The CIO is the CEO of IT

Helge Scheil, a VP at CA, writes in CIO’s Soapbox The CIO is the CEO of IT (and they need their own General Ledger).

Helge’s perspective
is interesting. I support the idea of the CIO running IT/IS as a business. The
idea of their 360 degree view being underpinned by asset management is quite
compelling, as it provides traceability and rigour. Value management linked to
asset management is the ‘challenge in waiting’.

I would also like to
see the CIO adopt other business leader practices such as having a sales and
marketing function to promote the IT department’s capability. In fact I would
like to see the CIO be the actual CEO. But that requires a set of skills and an
thinking that most CIOs and boardrooms are not quite ready
for.

I discuss this further in my book.