FinOps: A Must-Learn Skill for CIOs to Become Future-Ready
Martha Heller of Heller Search Associates on Tech Leadership in an AI-Driven Future
The CIO role began to take shape in the 1970s when finance professionals sought to automate processes and needed software to manage them, leading to the emergence of MIS managers. By 1987, the first bona fide CIO role emerged, requiring technical expertise, software coding skills and process automation knowledge. In the 1990s, the advent of enterprise resource planning systems shifted the CIO role from purely technical to one focused on business process management. The dot-com boom of the early 2000s further evolved the role, emphasizing the creation of business models and managing customer expectations.
Today, in the age of AI, a CIO is required to be more than the sum of these past roles. With a wealth of skills accumulated over the decades, CIOs are now poised to become technology leaders capable of handling operations, product engineering and even P&L responsibilities.
"I am not suggesting the death of the CIO role, but boardrooms are increasingly open to technology leaders beyond just CIOs. To remain competitive and future-ready, CIOs must learn FinOps, as every role ultimately centers on revenue generation and value creation," said Martha Heller, CEO of Heller Search Associates.
In this video interview with Information Security Media Group, Heller also discussed:
- The challenges faced by CIOs;
- The importance of leadership skills and architectural sensibility;
- The significance of FinOps in keeping the CIO role relevant and competitive.
Heller is one of the most widely followed voices on the role of CIOs. She has authored two books, "CIO Paradox: Battling the Contradictions of IT Leadership" and "Be the Business: CIOs in the New Era of IT."
