The Top CIOs from Successful Companies and How They Prepare Their Businesses for Success

There’s no doubt that a strong CIO may be the foundation of a successful organization. They are in charge of ensuring that all parts of the firm, from technology to sales and marketing, operate smoothly.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to being a successful CIO. However, there are a few traits that many of the best CIOs share and Contino’s infographic manages to convey some of these.

Paul Farnsworth

Paul Farnsworth is the CIO of the DHI Group from the US and under his leadership, the company has undergone a digital transformation.

Farnsworth is well-known for his advocacy of effective communication to embrace change. He feels that it’s essential to be more intentional with ad hoc communications and actively plan informal discussions!

When asked about how he manages to prepare his business for success, Farnsworth stated that “I put a little bit more structure into my week around just making sure that I’m calling them up and saying, hi and seeing what’s on their minds to make sure that we feel like we’re synchronized a little bit more.”

Farnsworth also strongly believes that there’s more to survival than (just!) technology. The pandemic has put people’s priorities in a crisis to the test. Keeping technology running is becoming a necessary–but insufficient–component of survival.

According to Farnsworth, “Try to get everyone to build proper business continuity plans that include technology that doesn’t rely on disaster recovery. These two things are completely different. I think infrastructure for technology is a lot less fragile than it used to be. It’s now about keeping the business running and not the technology.”

He reiterates how important it is to think about how you recruit new personnel. Businesses have started rethinking their recruitment approach in light of social distancing and how they educate and onboard people to eliminate geographical obstacles.

“I’ve got to assess whether my HR partners are equipped to deal with suddenly hiring people remotely or whether there’s culture change needed across the organization. It would help if you then had an onboarding strategy for individuals, which means much more thought and care about who you’re meeting, how you schedule it, and how are they getting access to tools,” said Farnsworth.

Alex Kalinovsky

Alex Kalinovsky is the CIO of Home Credit and Finance Bank. Under his leadership, Home Credit has become one of the most successful fintech companies globally!

Kalinovsky is known for his focus on flexibility and staying adaptable. He thinks that leaders will require a certain level of flexibility to perform this position successfully. Everything is continuously evolving and we must be able to keep up.

Kalinovsky stated that “In terms of CI/CD and various engineering transformation things we’ve launched before, it became even more critical to continue them. In terms of efficiency, we haven’t lost any; we’re as efficient as we’ve worked before.”

Kalinovsky also believes that companies won’t return to their standard working methods before the pandemic.

“I don’t think it’s ever going to go back to the way it was before. I think that remote work is with us to stay. Whether it’s going to be to the extent, it is now where we’re almost 100% remote is unclear. I think, whatever happens, it’s going to be a hybrid model,”

Kalinovsky has also stated that focusing on strategic investments in your customer is critical for a business to establish itself for success in the new normal.

“What is important for us as a business requires focus in culture, changing how you manage your budgets and how you make your strategic decisions. Make sure it invests in the right things that help you achieve those goals. Beyond that, think of the customer,”

These investments include digitisation, information security, and your engineering culture.

Conclusion

The best CIOs from successful companies are always looking to improve their businesses. They understand that technology is constantly changing and evolving, so they must adapt.

By using innovative technologies and keeping an open mind, these CIOs have been able to help their businesses grow and succeed.

If you want your business to thrive in today’s fast-paced world, make sure you follow these tips. By using innovative technologies and keeping an open mind, you’ll be able to prepare your business for success!