The CIO is the CEO of IT

Helge Scheil, a VP at CA, writes in CIO's Soapbox The CIO is the CEO of IT (and they need their own General Ledger).

Helge's perspective is interesting. I support the idea of the CIO running IT/IS as a business. The idea of their 360 degree view being underpinned by asset management is quite compelling, as it provides traceability and rigour. Value management linked to asset management is the 'challenge in waiting'.

I would also like to see the CIO adopt other business leader practices such as having a sales and marketing function to promote the IT department's capability. In fact I would like to see the CIO be the actual CEO. But that requires a set of skills and an thinking that most CIOs and boardrooms are not quite ready for.

I discuss this further in my book.