CIO's AGENDA FOR 2021
Nowadays, CIOs are the torch-bearers of the organizations guiding their way towards digitalization and enabling the companies to stay ahead in this competitive age. The pandemic which started last year has also amplified the importance of a CIO. They have become a part of the company’s board ever since organizations are adopting digitalization. Every CIO has a roadmap for the future. Depending on the needs of their organization and the return on investment they will be doing in technology, CIOs plan for the way ahead. This year CIOs have various agenda for the upcoming time, some have prioritized Cloud, AI / ML, Automation, collaboration tools as need of the hour with one common focus on cyber security. As remote working is the new norm now so protection of data is of utmost importance for CIOs. Let’s check out on the agendas of the CIOs from various verticals for the rest of the year.
SAYED PEERZADE
Executive VP & Chief Cloud Officer, Yotta Infrastructure Solutions LLP Overall strategy of CIO to make business transformation according to me is in following formula: Design digital transformation or business transformations around business goals –Currently, the bulk of the work is carried out by IT teams—without the involvement of cross-functional teams within the company. From CEO to CFO everyone should be involved to take decisions and risks. These steps are necessary to transform business, otherwise the project will remain on book as cost for CFO and technology for CIO without business benefit. Expand the role of IT - Digital transformation can give IT leaders an opportunity to expand their roles and oversee technology across the organization. To make this change, CIOs need to shift away from focusing just on operations and infrastructure to embracing a more consultative and collaborative role. Make data and analytics a top company priority - Focus on data driven decision making is essential for any organisation. This focus is especially notable when it comes to how executives make investments that will benefit their organizations in the long term. When an organisation is data driven, each and every aspect is clear and one will not struggle to get through the projects, be it CIO or CFO. Transform talent acquisition - The recruiting process at many organizations is one clear area where digital transformation and collaboration with IT can make a big difference for companies. This even applies for cross functional or other departments as well. Prioritize employee-friendly processes - Just as digital transformation cannot flourish in a silo, new procedures and technologies that are not employee friendly will also fall flat. Busy employees will only be frustrated by technologies they do not know how to use or those that need constant troubleshooting. Instead, Design thinking is necessary when you develop a technology platform and its implementations.
VENKATESH BABU S
President & Head - IT, Coffee Day Global (Cafe Coffee Day) Reassess digital roadmap: Use what you have learned from adapting to COVID to identify opportunities for growth and innovation, specifically including ways to digitize interactions, facilitate customers’ transition from offline to online channels, and encourage adoption. Maintain organizational alignment: Enterprise-wide transformation starts with organizational alignment and is realized through effective change management. Rebalance talent strategy: Facilitate digital transformations by providing the flexibility of on-demand expertise in specialized and emerging areas of knowledge. Depending on where the business is in its transformation, they can provide support to fast-track a wide range of digital transformation initiatives, from accelerating product launches and implementing cybersecurity strategies to providing critical skill sets during times of rapid scale. Stay agile with new models: In order to continuously adapt to evolving market needs and customer experience objectives, the internal processes have to be built with agility in mind.
www.varindia.com July 2021
33
