Grant Taylor takes on new chief digital officer role

Grant Taylor joins global travel e-commerce group Online Republic as chief digital officer.

Online Republicoperates four key divisions: online bookings of rental cars, motorhomes and cruises and more recently, a search engine optimisation and digital marketing consultancy business.

Taylor came from Gough Group, where he was the inaugural chief digital officer.

Taylor joined Gough Group fromCitta, where he was chief operating officer for nearly three-and-a-half years.

His previous roles include CIO at the outdoor clothing and equipment supplier Kathmandu, and also CIO at the Southern District Health Board. He was also IT manager at PGG Wrightson.

Taylor is among the growing number of NZ CIOs who have stepped up to become CDO.

As Gartner analyst Mark Raskino points out,many enterprises are appointing more senior, strategy oriented CDOs to lead digital transformation.

“A successful CDO will shift the enterprise to a more technology-centric, innovative posture mdash; something you’ll be responsible for if you’re involved in digital business,” says Raskino.

Thus, he states, the CDO and CIO working together “speaks with a louder voice at the executive leadership table”.

Sign up for CIO newsletters for regular updates on CIO news, career tips, views and events. Follow CIO New Zealand on Twitter:@cio_nz

Send news tips and comments to divina_paredes@idg.co.nz @divinap