“There’s never been a better time to be a CIO, not just to get a seat at the table, but to be the one to bring the C-suite and company to the digital table,” says Dan Roberts, CEO of Ouellette & Associates Consulting, which offers services for developing future-ready IT leaders. “The best CIOs are orchestrating two paths — one where they are modernizing and building a solid foundation on rock, not sand, and the other where they are leading digital transformation. The trick is driving these concurrently, not linearly, because the pace of business moves so quickly.”
Breaking the mold
As the lines blur between business and technology, investment banking firm Edward Jones is refashioning IT along two parallel paths.
Longtime CIO Frank LaQuinta has been elevated to a multi-role post, serving as head of digital, data, and operations, with Kevin Adams, now head of technology, taking oversight of technology strategy, software engineering, cybersecurity, infrastructure, and support. LaQuinta brings a strategic background and digital mindset to help accelerate enterprise-level business strategies. Adams concentrates on the day-to-day of designing hybrid infrastructure, powering enterprise networks, implementing effective cybersecurity, and facilitating software engineering across the entire enterprise.
