Scroll over principles for a list of interviewees

In this interview, Ramón Baez discusses three principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• Using lean methodologies to simplify and improve internal IT processes
• Providing high-potential employees with the same type of leadership development training that management receives
• The advantages of embedding IT employees in the business to help with alignment
• Creating a digital center of excellence that partners technology and marketing teams
• The importance of frequently conducting management reviews, executive reviews, and operational reviews

• Vice President of Information Services and Chief Information Officer of Kimberly-Clark
• CIO of Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.
• CIO and VP of IT for Honeywell International Automation and Control Solutions Group

• Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of La Verne in California

In this interview, Karl Salnoske discusses three principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The increasing importance of domain knowledge among IT employees
• The importance of governance in any transformation program
• Building a core competency around project management
• The importance of closely managing outsourcing
• The increasing usage of cloud computing and social media in business

• Executive Vice President, Service Delivery, & Chief Information Officer of GXS
• CIO at Schering-Plough
• President and CEO of Adaptive Trade, a start-up software company
• President in IBM’s Global Services division
• Consultant at McKinsey & Company
• Director of Network Management Products at Telenet
• Manager of Systems Development at Exxon Office Systems

• Bachelor's of Science degree in electrical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute

In this interview, Jorg Heinemann discusses four principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The two fundamental drivers of success in a vendor relationship
• Shifting trends in the solar industry
• The challenges of simultaneously having to act like both a construction company and a semi-conductor company
• How to transition an IT team from supporting a nimble startup to supporting a multi-billion dollar company
• The best ways to ensure alignment with the business

• Chief Information Officer of SunPower Corporation
• Executive Partner at Accenture

• Bachelor's of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles

In this interview, Yuvi Kochar discusses two principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The decentralized structure of IT among the various business units under The Washington Post Company
• How The Washington Post Company has been leveraging the digital media environment amidst the challenge that the internet poses to media companies
• Cloud Computing and all of the possibilities and implications one must consider when leading a large holding company
• How the skill sets of in-house IT employees need to change to adapt to the evolving environment
• The various benefits and challenges when considering Enterprise 2.0 and social media for both internal as well as external facing application
• The future of mobile technologies’ impact on media

• Corporate Chief Technology Officer of The Washington Post Company
• CTO at Brassring (now Kenexa)
• Positions at various technology startups in France, New York and Southern California

• Bachelor’s Degree (BE) in electrical engineering from Malaviya National Institute of Technology

In this interview, Bruce Besanko discusses three principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• How the most important thing in defining a relationship between a CFO and CIO is the establishment of communication and transparency to build trust
• The four ways in which a CIO must demonstrate the value of a project
• The multiple resources models IT can employ when structuring its staff
• The important considerations when outsourcing
• The potential pros and cons of the various reporting relationships between the CIO and the CFO vs. the COO vs. the CEO
• The potential for the iPad and virtualization/cloud computing to provide agility to the workforce

• Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Administrative Officer OfficeMax, Inc.
• Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Circuit City Stores, Inc
• Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Yankee Candle Company, Inc.
• Vice President, Finance and Controller for Best Buy, Inc.

• Master of Business Administration in Finance and Strategy from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business
• Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from the University of Cincinnati

In this interview, Abbie Lundberg discusses principle four of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The "CIO's Dilemma" of competing demands to be agile and innovative, while being responsible for cost cutting
• Cloud computing and how the concept of making businesses more agile is a great opportunity for IT
• How CIOs are increasingly focusing on the external customer, whether that be through business intelligence or directly customer facing applications
• The evolution of the role of the CIO in the years ahead
• The necessity to "get one's house in order" in order to first develop credibility with business partners before earning the trust necessary for a seat at the strategy setting table
• The importance of not only CIOs, but all IT executives that interface with business partners to be able to communicate effectively

• President of Lundberg Media
• Editor in Chief of CIO Magazine
• Editor for CBS Magazines
• Editor for King Features Syndicate in New York

• Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Literature from Trinity College

In this interview, Mark Settle discusses all five principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The transition from being the buyer from IT vendors to leading the IT operations for an IT vendor
• How BMC Software IT serves as a strategic partner with the business as Beta testers for product development, monitors of competition, enablers of R&D, and sales representatives with intimate experience using the company's products
• The focus on recruiting IT leadership who will be able to play the role of a strategic partner whose focus is not only on managing IT, but also on working collaboratively with the business and capable of being involved in sales
• The green IT initiatives and achievements of BMC Software in energy savings and server utilization optimization
• The need for understanding the most appropriate use of collaboration technologies relative to different organizational dynamics
• The call to reassess very structured IT shops, whose traditionally rigid processes may be inhibiting agility

• Chief Information Officer of BMC Software
• Chief Information Officer of Corporate Express
• Chief Information Officer of Arrow Electronics
• Chief Information Officer of Visa International
• Chief Information Officer of Occidental Petroleum
• Director of a Systems Integration Business Unit Within Hughes Aircraft Company

• PhD from Brown University
• Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from MIT

In this interview, Mark Silver discusses principle four of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• His ascent to the CIO role through a non-traditional path, and how he caught up on the learning curve without much technical coding expertise
• How experience with the technical details of coding are less important for becoming a CIO than understanding the business and the way in which it interacts with technology
• The concerning lack of higher education training technologists receive in interacting with business partners, and the need for the CIO to be the translator of business issues into technology solutions
• The cultural issues surrounding the adoption of a social media strategy
• The role IT can play in facilitating the social media strategy discussion and development

• Divisional Chief Information Officer of Siemens Health Services
• Chief Information Security Officer for Siemens Corporation
• Variety of Leadership Positions within the Government of Queensland, Australia

• Master of Business from the Queensland University of Technology

In this interview, Rob Dowler discusses three principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• How a federated IT structure allows the organization to act vertically within business units- or ministries- as well as horizontally across the government
• The mature strategic planning process the Government of Ontario employs in order to ensure the efficient use of tax-payer money
• How hosting an “internal consulting function” allows the organization to flexibly allocate permanent employees within the government based on project needs at “whole-sale” cost
• The importance of maintaining metrics in order to ensure the organization stays on course
• The shift in desired skills of future employees, and how those employees should be prepared to be “great enablers of public service delivery”

• Policy ADM in the Ministry of Government Services and in the Ministry of Consumer and Business Services for the Province of Ontario
• Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners
• Urban Planner with the Corporation of the City of Ottawa

• Executive Program at York University
• Queens Public Executive Program
• Strategic Management Program at Harvard University
• Masters of Science degree from the University of Toronto
• Honours B.A. from Queen’s University

In this interview, Duane Anderson discusses three principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The key insights garnered as a new CIO
• The process of acclimating yourself to a new role
• The role an IT department plays for a company that relies on data gathering, synthesizing, and reporting
• The crucial role IT’s responsibility for infrastructure plays in acquisitive companies
• How in order to cut costs during the economic malaise, he categorized IT investment into three majors categories: utility expenses, maintenance capital, and new development/capabilities
• The evolving profile of successful IT associates and how many are coming from areas of study outside computer engineering backgrounds

• CIO of Marquette Group and USMotivation
• Director of IT Program Management for Harrah's Entertainment
• Director of IT Integration during Harrah’s Entertainment's acquisition of Caesars Entertainment
• Executive Associate to Harrah's Entertainment's CIO, Tim Stanley
• Manager in the Strategy & Technology practice at A.T. Kearney
• Systems Engineer at EDS

• MBA from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University
• BA in Mathematics from Western Michigan University

In this interview, Karl Ulrich discusses principle four of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• How despite its natural tie to creativity, innovation can be driven through structured processes, which he explains in his book, Innovation Tournaments
• How the organizational structure, administration, and governance of innovation will be highly idiosyncratic to industry structure and firm dynamics
• The differentiation between external and internal facing innovation, and how each type necessitates different attention
• The five modes of the stage gate process that are crucial for new product development, and how to transition creative sparks into actionable opportunities
• The five areas a manager should focus on to influence the culture of innovation: incentives and recognition, transparency of decision making, the physical arrangement of the workplace, the recruiting process, and the allowance for creative “slack time”
• How measuring the success of innovation is, above all else, about creating economic value
• The benefits and potential risks of engaging third parties in the innovation process- be it vendors or customers- and how the exercise of opening up innovation is only practical depending on the industry

• CIBC Professor of Entrepreneurship and e-Commerce at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
• Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Penn
• Co-author of Product Design and Development (4th Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2008)
• Cofounder of the Weiss Tech House and the Integrated Product Design Program
• Founder of Terrapass Inc. and Xootr LLC

• Bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering from MIT

In this interview, Mark Jeffery discusses principle four of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The way in which marketing, data, analytics, and information technology are all related and the need to determine the Return on Marketing Investment from that relationship
• The necessity to focus on data-driven marketing in order to gain visibility into customer preferences, provide hard data to a traditionally “soft” division, and truly expose the ROI of marketing
• The fifteen metrics that he explains will allow the measurement of marketing, including 10 classical metrics and five “new-age” marketing metrics
• The lengthy process that he conducted in determining these metrics, accompanied by excellent case examples of companies that have leveraged data-driven marketing to increase their revenue and strengthen their customer base
• How it is an absolute necessity for Marketing to partner not just with Finance, but also with IT in order to build out capabilities to capture the metrics that will demonstrate an ROI for marketing
• The obstacles that companies face when considering data-driven marketing, and how, due to its relative infrequent use, can become a competitive advantage within an industry

• Director of Technology Initiatives in the Center for Research on Technology and Innovation at the Kellogg School of Management
• Managing Partner of Agile Insights LLC

• Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Drexel University
• MBA from the Kellogg School of Management

In this interview, Bill Krivoshik discusses three principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The rationale for establishing the corporate CIO position at Marsh and McLennan Companies, which now oversees MMC’s substantially sized five operating companies
• How coordinating the agendas of the five operating companies’ CIOs has enabled MMC to consolidate data centers, leverage vendor relationships, enable knowledge management and cooperation across the horizontal structure, as well as avoid double work on application development
• The delicate balance that a corporate CIO with a centralized IT department must maintain between leveraging scale and the risk of destroying advantages from having technology that is close to the unique businesses and their customers
• How lowering technology spend on operational costs should go both towards the bottom line and towards building technologies that will provide competitive advantages
• The evolving role of the CIO and how the possession of business acumen will differentiate those that aim to succeed through good and bad financial times

• CIO of Marsh & McLennan
• CTO at Thomson Financial
• Chief Information and Operations Officer at Citigroup Inc’s Travelers Life & Annuity
• Managing Director and CTO for Citigroup Global Investment Management
• CIO for AIG

• MS in Computer Science from Stanford University
• BSE degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Princeton University

In this interview, Remy Evard discusses three principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The unique role of an IT division that supports research scientists whose mission is discovery, as opposed to an IT division that supports a business division more responsible for revenues and costs
• How technology can enable global research and foster innovation by leveraging the scale of the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research
• The way in which Remy, as a new CIO, went about gaining credibility with the business and scientists through “quick wins,” and the natural progression that the IT department followed once that credibility was established
• NIBR’s data initiative to manage decades of legacy information and how to ensure sound knowledge management
• The challenges of governance and managing a budget in a non-traditional IT environment, which requires flexibility in order to accommodate research projects
• The potential of new technologies, such as Web 2.0, mobile devices, and deep sequencing, to change the way in which scientific research is conducted

• CIO of the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR)
• CIO for Argonne National Laboratory
• Member of the USENIX Board of Directors and PRIME

• M.S. in computer science from the University of Oregon
• Undergraduate degrees in computer science and mathematics from Andrews University

In this interview, Mike Capone discusses three principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The way in which ADP’s substantial data center consolidation has created savings on the bottom line and in their carbon footprint, improved processing speeds, and provided the opportunity for ADP to bolster their data security schemes
• A discussion of “Smart-Shoring” and how viewing his organization as “Global IT” has allowed ADP to get the most out of all geographies it operates in
• How ADP avoids the “rip and replace model” when approaching acquisitions and the accompanying IT integrations
• The power of Web 2.0 through corporate blogging and Social CRM, which can lead to organic ideas and improved collaboration
• How driving innovation through IT must be a process that marries the business leaders and technically talented innovators
• How ADP has been operating as a “cloud computing” provider long before it become a hot topic in IT

• Corporate Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
• Senior Vice President and General Manager of GlobalView

• MBA in Finance from Pace University
• Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science from Dickinson College

In this interview, Jay Brodsky discusses principle 4 of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The unique dynamics of being a CIO at a media company
• How to structure an IT department responsible for similar sub-divisions with very different needs
• The way in which the role of CIO must straddle an IT position and a business position and the necessity of IT leaders to work with the business to translate their needs into IT reality
• The wealth of opportunities and challenges that the internet and social media have presented to a traditional magazine, which has needed to be agile in staying relevant
• The way in which Atlantic Media has tried to stay in touch with its customers amid a world of Google-filtered searches and other competition
• The excitement around cloud computing and the possibilities it holds for the future of IT

• CIO of the Atlantic Media Company
• Director of Digital Media at National Public Radio
• Vice President for Technology of Tribune Media Services
• General Manager for NewsCom

• MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management
• Bachelor of Science from the University of Pennsylvania

In this interview, Robert Childs discusses principle 1 of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The necessity to prepare leaders to leverage information technology for strategic advantage
• The careful balance between information sharing and security when it comes to IT in the military
• How IT has changed the dynamics of warfare
• The way in which the iCollege has diverged from the path of a typical educational institution in order to more aptly serve it’s unique set of students of senior military and government personnel
• The importance of cloud computing and how it is changing the face of IT
• The direction of IT’s developing role in the government and military

• Senior Director of the iCollege at the National Defense University
• Director of Academic Plans and Policy, National Defense University
• Director of the Air Force Leadership and Motivation Branch.
• Senior Research Fellow at National Defense University
• Commandant, Air Force Systems Command Noncommissioned Officers Academy and Leadership School
• Director of Plans and Program Analysis at the Air Command and Staff College
• Director, Precommissioning Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Personnel Policy
• Director, Associations and Institutions of Higher Education
• Chief, Instructor Training, at the School of Applied Aerospace Sciences-Denver, Colorado

• Doctorate from Denver University
• Master of Arts from Duke University
• Bachelor of Science from Grove City College
• Graduate of the National War College and Air Command and Staff College

In this interview, Brian Cameron discusses two principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The development and growth of the unique Enterprise Integration program that he leads at Pennsylvania State University
• His role in the formation of a corporate and government advisory board on Enterprise Architecture and the ways in which he has leveraged that position to improve the program that PSU offers
• The research efforts and importance of understanding the idea of the hybrid approach that so many organizations are adopting, which blends various methodologies
• The career path, place, and future for undergraduates that study Enterprise Architecture in the corporate space
• The development and future of the field of Enterprise Architecture education

• Professor of Practice and Director of the Enterprise Architecture Initiative in the College of Information Sciences and Technology at the Pennsylvania State University

• Ph.D. and MBA in Finance and MIS from Pennsylvania State University
• BS in Computer Science

Peter High discusses his Book "World Class IT: Why Businesses Succeed When IT Triumphs." Some of the topics discussed include

• Principles that the best information technology executives follow
• Thoughts on how the principles work as a virtuous cycle, including how improved performance in one can lead to better performance in others
• Introductory and advanced metrics related to each principle and associated sub-principles
• Specific case examples that highlight each principle based on extensive work with leading CEOs, CIOs, CTOs, and other IT executives
• Thoughts on other factors that separate leaders from laggards in information technology

• Peter High, President of Metis Strategy

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In this interview, Tim Stanley discusses principle four of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• How first establishing the company’s direction creates a path for innovation
• The necessity of IT being used as a strategic weapon in leading innovation
• Tim’s method of using 6 vectors to structure the path that enables and leads to innovation
• The ways a company can leverage insights from their customers, particularly the importance of understanding digital interactivity and conducting rapid prototyping
• How every IT executive should in some way span out into the business in order to understand how to improve what the business does
• The importance of using alignment and analytics as strategic tools

• CIO and SVP of Innovation, Gaming, & Technology for Harrah’s Entertainment
• Partner with USWeb
• Partner with marchFIRST
• CIO of National Airlines
• Various Leadership Positions with Intel Corporation, Optima/KPMG, JetBlue Airlines, InnovaTech, and Kimberly-Clark Corporation
• Officer in the United States Air Force

• Graduate Degrees in International Business and Technology Management from Thunderbird (GSM) and Arizona State University
• BS in Engineering from the University of Washington

In this interview, Jeff Kubacki discusses three principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• How globalizing and simplifying IT infrastructure is a main objective in a post-acquisition environment
• The importance of career planning as a core competency for Kroll IT
• Jeff's method on facilitating the communication between the Business and IT
• The cultural challenges faced within IT when transitioning to a more metrics driven determination of value
• How openly sharing objectives with vendors can lead to more appropriately tailored solution proposals

• Chief Information Officer for Kroll
• Vice President of IT Business Operations and Vice President of Global Operations for Ecolab Inc.
• Vice President of IT at Catalina Marketing
• Director of IT at Dell Computer
• Vice President & CIO at Essilor of America
• Senior IT Manager at Bausch & Lomb

• MBA from the University of South Florida
• Bachelors degree in computer science from Rochester Institute of Technology

In this interview, Becky Krupski discusses principle five of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The importance of treating vendor management as more than vendor procurement
• The way a Vendor Management Office creates an advantage by allowing the technologists to focus on where their skill sets lie
• How best to manage vendor effectiveness through SLAs and other qualitative and quantitative assessments
• The segmentation of vendors into Strategic, Collaborative, and Tactical, and the unique treatment that each set warrants in order to drive the business
• The dynamics of interconnectivity that the VMO has with other parts of the business

• Director of the IT Vendor and Asset Management Offices at Express Scripts, Inc.
• Associate Vice President and Senior Manager of the IT Vendor Management Office at Wachovia Securities

• Masters in Business Administration from Webster University

In this interview, Joey Miller discusses three principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• How a large corporation manages its structure when it is diverse both geographically and in its products and services
• The need for multi-tiered governance in a multinational corporation that not only allows for flexibility to meet unique needs, but also provides the platform to leverage an extensive network of knowledge
• The importance of synchronizing high level functions to ensure optimization of resources and to ignite improved performance
• How a multinational corporation can remain connected and on the same page through the use of technology
• How a fee-for-service IT billing system encourages the marriage of IT and business executives in planning and cost reductions

• Vice-President of Information Technology for Magna International
• Director of IT for Magna Donnelly
• Manager of Global Infrastructure and Manager of Global Support for Donnelly Corporation
• Project Manager and Divisional Manager at Clark Equipment
• Technology and Business Cconsultant to Western Michigan University

• B.A. in Anthropology from Albion College
• M.A. in Sociology Anthropology from Oberlin College

In this interview, Mike Kistner discusses three principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• How a recession presents opportunities to provoke more change with less resistance
• The need to reassess reengineered processes in order to constantly stay relevant
• How the path of CIO to CEO will continue to become a more popular trend
• The importance of balance between business acumen and IT prowess for IT personnel
• How including vendors and customers in the technology roadmap can help improve product development

• Chairman, President, and CEO of Pegasus Solutions
• CIO and SVP of Distribution at Best Western International
• SVP at Cendant Corp.
• EVP of Operations for Super 8 Motels
• VP for Management Information Systems and Reservations at HFS Inc.

• BS in Accounting and Information Systems from Northern State University, Aberdeen, S.D.
• MS in Information Systems from Colorado State University

In this interview, Jane Landon discusses two principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• How Jane was able to bring disparate IT entities together to create efficiencies across the organization
• The cultural challenges faced when joining an organization that is not accustomed to change in IT
• The importance of team support for change in order to avoid a backward transition once external help is no longer present to support the organization
• The unique role of working in government IT; while business divisions are the primary customers, there is still a responsibility to the citizens
• How Jane’s experience in the corporate sector has prepared her for her transition to the government sector

• Deputy Commissioner and CIO for the New York City Department of Finance
• General Manager and CIO for Microsoft’s WW Public Sector
• General Manager of .Net Market Development
• CIO of Institutional Division for Prudential Financial
• Key technology positions at Bankers Trust Company and at Chase Manhattan Bank

• BS in Business Administration from the State University of New York at Fredonia

In this interview, Rob Austin and Richard Nolan discuss their book "The Adventures of an IT Leader" with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• How a functioning narrative can engage the generation of digital natives to absorb important challenges that a new CIO must prepare for
• The evolution of IT into a more strategic and critical role than in the past
• How the CIO truly holds a business management position
• The importance of a CEO treating IT as a participative, rather than as a spectator sport
• How the book has found resonance with many CIO leaders as an accurate and telling depiction of their everyday life

• Rob Austin, Chair in Management of Creativity and Innovation at Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
• Dick Nolan, Philip M. Condit Endowed Chair in Business Administration at the University of Washington's School of Business

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In this interview, Gregor Bailar discusses three principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• How to prepare for disaster recovery by ensuring that the business will be able to continue to function
• How to work through crises challenging the corporate culture and the need to learn from these experiences
• The importance of making the corporate vision clear to all levels of employees and of emphasizing each employee's role in achieving the corporate vision
• How IT's role in designing infrastructure can enable team-oriented collaboration
• How the CIO must act as a translator between the business partners and the technology enablers

• CIO of Capital One
• Head of Operations and Technology at the NASDAQ Stock Market
• Chief Technology Architect for the Corporate Banking division at Citibank
• Various strategic and management positions at Perot Systems, NeXT Computer, and Hewlett-Packard

• BA in Engineering Science from Dartmouth College

In this interview, Bob Willett discusses two principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The critical role of technology in a multifaceted, geographically dispersed business as the key agent of change
• The emerging trend of more CEOs coming from a CIO career path
• The benefits to CEOs of involving their CIOs in all strategic decisions
• How Best Buy uses Business Information Officers, which are evaluated on their respective businesses, rather than Information Technology Officers
• The value of software residing in how it is used, rather than in what software is used
• The importance of cultural fit when working with an external partner to provide value to the customer

• CEO of Best Buy International
• EVP of Operations and CIO of Best Buy
• Global Managing Partner for Accenture Consulting's Retail Practice
• Store Management at Marks & Spencer

In this interview, Bob Fecteau discusses three principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The multiple layers of complexity in IT government contracting
• The challenges of managing a remote workforce
• How “insourcing” IT services that were once outsourced can leverage competitiveness
• The importance of protecting a company’s intellectual property
• The importance of positioning IT to grow and improve the business through strategic alignment

• CIO of BAE Systems
• CIO of USAINSCOM
• CIO of INSCOM
• Systems Manager for Army Intelligence

• Master's degree in Information Systems Management from Syracuse University
• Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Corpus Christi State University

In this interview, Ananda Rakhit discusses three principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• How to manage a virtual workforce
• Focusing on hiring people with hard skills and teaching soft skills
• Setting priorities to deliver projects on time and on target
• The importance of building vendor relationships
• How to properly evaluate vendors

• Chief Information Officer at NES Rentals
• VP, R&D at ADP
• VP and CTO of Cadence Design Systems
• Director of the Information Services Division at United Airlines

• Ph.D. in Systems and Industrial Engineering from the University of Arizona
• MS in Industrial Engineering from the Indian School of Mines
• BS in Mining Engineering from the Indian School of Mines

In this interview, Carl Ascenzo discusses principle five of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• Customer orientation as a key skill for anyone working in IT
• The importance of pursuing vendor management
• How to structure, build, and run a vendor management office
• The importance of cultural fit when choosing strategic vendors
• How getting the lowest price from a vendor may not always be in a company's best interest

• Founder and Principle Consultant at Ascention Consulting
• Director and Chairman of Casenet, Inc.
• SVP & CIO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA
• Partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers L.L.P.
• Vice President and CIO of specialty products at Aetna, Inc.

• Bachelor of Science in business administration from Western New England College

In this interview, Bob Bongiorno discusses two of the principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• IT’s Role as a business partner
• The growing trend toward a virtual workforce
• Using customer experience monitoring to improve IT’s performance
• Opportunities created by implementing SOA at a large, complex organization

• SVP and CIO of ADP Employer Services
• 12 years at United Airlines

• Master of Science in Industrial and System Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Bachelor of Science in Industrial and System Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

In this interview, Tim Harvey discusses two of the principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• Localizing a global ERP system to function across 77 countries
• Using technology to help companies merge and split apart
• Rolling out a loyalty program across thousands of properties in four months
• Leveraging experiences as a CIO to successfully run other areas of a company
• How to use a technology solution to not only match competitor business performance, but to quickly surpass it

• EVP and CIO at Hilton Hotels Corporation
• EVP and CIO of Promus Hotels
• Director for Human Resource and Financial Systems Development for Holiday Corporation
• Business Consultant for Holiday Inn

• MBA from the University of Memphis
• BBA from Delta State University

In this interview, Rob Tabb discusses three of the principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The difficult process of turning strategic objectives into actionable steps
• The process of turning IT staff into internal business consultants
• The advantages of consolidating outsourcing vendors
• Using proven methodologies to reduce costs and improve quality
• The role of IT in facilitating international growth

• VP and CIO at Ecolab
• VP of IT at Nike
• VP and CIO for CNF Inc.
• VP of IT at Ryder System
• Various Senior Management Positions at Dun & Bradstreet Software
• Member of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota High Tech Association

• MBA from Tulane University
• BS from Washington and Lee University

In this interview, Nirup Krishnamurthy discusses all of the principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• Switching to global sourcing; how companies will source talent internationally in order to hire the best people for the job
• The future of the CIO’s job
• Maximizing the value of IT, whether at a company trying to get out of bankruptcy or at a world class bank
• How to prepare an IT department for globalization
• The future of infrastructure outsourcing

• Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at The Northern Trust Company
• Vice President & Chief Information Officer at United Airlines
• Special advisor to Cognizant Technology

• Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from the State University of New York

In this interview, Richard Nolan discusses two of the principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The three main eras of IT: DP, Micro, and Network
• The emergence of digital natives
• Realizing the vision of IT infrastructure becoming a universally available commodity
• How IT is indispensable for product driven innovation
• The necessity for new CIOs to understand the competitive strategy of their organization, the industry, their company's culture, and the company's ability to change

• Philip M. Condit endowed Chair in Business Administration at the University of Washington's School of Business
• William Barclay Harding Professor of Management of Technology at Harvard Business School
• Chairman and CEO of Nolan, Norton and Company
• Systems Analyst, Department of Defense
• Assistant Professor, University of Illinois
• Computer Analyst, Boeing Aerospace

• Ph.D. in Operations Research from the University of Washington
• M.B.A. from the University of Washington
• B.A. in Production and Operations Research from the University of Washington

In this interview, Sheleen Quish discusses two of the principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• IT's role as the critical toolbox to be successful and to drive positive change, process re-engineering, and improvements across the business
• The importance of selling your team on your particular philosophy of IT management
• The necessity of showing IT that the business is not the enemy, but the reason IT exists
• Key steps to take as a new CIO
• How and when to undertake infrastructure upgrades

• VP and CIO at Ameristar Casinos
• CIO-at-large with Box 9 Consulting
• VP and CIO for US Can Company
• SVP, Insurance Operations and Information Technology with Unitrin, Inc.’s Life & Health Division
• SVP and Partner of Bricker & Associates

• BA from the College of New Rochelle (New York)

In this interview, Mike Nelson discusses principle five of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The process of outsourcing one of the world’s largest distribution systems
• The major challenges of outsourcing, including a loss in flexibility
• Overcoming the “us” vs. “them” mentality with outsourcers
• Creating a solid post-outsourcing culture
• The fundamental importance of senior executive support for outsourcing initiatives

• Interim CIO for Sabre Holdings
• Senior Vice President and General Manager for Sabre
• Member of the Board of Directors for Societe Internationale de Telecommunications Aeronautiques (SITA)
• Executive Customer Advisory Council Member for AT&T

• Executive development program at the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia
• Executive development program at the Advanced Management Institute at the University of Tulsa

In this interview, Torsten Wenell discusses three of the five principle of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The importance of customer segmentation for in-house IT departments
• The three levels of IT decision making
• Sweden’s position as a leader and innovator in technology
• Business units as the real cost driver for IT
• The possibility that the business may not need to understand where IT costs come from as long as IT delivers what is required

• Lecturer and a member of the IT Management Research Team at The IT University in Gothenburg, Sweden
• Founder of Provment
• CIO of Svenska Finans
• Various positions over 18 years with IBM

In this interview, Mukul Kumar discusses three of the five principle of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The next generation of opportunities for transformational change
• What makes effective senior leaders, in IT as well as the business
• The fundamental importance of culture, and its effect on employee engagement
• IT's changing role in an economic downturn: IT's primary responsibility is no longer internal cost cutting
• Infrastructure's role as a company's productivity toolkit

• Managing Director of the IT Practice at CEB
• Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Co.
• Lecturer in International Economics at the Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University
• Consultant to the World Bank

• Ph.D. in International Economics from Princeton University
• Bachelors Degree in Mathematics and Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

In this interview, David Richter discusses two of the five principle of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• Under what conditions Infrastructure Outsourcing is and is not an efficient solution
• The conundrum of IT infrastructure: when things work well, infrastructure goes unnoticed
• Business requirements as the starting point of infrastructure
• Disaster recovery decisions, which need to be made at the highest level of the organization
• IT’s responsibility to find a common language to communicate with the business

• Vice President of IT Services, Infrastructure Solutions at Kimberly-Clark
• VP of IT Operations and Infrastructure at Starwood Hotels
• VP of IT at Harrah’s Entertainment
• Director of IT at NEC Electronics

• Ph.D. in Engineering & Technology Management from North Central University
• MBA from Humboldt State University
• MS in Computer Science with honors from California State University –Chico
• BA in Computer Science & Mathematics with honors from Cal-Berkeley

In this interview, Bruce Parker discusses three of the five principle of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• How a good CIO is well prepared to become a good CEO
• Gaining the business' trust in order to align and innovate
• The keys to building successful relationships with external partners
• How to build international teams and to expand into different regions with diverse cultures

• Managing Director of IT Management Group
• Chairman and CEO of AirNet Systems
• EVP at Sapient
• SVP and CIO at United Airlines
• SVP and CIO at Ryder System
• VP of American Airlines

• MBA from the University of Kansas

In this interview, Bill McCorey discusses three of the five principle of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• Global trends in IT infrastructure
• How to create an infrastructure roadmap
• The need to retire old systems as you upgrade and consolidate
• Thinking creatively to increase IT's efficiency and value contribution to the business
• Some of IT's challenges at a company that works around the clock across the globe

• VP of Global Infrastructure at IBM
• CIO of Circuit City

• Bachelors Degree in Accounting from West Virginia State College

In this interview, Randy Spratt discusses three of the five principle of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• How to structure a strong governance and IT decision making process
• The integral role IT plays in acquisitions, and how IT can become the go-to group for M&A preparations
• Improving IT's performance by increasing employee satisfaction
• Future trends in IT

• EVP and CIO at McKesson
• Chief Process Officer, McKesson Provider Technologies
• COO Advanced Laboratory Systems

• Bachelor of Science in Biology, University of Utah

In this interview, John Boushy discusses three of the five principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The essential role IT plays in mergers, and how IT should approach them
• Measuring IT's success by the success of the business rather than traditional IT metrics
• The importance of prioritizing projects by deciding not only what needs to be done, but what doesn't need to be done
• Building an IT organization to substantiate the capabilities necessary to accomplish the business' goals

• CEO & President of Ameristar Casinos
• EVP, Project Development, Design and Construction, Harrah's Entertainment
• SVP, Concept Development & Chief Integration Officer, Harrah's Entertainment
• SVP, Operations, Products & Services and CIO, Harrah's Entertainment

• MS in Applied Mathematics, North Carolina State University
• BS in Mathematics, North Carolina State University

In this interview, Robert Austin discusses three of the five principles of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The CIOs increasing focus on growing revenue rather than reducing costs
• Using IT for “trystorming”: coming up with ideas and trying them out, quickly and cheaply
• The importance of justifying IT investments for their strategic value rather than immediate ROI
• The need for IT to innovate as more and more IT is outsourced
• American MBAs contemplating opportunities in India and China

• Associate Professor of Technology and Operations Management at the Harvard Business School
• Technology Manager at Ford Motor Company

• Ph.D. in Management and Decision Sciences from Carnegie Mellon University
• M.S. in Industrial Engineering and Management Science from Northwestern University
• Bachelors degrees in Engineering and English Literature from Swarthmore College

In this interview, Darko Hrelic discusses four of the five principle of World Class IT with Metis Strategy. Some of the topics discussed include

• The difficulty in finding skills and talent that meet the challenges of tomorrow as well as those of yesterday
• How quickly technology expectations are changing: “email is legacy”
• The need for IT/Business alignment, if IT does not want to become irrelevant
• The importance of depth of knowledge rather than breadth of knowledge

• CIO of Gartner
• VP and CTO at ADP
• 21 Years at IBM

• Masters Degree in Computer Science from Stevens Institute of Technology