TS: are naturally not seen by the business as executives who fit into in such a role. The whole field of computer science and technology is a relatively young discipline and although we have seen great progress in technological advances we are still growing the business acumen of our IT staff. And while this varies across industries, over the years IT has become viewed in a different light within industries like finance/banking where it holds a position of greater value. Statements like "a bank is a technology company with a banking license" are used frequently to underline IT's importance in delivery of value to customers.

Industry factors can affect the role, while geography can also be a factor given the cultural differences. As for the individual, much depends on the commercial acumen, business orientation and change management skills of the individual. If they have a lot of commercial sense then they will naturally tend towards issues of the business rather than only technology and frame their challenges in terms of cost, revenue, profit, and customer satisfaction.

In my view, the CIO can't simply go to the CEO and recommend a change. It must come from a position of credibility. The question CIOs must ask themselves is: "What can I do to help improve the business?". That's what I'm focused on day-in-day-out.