The 2013 CIO 100 revealed the strong board level influence of CIOs in the UK after it was unveiled at an exclusive London event sponsored by Intel on May 23, but there are challenges ahead. Yesterday University College London Hospitals (UCLH) IT director James Thomas received the top accolade in the 2013 edition of the CIO 100, while London 2012 Olympics CIO Gerry Pennell received special recognition for his role with LOCOG, which the judging panel felt had left him ineligible in previous years since he could only ever be judged after the completion of the Games. But as well as documenting some of the major business technology programmes being led by UK CIOs, the CIO100 revealed that 55% of IT executives report directly to the CEO, with 23% to the CFO, 16% to the COO and 6% reported to a different position. Board level positions are held by 78% (defined as a leadership board driving key business decisions), with 15% saying they did not have this influence and the remaining 7% not responding. CIO 100 judge and CIO magazine columnist Mike Altendorf said: “Having a direct line between CIO and CEO is an important statement of intent. It shows an understanding of the value of technology to the business. Without that understanding, history shows that you will be one of the disrupted rather than disrupters. “Just as important however is the CIO’s job description. As the rest of the board become more IT literate and demand more control of their own IT budgets, the CIO is in danger of becoming a glorified facilities manager while the more interesting, strategic and transformation parts of his job are cannibalised by new roles like Chief Digital Officer and Head of Innovation.” Fellow CIO writer and judge Ade McCormack said: “While these numbers are far from ideal they are an improvement in respect of CIO relevance. Given how quickly we are careering into the digital economy this needs to be accelerated. “But I think the market generally has it in mind to keep the CIO in the data centre and create the role of Chief Digital Officer to handle the transformation piece.” Related content brandpost Sponsored by Rocket Software Why data virtualization is critical for business success Data is your most valuable resource—but only if you can access it fast enough to address present challenges. Data virtualization is the key. By Milan Shetti, CEO of Rocket Software Nov 28, 2023 4 mins Digital Transformation brandpost Sponsored by Rocket Software The hybrid approach: Get the best of both mainframe and cloud Cloud computing and modernization often go hand in hand, but that doesn’t mean the mainframe should be left behind. A hybrid approach offers the most value, enabling businesses to get the best of both worlds. By Milan Shetti, CEO Rocket Software Nov 28, 2023 4 mins Digital Transformation brandpost Sponsored by Rimini Street Dear Oracle Cloud…I need my own space Access results from a recent Rimini Street survey about why enterprises are rethinking their Oracle relationship and cloud strategy. By Tanya O'Hara Nov 28, 2023 5 mins Cloud Computing brandpost Sponsored by Rimini Street How to evolve IT systems into innovation engines Today’s IT leaders are more than eager to modernize with best-fit cloud solutions that drive innovation and rapid business impact, but they need to do so with ROI-based solutions. By Tanya O'Hara Nov 28, 2023 4 mins IT Leadership Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe