CIO/CTO/IT Director

Owned by Steven Piliero
Last updated: May 21, 2024
2 min read

Name: Thomas "Tom" Wilson

Age: 52

Education: MBA from Northwestern University, B.S. in Computer Science from Purdue University

Professional Background:

  • 25+ years of experience in IT leadership roles across various industries (finance, healthcare, technology).

  • Focus areas: IT strategy, infrastructure management, cybersecurity, digital transformation, and IT governance.

  • Previous roles: CIO at a global healthcare organization, VP of IT at a financial services firm, IT Director at a technology startup.

  • Special certifications or skills: Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), ITIL v4 Foundation, Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT)

Industry: Varies depending on the organization's focus

Responsibilities:

  • Develop and implement the organization's overall IT strategy, aligning it with business objectives.

  • Oversee the IT infrastructure, ensuring its security, reliability, and performance.

  • Manage IT budgets and resource allocation.

  • Lead digital transformation initiatives and adoption of new technologies.

  • Ensure compliance with IT governance frameworks and industry standards.

Goals:

  • Deliver innovative and reliable IT solutions that enable business growth and efficiency.

  • Protect the organization's critical data and systems from cyber threats.

  • Optimize IT investments and maximize return on investment.

  • Build a high-performing IT team that is agile, adaptable, and customer-focused.

  • Establish IT as a strategic partner to the business, not just a support function.

Challenges:

  • Keeping pace with the rapid pace of technological change and emerging threats.

  • Managing complex and diverse IT environments, including legacy systems and cloud infrastructure.

  • Balancing the need for innovation with cost control and risk management.

  • Attracting and retaining top IT talent in a competitive market.

Motivations:

  • Leveraging technology to drive business transformation and create competitive advantage.

  • Building a world-class IT organization that is respected and valued by the organization.

  • Solving complex IT challenges and finding innovative solutions.

  • Mentoring and developing the next generation of IT leaders.

Tech-Savviness:

  • Highly tech-savvy with a deep understanding of various technologies, platforms, and architectures.

  • Proficient in using IT management tools, cloud platforms, and cybersecurity solutions.

  • Up-to-date on the latest IT trends and industry best practices.

Behavioral Traits:

  • Strategic thinker with strong leadership and decision-making skills.

  • Collaborative and communicative, able to build relationships with diverse stakeholders.

  • Results-oriented and focused on delivering measurable outcomes.

  • Innovative and adaptable, always seeking to improve and optimize.

Sources of Information:

  • Industry publications (e.g., CIO Magazine, InformationWeek)

  • IT conferences and events (e.g., Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo, AWS re:Invent)

  • Analyst reports (e.g., Gartner, Forrester)

  • Networking with other IT leaders and peers.

Quote:

"IT is no longer just a support function; it's a strategic enabler of business growth and innovation. By embracing new technologies and approaches, we can transform our organization and deliver exceptional value to our customers and stakeholders."