CFOs Look at CIOs in a Different Light

The IT department is no longer merely a best-kept secret that magically fixes broken printers and restores Internet connections when they go down. As technology and business intertwine further, CFOs are being forced to confront decisions about technology purchasing, IT costs and profits earned from IT efficiencies.

While some might debate whether a CFO should make IT decisions at all, the reality is that he or she doesn’t have to make them without input from an IT representative.

As the role of a CIO changes to one that leans more toward service, CIOs can work as an internal thought partner and leader within the company when it comes to IT decisions.

Phil Garland, an analyst at PwC, recounts his experience in meeting and discussing technology with eight CFOs in a guest post on the CIO Dashboard blog. His takeaway:

The CFOs agreed that they now need the CIOs to play the role of technology consultant or advisor to help them get the greatest value out of their business-driven technology decisions. This provides a need and opportunity for the CIOs to be even more aligned with the business. While CIOs are still needed and expected to manage IT operations and IT vendors, there is now a need for the CIO to also play a more strategic role in helping their company drive business innovation.

Read more about how CIOs and CFOs can work together in Garland’s post on the CIO Dashboard.