The CIO plays an important role in the organisation, with the smooth functioning of the IT infrastructure dependent on him. With growth of the organisation, the CIO’s responsibilities are going beyond the periphery of just IT.

Organisation’s Growth Dependent On CIO Tenure

The role of the CIO and the IT infrastructure of an organisation are so closely entwined that it would be difficult for one to function smoothly without the other. Coordination between the two is also important. It is the CIO who is now assigned the role of business enabler, along with the charge of IT infrastructure, to make profits. While the length of the CEO’s tenure is undeniably important for an organisation, it is essential for the CIO to convince the management about his role and responsibilities.

Anand Sengupta, earlier CIO at Daikin India and now CIO at Carrier Aircon, says, "The tenure or the days of working of a CIO in a particular company is very important for the organisation’s growth. IT is a support function and for a CIO to perform at an optimum level it is essential for him to know and understand the business; only then he can move forward."

A good CIO should have the capability to ensure three important things: effective vendor management, managing a business team, and smooth functioning of the IT infrastructure. A CIO should be able to manage and understand the business requirements of the project, convince the management about ROI on every penny invested, and work well with the teams under him.

Differing Views On Exact Tenure

Industry experts and analysts have differing views on the exact tenure required for a CIO to keep things on track. While a Gartner report mentioned that it takes three years for a CIO to revamp an IT organisation and keep things well-oiled, it depends a great deal on the size of the organisation and how spread out it is. The larger and more widely spread it is, the longer the CIO needs to be there to make an impact. Other factors include the current state of maturity of IT usage in the company.

Says Alagu Balaraman, vice president and process architect, Britannia Industries Ltd, "There is a concept of a turnaround CIO – a person who takes charge and revamps the IT organisation in a company. Around three years are required for a CIO to be on board to make an impact, not only in the IT infrastructure but also on the whole organisation." These days Balaraman’s job responsibility is more oriented towards business than IT.

Aditya Menon, who was a CIO with Yes Bank and recently joined Obopay as Executive Director and CTO, has a different say on the matter. "As far as my experiences are concerned I think the minimum timeframe required for a CIO to bring things on track is about a year or 18 months, with a minimum gestation period of 90 days," he says. "A CIO runs multiple projects simultaneously, and the length of the tenure varies according to the organisation. For a CIO in a financial vertical, the minimum time horizon required is two years." The tenure could therefore depend on the type of organisation: whether it is small or large, heavily technology-based or not, and various other factors.

Hiring Depends On Projects

There are some companies whose management team hires a CIO by eyeing a specific mandate to transform the organisation or keeping an eye on some important projects. Others may hire CIOs not only with IT projects in mind but also elect them as board members and take their suggestions in business transformation. Plenty of companies today attach business responsibilities to the CIO’s job profile.

Iqbal Gandham, earlier CTO with Net4India and now a founding member and Chief Business Strategist at Nivio, an online desktop solution provider company, says, "A good CIO should not leave an organisation in the midst of a project, even if there are project managers who can take the responsibility of the CIO and complete it. The management hires a CIO by keeping some projects in mind and expects the CIO to think out of the box and innovate from time to time. Indeed, the ‘I’ of CIO has changed its connotation from information to innovation."

A CIO’s role would be about process improvement. He should build the systems as per the requirements of the business. Balaraman says, "Hiring a CIO to transform the organisation would be an ideal situation. However, very often the basis of hiring is much less clear. The top management may feel there’s a need for someone to 'set things right' or 'make IT more effective.' It is then up to the CIO to identify the needs of the company and frame an agenda that is communicated to the management. After all, a CIO is as much a business manager as a technical manager."

Doing The Work Of The Predecessor

When a CIO leaves an organisation in the middle of a project, both organisation and project are affected, though the nature of the loss may vary. Some companies transfer the responsibility to project managers. However, Menon cautions, "A very long tenure need not necessarily be a boon. Like most things, it depends on the individual and his ability to develop and redefine the role. Otherwise, it is possible for things to stagnate, leaving everyone dissatisfied. Change isn't always bad; it can at times be good for all concerned."

The style of operation varies from person to person. If a CIO leaves a company and another is hired in his place, it may be difficult for the new CIO to understand the work his predecessor did. Says Sengupta, "Because of the nature of the job and because there is no set path of operation, it is very difficult for a CIO to continue from where the previous one left – every individual has a unique style of working and thinking."

"I don’t agree with the view that if a CIO leaves an organisation it will affect either the organisation’s growth or its style of operation. A short CIO tenure never paralyses IT. If a person leaves an organisation, then either the person next in command will be promoted, or a more suitable candidate will be hired," says Gandham.