. I care about the outcomes and the people who bring those outcomes to life. I don’t ask people to do things I haven’t done before, and I understand the work they will need to do for us to be successful. I try to help them identify and hopefully remove and challenges or roadblocks.
What has been your most careerdefining moment that you are proud of?
Over 40 years there are a few. The most defining would be building a wireless startup within AT&T called Aio Wireless (now Cricket Wireless). We started from the ground up and launched it within a years’ time. After departing, I returned as it’s CIO. To see it start from no customers to millions of customers and learning so much during that process is something that was definitely a defining moment. When you poor your heart into the people you work with to build something new against the odds, that’s the best moment.
What are some of your passions outside of work?
My passions are related to serving others and serving my family well. I enjoy teaching and coordinating the internship program at Kennesaw State University’s College of Computing and Software Engineering. I really enjoy shaping the future minds of our technology and cybersecurity students and connecting academics to industry.
What do you like to do in your time off?
Spend time with my family more than anything. I have a few small hobbies, but nothing delights me more than being with my family.
What is your biggest goal?
Right now, it’s to complete the transformation here at The HoneyBaked Ham Company. To help this fabulous tradition to innovate and grow so it is prepared for a new generation of customers that can enjoy the delicious, premium, quality products that this family has produced for so many decades.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?
To be honest, retired from the day to day company leadership role, but still learning, teaching, sharing, and shaping the next generation...still leading.
What advice would you give to aspiring transformation leaders in your industry?
Listen, seek to understand, learn as much as you can, and stay current on the business and technology forefronts. Also know what problem you’re trying to solve, establish a plan but adapt, and stay focused. As a leader, you have to see the path forward; anticipate obstacles, and be ready with options. In addition, I’d say be transparent, set real expectations, look for quick wins, but not at the expense of the greater goal. Last, or maybe first, say thank you. As a leader have a vision, set a course, create plans, and hold people accountable, but say thank you for efforts and accomplishments of those who take the journey with you!
THE ROLE OF AI IN
ENHANCING DATA GOVERNANCE
AND SECURITY COMPLIANCE
Tom Rotmans
Founder & Managing Director, Rotmans Consultancy & Business Development
Tom Rotmans is an internationally experienced Executive Director and Senior Consultant specialized in Data Governance, Data Management, and Program Management. With a proven track record in leading large-scale data transformation projects, Tom is passionate about leveraging technology to enhance data governance and security. He has extensive experience working with multinational companies in the banking and manufacturing industries. Tom holds certifications in DAMA-DMBOK and is proficient in various data governance and quality platforms.
In an era where data is not rarely named as the ‘new oil’, ensuring its governance and security has become paramount. With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), organizations have an unprecedented opportunity to enhance their data governance frameworks and achieve robust security compliance. The impact of AI on data governance and security is transformative, with the key importance of keeping data stored internally to safeguard against external threats.
The Evolving Landscape of Data Governance
Data governance involves the management of data availability, usability, integrity, and security in an organization. Traditional data governance frameworks often struggle to keep up with the increasing volume, velocity, and variety of data generated today. AI offers a solution by automating and optimizing many aspects of data governance, thereby enhancing efficiency and compliance.
AI-Powered Data Governance Automated Data Classification
AI algorithms can automatically classify data based on predefined criteria, ensuring that sensitive information is appropriately tagged and protected. This reduces the risk of data breaches and ensures compliance with regulations such as GDPR and CCPA.
Enhanced Data Quality
AI tools can continuously monitor data quality, identifying and rectifying inconsistencies and inaccuracies in real time. This ensures that decision-makers have access
AI
TOOLS CAN CONTINUOUSLY MONITOR DATA QUALITY, IDENTIFYING AND RECTIFYING INCONSISTENCIES AND INACCURACIES IN REAL TIME
to reliable and accurate data, improving overall business outcomes.
Intelligent Data LineageUnderstanding the flow of data within an organization is crucial for compliance. AI-powered data lineage tools can map the journey of data across systems, providing a clear and comprehensive view of data provenance and usage.
Strengthening Security Compliance with AI
Predictive Analytics for Threat Detection
AI can analyze historical data to predict potential security threats, enabling proactive
measures to prevent breaches. Machine learning models can identify patterns indicative of malicious activity, providing early warnings to security teams.
Automated Compliance Monitoring
AI-driven compliance monitoring systems can continuously assess adherence to regulatory requirements. By automating this process, organizations can quickly identify and rectify compliance gaps, reducing the risk of penalties and reputational damage.
Internal Data Storage for Enhanced Security
Storing data internally, as opposed to relying on third-party cloud services, can significantly
reduce exposure to external threats. AI can bolster this approach by providing advanced encryption and access control mechanisms, ensuring that only authorized personnel can access sensitive data.
THE INTEGRATION OF AI INTO DATA GOVERNANCE AND SECURITY COMPLIANCE IS NO LONGER A FUTURISTIC CONCEPT BUT A PRACTICAL NECESSITY
Conclusion
The integration of AI into data governance and security compliance is no longer a futuristic concept but a practical necessity. As organizations grapple with the challenges of managing vast amounts of data, AI offers powerful tools to enhance data quality, ensure compliance, and protect against security threats. By prioritizing internal data storage and leveraging AI, businesses can achieve a robust and resilient data governance framework that safeguards their most valuable asset—data.
Helping to Create the Best-in-class Technology Enabled Experiences for Clients Shannon Chapman
Senior Director of Enterprise Service Management, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits
Shannon Chapman is a first generation American born and raised in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and a citizen by descent of the beautiful Caribbean Island of Barbados. Spending many summers on the island of Barbados with family, she has an island spirit growing up surfing and at the beach. She is now a mother to a fun and funny 6-year-old boy who keeps her on her toes but is the apple of her eye! She also enjoys being outside in nature whether paddleboarding, hiking, biking or relaxing to a good book.
Recently, in an exclusive interview with CIO Magazine, Shannon shared her professional trajectory, insights on the three major trends in the IT industry to watch out for, the secret sauce behind her success, personal role model, favorite quote, future plans, words of wisdom, and much more. The following excerpts are taken from the interview.
Hi Shannon. Please tell us about your background and areas of expertise. I started my IT journey during my associate’s degree with a class in introduction to programming which came naturally to me and led me to major in Information Technology and minor in secure computing and networks in my Bachelors. After I earned by BS degree, I started as a Network Operations Center engineer and quickly excelled into IT and Enterprise Service Management with extensive certifications in ITIL earning my ITIL Expert certification in 2015. I held roles ranging from technical Change Manager to the IT Application and Service Portfolio Manager and then was promoted to team manager in 2020. While I earned my MBA between 2016 and 2022, I learned how to streamline processes, implement agile development, manage different application platforms including their databases and architecture (ServiceNow, Apptio, BMC Service Desk Express, Moveworks, homegrown web apps, and .net homegrown tool used for Change Management), manage vendor relationships and engage in contract negotiation, all while building and leading diverse as well as globally dispersed teams. I’m specifically focused on the user experience across people, process, and technology.
What
do you love the most about your current role?
In my current role, I work with many areas of the business ranging from HR, Supply Chain, InfoSec, GRC, and IT. I help them to solve their biggest technological challenges while trying to get work done. We utilize our capabilities to streamline, automate, and orchestrate business processes to ensure consistency, accuracy, and
WE UTILIZE OUR CAPABILITIES TO STREAMLINE, AUTOMATE, AND ORCHESTRATE BUSINESS PROCESSES TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY, ACCURACY, AND SPEED FOR OUR USERS
speed for our users. We utilize our capabilities to streamline, automate, and orchestrate business processes to ensure consistency, accuracy, and speed for our users. All of this helps to put a big smile on their faces when we achieve more than they even dreamed!
What are the three major trends do you foresee in your industry in the next 12 months?
As far as the IT industry, I think we will see more brands utilizing Generative AI to deliver curated and customized experiences based on the user’s interests, preferences, and past experiences. Along with this, we should see an increase in data security of employees’ and customers’ data to ensure the AI experiences they opt-in to use will leverage their data responsibly. Data and AI governance committees will be formed to deliver and protect companies’ use of AI models to deliver products and services. This governance may come in the form of opt-in confirmations, contracts with AI vendors, and/or disclosures on websites to warn the use of AI models to generate information. Lastly, we will see the use of more voice enabled AI when contacting the companies we love during times of need. While we’ve seen a shift to the chat bot for many companies and lowered staffing of the phone option, the phone option just isn’t going away, so companies will look to take advantage of further cost savings by leveraging AI voice in the call center.
Working in a historically maledominated industry, what has been your journey breaking down barriers and stepping into leadership roles? When I graduated high school, I had not decided what I wanted to study in college, so I entered
I WILL ALWAYS HELP MY TEAM TO GROW, APOLOGIZE WHEN I MAKE A MISTAKE BECAUSE WE ALL MAKE THEM, CHECK IN WITH THEM WHEN THINGS GO AWRY, AND ALWAYS REMIND THEM THAT THEIR HEALTH AND FAMILY ARE THE FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT THING, WORK COMES SECOND
with a proposed major in general studies and took a different course elective each semester. I dabbled in family law, chemistry, and photography to name a few. But it was not until I attended an introduction to programming course that I really knew what I wanted to do. The concept seemed to come naturally to me, and I excelled in the class. After that class, I changed my major to Information Technology. Once I started my bachelor’s degree at the University of Central Florida, I had not thought about the fact I would be the only girl in most of my classes, in the two years there, I only had a few where there was one other woman. Unfortunately, it was hard to find study partners in my classes and felt I needed to sit at the front of the class to be noticed by my teacher. The school engineering department did start a woman in engineering group but in my last semester and only three of us showed up, it was a bit too late for me but good that the need was recognized. Then after I started my first IT role at a large tech company, I was one of a few women in a 100+ IT department globally. In my first role I worked switch shifts monitoring the network globally and needed to train my peers across the globe. I encountered one recruit who would not acknowledge me during our 1-1 training sessions, verbally laughed at me on the phone, and ended up sending me sexually explicit videos. I was so uncomfortable but was able to notify my management and they handled the situation immediately. It was humiliating and felt I was a liability to the company. Thankfully, I never had another similar encounter and excelled in my role to which they promoted me into more of a leadership position only after 1 year. This was difficult as I guided my older more experienced male peers who quite
frankly did not take me seriously. I left work in tears on several occasions, trying to stay strong to ‘earn’ my position with my colleagues. I had a male director at the time that mentored me and would help defend me to reiterate the support from leadership in my new role. While it still took time to build my credibility, I was met with more respect from my peers with the backing of our leadership. Over time the company hired more women, and these experiences taught me to never allow adversity to keep me from my dreams, even though I had these challenges I never backed down and kept moving forward. I never gave up because someone else felt that I could not do it. I knew I was good at this field and enjoyed the work, which is what kept me putting one foot in front of the other. I was determined to earn credibility with my peers in my field. As a leader, it reminds me of the vital role that leaders must ensure all employees are met with respect regardless of their race, gender, or anything else.
If you could have a one-hour meeting with someone famous who is alive or dead, who would it be and why?
I would meet with Will Guidara who is the author of the book ‘Unreasonable Hospitality’ and former owner of the world’s number 1 restaurant in the world, Eleven Madison Park, in New York City. I would want to meet with Will because we share the same vision of hospitality in any business, and that should be unreasonable. I believe we can bring hospitality into IT and into any area of the corporate world and that our users are expecting this experience. Why can’t we treat our employees as good if not better than our customers? They certainly would treat our customers even better and retain even better talent when everyone wants to work for
you. I would love to brainstorm ideas and share a meal with Will at EMP one day.
You were recently recognized as one of The Top 50 Women Leaders of Miami for 2024. Our readers would love to know the secret sauce behind your success. Honestly, I have experienced a few not-sogreat leaders in my tenure, and this has really shaped what kind of leader I became. I knew what I wanted from a leader and tried to exemplify that every day with my teammates. I will always help my team to grow, apologize when I make a mistake because we all make them, check in with them when things go awry, and always remind them that their health and family are the first and most important thing, work comes second. Another aspect that I feel has earned me respect and has blessed me with the best and brightest team is that I love to have fun! I will come up with creative ways for each team member to express themselves such as by naming Agile sprints, presenting their career development plans to the collective team, and
holding fun work-free virtual or non-virtual team get togethers full of laughs!
Is there a particular person you are grateful for who helped get you to where you are?
I am especially grateful for my late grandfather, Clifford Chapman, as a foreign consulate of Barbados for the United States, he taught me the importance of honesty, humility, and respect for everyone. Along with this, I was blessed with his gift of speech and writing. He consistently mentored and coached me throughout my life and during my initial ascension in my career after college. If he were still alive today, I think I would make him very proud of my accomplishments.
How do you keep your mind healthy and stay resilient? And how do you motivate your team?
To stay healthy and resilient, I read often, switching from fiction and non-fiction each time so as to learn but also innovate with creative
TO STAY HEALTHY AND RESILIENT, I READ OFTEN, SWITCHING FROM FICTION AND NON-FICTION EACH TIME SO AS TO LEARN BUT ALSO INNOVATE WITH CREATIVE IDEAS THAT SOMETIMES ONLY FICTIONAL STORIES CAN INSPIRE
ideas that sometimes only fictional stories can inspire. Along with this, I focus on getting 7 – 8 hours of sleep a night and no alcohol consumption which keeps me fresh and focused each day. Regarding methods of motivation for my team, I will develop a new personal development plan for myself and present it to my team each year. Then they are expected to build a personal plan or update theirs and present it to the entire team during a team meeting. The personal plan includes aspects of wellness, financial, career, and purpose goals such as “I want to travel more”. This plan helps the team to not only get
to know each other on a deeper level than their job descriptions but also inspire each other to want something more than just a promotion and think about what they need to do to achieve their goals. Following this, I will help them if they want and honestly whether they work for me or not. Another motivator of my team is that I will structure the team and work to keep them in a place where they want to be, which is being creative. I will spend more time and remove obstacles for my high performers so they can run, this motivates the other team members to succeed to gain more support in the ‘fun stuff’.
MY ADVICE WOULD BE TO CONNECT WITH A MENTOR AND BUILD A PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN, SET DEFINITIVE DATES FOR OVER THE NEXT 5 YEARS FOR KEY MILESTONES
What is your favorite quote?
My favorite quote is by Steve Jobs, “There’s no point in hiring smart people and telling them what to do; we hire smart people to tell us what to do.” – Steve Jobs
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
I see myself working for a growing company as a VP of IT, helping them to create the bestin-class technology enabled experiences that increase revenue through happy employees, attract top talent, and put a smile on employees faces everyday reducing attrition and achieving better mental and physical health.
What advice would you give to anyone starting out on their career in your industry?
My advice would be to connect with a mentor and build a personal development plan, set definitive dates for over the next 5 years for key milestones. Review the plan with a mentor and get advice. If you don’t currently have a mentor, I highly recommend using Upnotch (an online mentorship tool) to connect with mentors and be a mentor to individuals all around the world. Achieve your goals and create new ones, always continue to invest in yourself and be consistently growing.
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OPTIMIZING YOUR CYBERSECURITY PROGRAM –REPORTING STRUCTURE OF THE CISO
Paul Connelly
Technical Advisor, Educator & Board Member
Paul Connelly has been in the Information Security field since starting his career at the National Security Agency in 1984. He was the first Information Security Officer at the White House, where he served under three Presidents. He was also a partner leading a regional cybersecurity consulting team at PricewaterhouseCoopers for six years. He retired in April 2023 from HCA Healthcare, the largest private sector healthcare provider in the US after twenty years as their Chief Information Security Officer. He now serves as a technical advisor, educator, and board member.
Cyberattacks are shutting down critical systems and operations across all industries, and organizations are paying tens of millions of dollars for defenses and insurance, and potentially 10X or more if they have breaches. Given this immense risk, organizations need to look at every lever at their disposal to optimize their cybersecurity program. Changing the reporting structure of the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) may provide a low-cost opportunity for significant improvement.
The most common and traditional reporting of the CISO position has been to the head of IT/CIO. In some cases, the CISO may report to the head of Compliance. These reporting structures have been the historical standards, as cybersecurity was primarily focused on IT infrastructure and compliance, and the CISO was in middle management. CISOs tend to be heads-down focusing on the people, processes, and technologies that make up the bread and butter of their programs, and their reporting structure may be taken as a given and politically risky to challenge. So – these reporting lines made sense in the past, and for many reasons, including inertia needed to change, they have tended to stay that way.
Do legacy reporting lines make sense in today’s high risk environment? Business risks in cybersecurity drive the need for the modern CISO to have greater engagement across the organization than in the past. Around the world, regulatory bodies are making it clear –top leadership needs to be directly engaged in cybersecurity, boards are being pushed to add
BUSINESS RISKS IN CYBERSECURITY DRIVE THE NEED FOR THE MODERN CISO TO HAVE GREATER ENGAGEMENT ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION THAN IN THE PAST
cybersecurity expertise, and it is not just an IT or compliance issue or something to be buried under layers of management. Organizations should look to maximize the effectiveness of their CISO, commensurate with today’s level of risk and focus.
Success factors for the modern CISO include –
● Resources: Having the right people and technology.
● Visibility: Being positioned to see what is happening day-to-day and have early warning of what is coming around the corner in the business; and to be seen by business leaders and the workforce.
● Voice: Unfettered ability to interact with top leadership, business units, the workforce, and even the board. A CISO may have to call “All hands on-deck” or raise a risk with a key business initiative, and they need backing from senior leadership and the board to give that voice credibility.
● Partnership: Working with business leaders who understand and “own” their part of the cybersecurity risk.
● Decisions made at the top: Decisions on cybersecurity budget, staffing, and resolution of risks should be made at the CEO’s senior leadership table, not within IT or another business unit.
The right reporting structure can boost all of these CISO success factors. The ideal scenario is to move the CISO out from under layers of management, make them a business leader at the senior table, and enable them to directly present the risks, program strategy, issues, and resource requests to top leadership and the board. In
most organizations, this means reporting to the CEO, CFO, COO, or Chief Risk Officer.
How and why this change can help CIOs and Compliance executives that oversee CISOs in legacy reporting structures have broad and expanding spans of responsibility and are likely not cybersecurity experts. These leadership roles require different skills and background, have different goals, and are rewarded for different things than the CISO.
The CISO must partner with all business units and leaders and connect with every single person in the enterprise to be effective, so visibility and positioning in the organizational structure matters. Perhaps most important, the CISO must provide an independent view of technology and business risks to top leadership and the board. There may be times when there is “healthy conflict” with the CIO or other business leaders. This access and independence can be difficult and even squelched if the CISO is a level or more down in the organization and reports to anyone other than the CEO, CFO, COO, or CRO.
Having the CISO at the senior leadership table helps top leadership be directly connected and involved – no more intermediary speaking on behalf of the CISO. They hear the perspectives of both the CIO and other business leaders and the CISO on critical points, and they are the decision-makers.
Summary
There is no one right model that fits all situations, and this may not even be feasible in organizations where the resource pool is small and staff must wear multiple hats.
CIOS, CHIEF LEGAL COUNSEL, AND OTHER SENIOR EXECUTIVES THAT OVERSEE CISOS IN LEGACY REPORTING STRUCTURES HAVE BROAD SPANS OF RESPONSIBILITY AND ARE LIKELY NOT CYBERSECURITY EXPERTS
If your organization could potentially benefit from this change, the first step is for the CISO to define and elaborate the pros and cons and the allocation of responsibilities. Then have a transparent and thoughtful conversation with the business leader where the CISO reports today and develop a plan to jointly discuss with your CEO.
A last point – for this to work, the CISO needs to up his/her game and earn their place at the senior leadership table. They need to come out of the SOC (Security Operations Center) and have the executive presence and communications skills needed to stand
on their own, compete for scarce resources, develop partnerships, have the business acumen to speak about risks, and make the case for cybersecurity.
My prior organization, which is a Fortune 100 company, went through this analysis ten years ago and moved Information Security out of IT, and eventually to a spot at the senior leadership table. That was a gamechanger for our program’s visibility, access, and effectiveness. At a time when we are all searching for every edge for our cybersecurity defenses, this is an out-of-the-box concept that warrants consideration.
LEADERSHIP INTELLIGENCE: THREE KEYS TO LEADING
EFFECTIVELY IN THE AGE OF AI
Bashir Agboola
Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS)
Bashir Agboola is the Chief Technology Officer and Vice President at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), the global leader in musculoskeletal care. Bashir has an extensive leadership and technology management background, ranging from IT Systems Integration, Consulting, and Healthcare IT. He has spent the last several years of his career serving in various capacities at top-tier academic medical institutions. Bashir is a respected thought leader on various technology and leadership matters and writes and speaks frequently for industry publications and events. He is a multiple award-winning executive, including the winner of the HMG Strategy Global Leadership Institute award for 2021, the Tech Inclusion Conference 2021 Top 100 CIO/CTO award, and the HMG Strategy 2020 Technology Executives Who Matter award. Bashir is a member of the board of Directors of the Center for Family Support and also serves on a number of industry advisory boards. He holds a number of professional certifications, as well as a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science with Economics, a Master's Degree in Computer Science, and an MBA degree with a concentration in Finance.
The role of effective leadership in the success or otherwise of organizations is well documented and effective leadership is one of the most written about topics in business literature. Throughout history, we learn how effective leadership propelled lagging organizations to greatness, and how its absence helped erstwhile successful enterprises slide into decline. Certain qualities are recognized as essential to leadership effectiveness and they have been proven to be so for millennia. They are important in leading today’s organizations as they were a thousand years ago – qualities
such as integrity, empathy, resilience, emotional intelligence, trust, adaptability, and strategic foresight, along with influence and persuasion, personal communications, and negotiation skills, amongst others. These are tried and tested qualities and skills that have helped leaders achieve success in leading their organizations (empires, nations, business enterprises, clans, families, teams, etc.) and achieving and sustaining the outcomes that their organizations need or aspire to.
Some leadership skills and qualities assume heightened importance depending on the context in which a leader functions. Leading an
A KEY QUALITY OF EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP IS THE ABILITY OF THE LEADER TO USE STRATEGIC FORESIGHT IN SOLVING PROBLEMS AND CHARTING A PATH TOWARD EFFECTIVELY ACHIEVING THE GROUP’S OBJECTIVES
organization through an economic downturn, negative market performance, or even a period of military conflict requires a leader to lean more on certain qualities than leading the same organization during a period of ease, growth, and expansion.
Hence, leading an organization through a period of momentous technological change (such as we are beginning to witness with AI) requires a leader to exercise more of those leadership skills necessary to lead an organization through rapid business evolution, fierce and growing competition, and uncertainty in the business and regulatory landscape. The rest of this article will focus on three of those leadership skills that I believe are particularly critical to effectively leading during the AI-enabled transformations that many industries (and society at large) are about to witness. McKinsey predicts that 70% of companies may adopt some form of AI by 2030 and that by that same year, about $13 trillion of economic value will be created as a result of AI. Leaders need to be prepared to adapt to the requirements of leading through this transformation. These three skills are Creative Strategic Thinking, Accelerated and Continuous Learning, and Ethical Leadership. We will briefly explore each one below.
Creative Strategic Thinking
A key quality of effective leadership is the ability of the leader to use strategic foresight in solving problems and charting a path toward effectively achieving the group’s objectives. This is an important quality in a period where AI has the demonstrated potential to fundamentally change many established business models, collapse existing business sectors, and create new value-
generating opportunities. Leading through such rapid and potentially consequential change requires a leader to hone their practice of strategic foresight in leading their organizations to evolve, adapt, and thrive in the new AIshaped business landscape.
There are many well-documented approaches to developing business strategy. One approach that seems well-suited to the highly competitive and rapidly evolving world of AI is to approach strategy creation as a creative exercise, using a framework such as described by Adam Brandenburger and others in their work on creativity as a source of strategy. The framework proposes using the 4 Cs of creativity (Contrast, Combine, Constraint, and Context) in a strategy-making exercise. Leaders can leverage this framework to come up with an “AI-adapted” strategy as they plan for the impact of AI on their business/industry (and even their own professional effectiveness). They can explore taking actions that contrast with what is normally done in that line of business, combine (or decouple) products and services in new or untraditional ways, turn what is seen as a constraint on their business into an advantage, and or change the context in which their business is performed.
An interesting example of creative strategymaking at work is the response of the Stock Content company, Shutterstock, to what appears to be an existential threat posed to its business model by Generative AI. The company has embraced Generative AI and adapted its business model accordingly. It recently expanded its partnership with OpenAI and will receive “Priority Access” to the latter‘s latest technology, while in return OpenAI licensed
data from Shutterstock to train its models. Shutterstock has adapted its content creators’ compensation structure to reward artists for the role their work played in training its Gen AI tech. It also offers an Image Creator tool, powered by Open AI’s DALL-E 2, and has established other AI-related partnerships with a number of other companies. In contrast, Getty Images is involved in a legal dispute with Stability AI (Stable Diffusion owner) over the latter’s alleged unlawful use of millions of Getty Images.
Continuous and Accelerated Learning
The rapid rate of change in many business sectors and the widening (often on a global scale) of competition requires that leaders and professionals be able to learn about changes and advancements not only in their area of core competence but also in a variety of related topics as well. The need for this is heightened in the age of generative AI. Leaders must learn to learn continuously and fast. On one hand, the information tsunami that the world is facing will be fueled in part by the power of generative AI, but at the same time, that same technology provides a powerful aid in learning quickly and continuously. Failure in this respect will be a source of likely disruption for many businesses and careers. While AI might not take away a leader’s job or cause their business to lose its ascendancy, it is likely that their disruption will come from people who have figured out how to leverage AI for competitive learning advantage and thus are better informed and able to perform at an optimal level.
Leading with Ethics
Ethical usage is one of the most highlighted challenges of AI. The concern is how to
ensure the ethical application of AI in the absence of clear regulatory guardrails (and sometimes lack of clarity about how the AI does what it does), ensuring that this powerful technology is used only in ways that benefit humanity and does not exacerbate or create societal ills (such as all manners of biases). Leaders will sometimes face moral dilemmas in the course of exploring ethically dubious but economically valuable use cases while facing competition that might not share their moral qualms. To lead effectively in this new age, leaders must be ethically grounded and should tether to their individual and corporate values. Keeping their values at the forefront of AI (and indeed general business effort) is key to running an ethically sound program.
Conclusion
The core principles of leadership remain the same throughout the ages but leading in an age of AI requires more focus on certain aspects of leadership. A leader must be purposeful in practicing strategic foresight and can tap into the power of creativity in their strategy-making effort. The rate of change and volume of information that the leader is presented with will grow rapidly, as would the requirement to act in response to the attendant changes in the business environment. Leaders have to learn to learn quickly and continuously. Lastly, business ethics is as important as ever since AI will lead to many uncharted territories and present tremendous competitive pressures on leaders. Mooring to one’s and the business’s core values provides some safeguards from unethical use of AI.
