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Top 10 CIO interviews of 2021

More UK IT leaders talk to Computer Weekly than any other publication. We review the plans, priorities and challenges that have faced tech chiefs over the past year

Computer Weekly Staff
By
Published: 03 Dec 2021 13:06

IT leaders have found themselves at the heart of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic in every organisation across the public and private sectors. It’s clear that the crisis accelerated digital transformation and brought to the fore technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud, automation, and tools to support remote working and a future hybrid workforce.

But expectations of the IT team have been heightened – where projects were delivered in weeks instead of months during lockdowns, that speed and agility has become the norm. Digital customer experience has become a priority as consumers seek safer ways of dealing with their favoured suppliers.

As we enter a new year, CIOs are increasingly looking to make their organisations more data-driven, cloud-native, digital operations – and many of them have been talking to Computer Weekly to explain their plans.

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 interviews with IT leaders in 2021:

1. Simon McKinnon, chief digital and information officer, DWP

The Department for Work and Pensions’ CDIO sheds light on its digital ambitions and how it is bringing more digital capability in-house.

2. Mia Sorgi, director of digital product and experience, PepsiCo Europe

A trial project using gesture-based technology to help customers order in restaurants is just one example of the pioneering digital innovations being explored by food and drinks giant PepsiCo.

3. Ralph Munsen, CIO, Warner Music Group

As organisations put more and more IT assets into the cloud, it makes more sense to manage networks cloud natively, says Warner Music’s CIO.

4. Graeme Hackland, CIO, Williams F1

The Formula One CIO has made big changes to IT over the past few years, helping the F1 team to move forward through a cloud-driven business transformation.

5. Tarah Lourens, chief product and technology officer, Rightmove

Rightmove’s chief product and technology officer is working to create fresh data-led services and products, growing the team and building capacity and capability.

6. Gary Delooze, CIO, Nationwide

Nationwide building society’s CIO talks about building a technology strategy, working with the rest of the business and the Covid-19 pandemic.

7. Richard Corbridge, CIO, Boots

Boots has been hugely successful in its transition to e-commerce and the Covid-19 pandemic has seen several digital initiatives spun up to continue offering services to customers.

8. Nitin Chaturvedi, chief digital and technology officer, KFC Global

The Covid-19 pandemic led to the digital element of KFC’s business becoming increasingly important, says the fast food retailer’s chief digital and technology officer.

9. Deryck Mitchelson, director of digital, NHS Scotland

We spoke to NHS Scotland’s head of digital about the use of IT to help ease the pressure on the health service, which has intensified during the Covid-19 pandemic.

10. Daniel Duran, CIO, Concha y Toro

Winemaker Concha y Toro’s CIO talks about how to combine 150 years of winemaking tradition with pioneering technology.

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