Can a stint as a chief technology officer groom you for a future slot as a CIO? Yes, say executive recruiters, a CTO job can teach you not only about technology but also about strategy and alignment, and communication in the C-level suite. In companies where the CIO plays a highly strategic role and focuses on building relationships with other executives, a CTO’s charge is often to support the CIO by identifying the best technologies available to execute and enable business strategy, says Jim Bond, managing director of executive search firm Horton International. “As a general rule, the CTO reports to the CIO,” he says. At software firms, the reverse may apply. For the two executives to work effectively together, the CIO has to regularly convey the business strategy and direction to the CTO; otherwise the CTO can’t do his job. With consistent communication between the two execs, the CTO post can be a good training stop for aspiring CIOs, says Bond. So if you pursue a CTO role, seek out a boss who collaborates well. Several CTOs have moved into the CIO post recently. Among them: Dave Egbert was promoted to CIO of insurance provider Markel Corp. in December 2006. Egbert succeeds and reports to former CIO John Latham, who was appointed senior VP of operations. Also in December, Certain Software promoted Jonathan Dodson to CIO and hired Michael Winner as its new CTO. Winner reports to Dodson. Raymond Ouellette landed the CIO role at Forbes.com in May 2006, after serving as Thompson Media’s CTO. He’s accountable to Forbes.com General Manager Michael Smith. Last February, InterContinental Hotels Group named Tom Conophy CIO, reporting to CEO Andrew Cosslett. Conophy previously served as Starwood Hotels’ executive VP and CTO. Related content BrandPost Leadership superpower: Succeeding sustainably As today's great leaders recognize, true success is not solely measured by the bottom line but also by the impact a business has on its stakeholders, including employees, partners, and the environment. By Marie Kalliney, Practice Leader, Digital Transformation Services, Broadcom Mar 28, 2023 5 mins IT Leadership BrandPost Helping the C-suite leverage their network as a business-boosting asset By Tanya O'Hara Mar 28, 2023 3 mins IT Leadership Opinion 5 hard questions every IT leader must answer Strong leadership is vital to IT success — and shouldn’t be taken for granted. Continual self-reflection is essential for knowing whether it’s time to restructure your approach to leading IT. By Thornton May Mar 28, 2023 5 mins Business IT Alignment IT Leadership Feature CIOs address the impact of hybrid work Assessing how some of the most progressive CIOs strive to provide both technological and emotional support for a dispersed workforce. By Pat Brans Mar 28, 2023 8 mins CIO Remote Work Employee Experience 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