Digital transformation – everybody’s doing it, but not everyone is getting results. According to a recent survey by IDG Research Services, more than half of enterprises have halted or abandoned some transformation projects while 44 percent have failed to make the process, operational, or technology changes needed to transform.
[ Have your results been disappointing? Read our related article: Digital transformation: 5 ways organizations fail. ]
While there’s no lack of advice on how to navigate the digital transformation journey, there’s nothing quite as valuable as guidance from fellow travelers. Our 2017 list of CIOs to follow on Twitter is itself a treasure trove of thought leadership on the topic.
But the CIOs on this year's list are also deeply invested in digital transformation, and their Twitter feeds can offer valuable insight into not only their own enterprise efforts but also the topic as a whole – from the latest technology advancements and startup activity, to the talent required to achieve fundamental change, to the leadership skills necessary to overcome the organizational obstacles.
Let's dig in:
Lori Beer aka @loriabeer
Bio: Global Chief Information Officer, JP Morgan Chase and Co. - views are my own
Why to follow: Beer took over JPMorgan’s $9.5 billion IT budget in late 2017 and has been focused on introducing more automated services, AI-driven trading, an API-driven platform, and new blockchain-enabled capabilities. Beer tweets on all topics digital, with a focus not simply on transforming the enterprise but solving some of the world’s biggest problems. She also shares her passion for inspiring the next generation of IT leaders and the value of diversity to digital transformation.
Kenneth Corriveau aka @kencorriveau
Bio: CIO, @OmnicomMediaGrp | Digital Transformation Leader | Innovator | People Motivator | Husband & Dad
Why to follow: Corriveau’s tweets can serve as a daily reading list for digital transformation leaders, as he shares the latest articles on topics from blockchain and cloud computing to leading change and innovation. As CIO for Omnicom Media Group, he has particular insight into digital’s influence on branding and consumer experiences. He also understands the needs of the next generation of employees, proving workplace technology for a company where the majority of users are under 30.
Archana (Archie) Deskus aka @ArchieDeskus
Bio: CIO & SVP at Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Views are my own.
Why to follow: When Deskus was named CIO at HPE in 2017, she was tasked with the company’s a nine-quarter IT transformation to completely revamp and massively consolidate its internal IT systems. Don’t follow her if you’re looking for tweets on the latest technology for technology’s sake. A proponent of consumption-based IT, Deskus offers a pragmatist’s focus on business-aligned digital tools that deliver value, increase sustainability, and reduce costs.
Bryan Muehlberger aka @bmuehlberger
Bio: CIO @ Beachbody, Former CIO @ Red Bull. Tech Strategist, interested in Startups & Angel Investing, CrossFit, & Challenging the Status Quo. Opinions are my own.
Why to follow: Since joining Beachbody, Muehlberger has been hard at work aligning technology across channels to increase time to market and agility, leveraging real-time data to improve employee and customer experiences, and using digital to help the company expand internationally. His twitter account celebrates not only the efforts of his IT team but the broader community of CIOs and digital transformation leaders in which he actively participates.
Suzette Kent aka @SuzetteKent45
Bio: Administrator of eGov at Office of Management and Budget. Tweets may be archived: http://wh.gov/privacy
Why to follow: Kent serves as the Federal Chief Information Officer at the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and, no matter your political leanings, her twitter stream offers an important glimpse into changes happening at the federal policy level. She also keeps an eye on broader DT trends, such as high-performance computing, data-driven innovation, AI, and additive manufacturing.
Dee K. Waddell aka @deekwaddell
Bio: Global Managing Director, Travel & Transportation Industries @IBM. Passionate #DigitalTransformation Leader. Award-winning #CDO & #CIO. All opinions are my own.
Why to follow: While this veteran IT and digital transformation leader no longer holds the CIO title, Waddell is still very much a digital transformation leader. And he has a front row seat to some of the latest digital innovations happening today, from quantum computing and deep learning to predictive analytics and blockchain. A must-follow for those with a particular interest in the travel and transportation industries.
Dennis Klemenz aka @DennisKlemenz
Bio: Data geek...data viz, organization, analytics, etc. I geek out on data. Lead a banking IT & security dept by day and am a CS Professor at night. Go Bills!!
Why to follow: As a data-focused credit union CIO and part-time computer science professor, Klemenz has a good eye for digital transformation success factors that are often given short shrift amid talk of the latest in blockchain or AI. Some recent gems include an article on long-term change efforts and a retweet about the importance of teaching computer science students how to think about coding rather than teaching them a specific programming language.
Peter Weis aka @PeterFWeis
Bio: VP & CIO of Matson, digital transformation leader, speaker, teacher, dad and husband. Living every single day with purpose.
Why to follow: Weis went all-in on cloud at Matson back in 2016 and his Twitter account reflects his early adopter mindset. It’s chock full of emerging technology predictions, insight, and infographics, with a healthy dose of thoughtful leadership content as well.
[ Transformation means tough calls on people. Read Matson CIO: The most painful, gut-wrenching part of leading transformation by Peter Weis.]
Nicole Raimundo aka @NRaimundo
Bio: Passion for technology, civic collaboration & driving change. All views are my own. GovRebel, Speaker. Chief Information Officer. Innovate. Disrupt. Transform
Why to follow: You don’t have to work in a big city to make big changes with IT. When Raimundo isn’t overseeing her platform strategy for the town of Cary, N.C., she’s tweeting about next-gen digital leadership, cheering on fellow GovTech leaders, and sharing her Smart City plans for this municipality.
Les Ottolenghi aka @LesOttolenghi
Bio: CIO @CaesarsEnt & Founder of entrepreneurial ventures. Contributor to @CIOonline All opinions & expressions are solely mine #CIO
Why to follow: Ottolenghi is not just a 30-year IT veteran, he’s also an experienced technology entrepreneur with a keen eye for emerging technology trends, such as autonomous, cloud-connected robots and the emergence of the citizen data scientists, and DT best practices.
