Ikea CIO Paolo Cinelli playing down mobility and BYOD buzz

Ikea CIO Paolo Cinelli expressed his scepticism to the benefits of mobility and BYOD programmes at organisations where gadgets are not ingrained in their culture.

Cinelli, who was discussing mobile strategy with CIO columnist Ade McCormack, said that he was “favourable, open and relaxed about BYOD”, but revealed doubts over the buzz around the trend.

“We have introduced it with certain limitations and it is appreciated,” he said.

“BYOD has a slightly positive impact. Users who have opted for it feel better, because they have had a choice of what device to use, and IT people generally feel better because BYOD allows them to extend certain services to a broader range of users.

“But we don’t have a BYOD strategy as such. We spare the word strategy for matters that are much more important.”

The former Heineken CIO said that he had too many mobile devices, and wished only to have one.

“The real extreme would be to have none, but I’m not there yet,” he said. “I’m fortunate to be in a company which is, culturally, not gadget-oriented.”

But Cinelli, in charge of the technology estate at the Netherlands-based Swedish furniture retailer, said that remote working was now standard practice for modern businesses.

He said: “Nobody works from a desk anymore, so remote working is the norm, not a burden. We encourage remote working when it helps to be more efficient and sustainable, as it also facilitates frequent collaboration.”