The CIO Questionnaire: Al-Noor Ramji, BT Group CIO

Q. What is the basic structure of your IT department? A. Following our merger of the IT and networking functions in BT, we have organised ourselves largely as a platform-based organisation. We define a platform as a collection of technology, people and processes which perform discrete management or operational functions for BT’s products, solutions and processes. There are 26 platforms, including Networks (four), Security, IT Service Management, Customer Management, Domain Management, Network Performance, Computing Infrastructure, Plan & Build, Billing & Payments, and Test & Diagnostics.

Q. Who are your key suppliers? A. We have a large number of suppliers, but some of our current key suppliers are TechMahindra, TCS, InfoSys, Virtusa and HCL.

Q. Who have been the most influential people in your career? A. It’s an eclectic mix. Gandhi, Simon Robertson (currently at Rolls Royce), JFK… Q. Do you believe in mentoring? A. Yes but it needs real interest from both parties and takes time. I have mentored several people it’s wonderful to see them succeed.

Q. Which tools or tactics have given you most success in communicating? A. Time, and having a real interest in making the person successful.

Q. What has been your biggest mistake? A. I have always made mistakes and learnt from them. Maybe the biggest was not doing another startup in 2001.

Q. And your greatest success? A. Getting large-scale restructuring and transformation done, and getting people believing in this for themselves.

Q. What profession would you least like to attempt? A. Government or politics.

Q. Which phrase do you most use? A. “Customer experience”. Q. How do you deal with stress? A. Most stress is positive, especially if you drive transformation. When I do suffer it, I go to the park and cycle with my daughters.

Q. Do you have a sport you practise or sportsperson/team that you follow? A. The only sport I watch is Formula 1. My family dragged me to it, but now I am a willing participant. Al-Noor Ramji here. ” href=”https://www.cio.co.uk/article/3211267/bt-group-cio-al-noor-ramji-is-helping-the-telco-bounce-back/”>Read the full CIO interview with Al-Noor Ramji here.