Headhunter for Chief Information Officer Positions

CIO – Chief Information Officer

Since the 1980s, the role of the CIO has undergone a long evolution. As digitalisation has progressed, the position has grown into a key leadership role in critical strategic management initiatives in the technology space. These range from information security and algorithms to data science and user experience. In other words, it is both the survival and the growth of the company at the same time.
CIOs act as a bridge across the company to promote technology-related data, information and knowledge between the different departments. Thanks to this key position, CIOs can also solve interdepartmental problems. As long as they have the appropriate skills.

We find the CIO that suits you

CareerTeam are the experts when it comes to the challenging search for top executives in a very competitive market. We find suitable executives for your company's CIO position. Our success-based executive search approach guarantees that you are quickly appointed with qualified candidates who will drive your company's technological development.

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Chief Information Officer vs. Chief Technology Officer 

It was a CIO who came first. Historically, a Chief Information Officer (CIO) had a dual role as CIO and CTO. As time went on and technology evolved and became more complex, it became necessary to split this role. This gave rise to the CTO.
The main difference is the internal and external orientation. CIOs have a technology-oriented, operational role. They are responsible for the technologies related to the internal business processes. CTOs, on the other hand, have a more externally oriented, strategic planning role. 
Generally, the CTO reports to the CIO, but this is not always the case. The tasks and relationship between the two vary from company to company. However, the important thing is that the two need to work well together.

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Chief Information Officer vs. Chief Digital Officer 

Around 2014, CDOs (Chief Digital Officers) became popular in management as the consumer orientation of IT and everything digital increased sharply. Experts questioned the role of CIOs and predicted that they would be replaced by CDOs by 2020. But that prediction turned out not to be true.
What is more, the term CDO continues to be associated with another role: the Chief Data Officer. With the explosion of Big Data, companies have invested a lot of money and time to build their analytical capabilities. But even this newer management position will not replace CIOs, but rather work with them to lead change and transformation.

The importance of a Chief Information Officer

CIOs are responsible for IT hardware and software and the strategic planning of these relating to the IT infrastructure and the corporate network. On the other hand, they are also responsible for managing the IT staff.
In the wake of digitalisation, there is practically no product or company that can manage it without technology. CIOs serve at this point to link technology with product development. Moreover, thanks to their knowledge and accumulated experience, important business decisions are made in this area.

Traits of excellent CIOs

Trust

Trust is the beginning of every relationship. Teams and employees alike need to trust the CIO just as much as the CIO needs to trust them. This feeling of trust and appreciation also has a very positive impact on motivation and quality of work. CIOs need to be able to delegate effectively and have confidence in the team that they are doing the right thing. This creates feelings of recognition and appreciation among the team, which has been shown to lead to higher productivity and a better working environment. But trust takes time to build sustainably - but that time is time well spent.

Communication

Good communication is not only required throughout management, but in every type of leadership role. When it comes to IT, effective communication is particularly significant. After all, CIOs need to be able to promote their projects, goals, strategies and intentions clearly and concisely to maximise the chances of success in this endeavour. Good leaders can communicate complex circumstances and ideas in simple ways. And there are plenty of complex circumstances in IT.

Creativity and innovation

To stay ahead of technological progress, CIOs often have to take calculated risks. No one can predict whether a particular technology will succeed in the future or not. Needless to say, stepping into the unknown is always difficult. Nevertheless, when CIOs boldly step forward and develop new ideas for existing challenges and problems, employees are inspired to do the same. This fosters a culture of innovation that sets positive momentum going. As a result, these companies also attract the best talent.

Transformation

Prior to the digital transformation, digital technologies have already transformed the way in which both customer behaviour and business opportunities are being transformed. CIOs have to be able to bring about a profound strategic change in their IT environment at any time. 

Digitalisation is primarily about breaking down silos, creating end-to-end solutions and establishing data-driven decision-making. The latter ensures, among other things, that the customer is placed at the centre in connection with customer centricity.

Integrity

integrity is the result of having successfully built trust and consistent communication. Integrity lays the foundation for progressive innovation and is conducive to long-term loyalty. A system of constructive, transparent and mutual feedback with employees is the best way to achieve this state. This also applies to dealing with customers and partners.

Executive Search Excellence

As recruiting experts for the digital economy, CareerTeam offers executive search on a comprehensive scale. This includes, among other things, the complete hiring process, active sourcing, employer branding and also cultural fit. 

We pay particular attention to sustainable personnel management. After all, this is of the utmost importance, especially in top management. Please contact us to find out about the full scope of our services. We look forward to hearing from you.