Since taking on the role of eCMO, I have become a better CIO. While developing consistent marketing infrastructure, content and messaging for our 140 websites, I have started working directly with our external customers. This has given me a new awareness of their needs and of our market, strengthening my understanding of our business. Learning to look at corporate strategy from their perspective has helped me develop better relationships with my colleagues at the executive level, which are further enhanced by my continuing experience as a cross-functional leader. I’ve also been able to better position my IT team to deliver customer self-service applications.

My track record as CIO is a big part of why the company’s leadership gave me the additional position - they noted that I could achieve results for multiple functions while being fair to all users and needs. I’ve now added a good deal of IT’s strengths - such as project management and requirements gathering - to marketing, which also has something to teach IT: creativity in finding and creating solutions.

When I left behind the title of director of IT to become the head of the transaction services business unit at VocaLink, I didn’t walk away from technology; rather, I expanded on how technology best serves the company and our customers. Our CEO recognized that the traditional business-IT organizational divide was not optimal for a technology-leading company. Restructuring VocaLink removes the barriers between the products and the IT function that creates them, creating greater focus on the customer, a single line of accountability and a true "one-team" spirit. The IT operations are centralized under our COO, which gives me the space to focus on strategy, sales and product management, and all the technology that allows those functions to happen. It is easier for me to make decisions on prioritization and funding, because I have both PaannddL accountability for my business unit, and the traditional CIO responsibility for delivering the portfolio of programs and products that underpin that P&L.

Despite the similarities between my old role and my current one, I am learning every day and honing new skills, such as product management and marketing. For example, I’ve rediscovered that market research, when done well, is one of the best tools a business leader can have in maximizing ROIROI. Knowing what technology will do for our business is simply not enough. However, I am fortunate in working with a very strong executive team who are always willing to share experiences and provide advice. Alles zu ROI auf CIO.de