Samuels: maybe the CIOs' work is done. In a tough economic climate, a long-term aim of aligning business and IT will sound pretty hollow

It is time for CIOs to shape up or ship out

Chief information officers must face up to the fact that their role is changing along with the rest of the IT industry, says Mark Samuels

Written by Mark Samuels

Computing, 29 Nov 2007

Last week’s star letter by Robert Stevens was significant for a number of reasons.

Rather than pussyfooting around the issue, Stevens went straight for the jugular and attacked chief information officers (CIOs) for their woeful performance.

He also slated technology leaders for their lack of credibility and business imperatives, and was pleased to see evidence that the CIO tag might be passing into oblivion.

Was Stevens right to take such a strong line, or are CIOs an essential element of the executive line?

Well, change is afoot. High street giants Boots and House of Fraser recently announced plans to scrap the IT director role following major infrastructure overhauls.

And last week, Tesco IT director Colin Cobain revealed his plans to leave his role after successfully expanding operations on the other side of the Atlantic.

Cobain’s tenure he had been with the retailer since 2000 is longer than most. Research from service provider EDS and survey specialist Populous shows the average CIO stays in position for just 38 months.

Maybe, then, the CIOs’ work is done. In a tough economic climate where chief executives are looking to cut costs a long-term aim of aligning business and IT will sound pretty hollow.

Computing Business recently polled IT directors on the future of the CIO. Opinions ranged from defensive to aggressive, with IT directors eager to demonstrate the influence of a good CIO on wider business strategy.

Other experts, however, are more uncertain, with Henley Management College’s Sharm Manwani suggesting chief financial officer is the only role that remains safe at board level.

Leaders will be forced to fight for their innovative projects, with Gartner suggesting IT directors should target a decrease in IT spending of at least 10 per cent for 2008.

Under such conditions, experts believe an increasing variety of organisations will be keen to place responsibility for IT with the finance director.

As this week’s extended feature on the future of the CIO (see page 23) demonstrates, those who are transformational technology leaders will be best-placed to survive the cull. Are you ready for change or are you set for the chop?

What do you think? Read my blog at: http://theknowledge.computing.co.uk