Shawn Banerji, Managing Partner of Caldwell’s Data, Digital & Technology Leaders practice, was recently featured in CIO, where he shared his perspective on the evolving expectations boards place on technology leaders. In the article, Banerji draws on his executive search experience to illuminate what separates CIOs who earn a board’s confidence from those who don’t. Learn more in the excerpt below.
On board readiness as the new baseline:
Shawn Banerji, managing partner for the data, digital, and technology leaders practice at search firm Caldwell, says that in more than 75% of the enterprise CIO searches his firm conducts, candidates are expected to be board ready, meaning they can present to the board, engage in strategic discussions with directors, and comfortably speak the language of business leadership. This is consistent with both public and private companies, including businesses in financial sponsor situations.
On what boards need to hear:
“We look for people who operate and communicate in commercial terms,” Banerji says. “While serving as trusted advisor on emerging tech trends is important, it’s essential they articulate the implications of the tech on business strategy and operations, with a focus on the outcomes the enterprise is driving toward. They must understand the evolving regulatory landscapes and speak in the language of margin impact and sustained growth.”
On “run vs. change” conversations:
The “run” conversation involves key commercial drivers such as automation, complexity, and cost takeout, and has become table stakes for IT leaders.
The “change” conversation can raise more eyebrows, Banerji says. “One example is in the rapidly evolving landscape of drug discovery and commercialization, where digital twins and synthetic data fundamentally affect speed to market, driving down costs and contributing to top-line growth,” he says. “If you can have that level of insightful, commercial dialogue, you’ll have the board’s engagement. Their takeaway will transcend the legacy IT update, and inform their thinking in a manner that enhances how they contribute to that specific board, and in their other endeavors as well.”
To read the full article, click here.
