| |19 NOVEMBER 2026HIGHERReviewsupporting large-scale customer-facing systems taught me discipline, accountability, and the importance of execution under pressure.A pivotal moment came when I moved from purely technical positions into business-facing leadership roles. At Diageo, and later at Unilever, I became deeply involved in connecting technology investments to business outcomes, ROI, customer experience, and organizational strategy. That shift fundamentally changed the way I viewed technology leadership.I realized that successful CIOs are not measured by the technologies they deploy but by the business value they enable. From that moment onward, I intentionally invested in finance, business strategy, stakeholder management, and leadership development, which ultimately prepared me for CIO-level responsibilities.What career path and leadership experiences are most critical for becoming a successful CIO in today's digital-first business environment?There is no single path to becoming a CIO, but there are certain experiences that are essential.First, aspiring CIOs need a solid foundation in technology. Understanding architecture, operations, cybersecurity, data, and delivery remain important.Second, they need broad business exposure. Future CIOs should have experience working in areas such as Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance, and HR. The ability to understand how the company makes money is just as important as understanding technology.Third, leadership experience is critical. Building high-performing teams, leading through uncertainty, managing change, and influencing executives are skills that become increasingly important as you grow.Today's CIO is not simply a technology executive. The role requires balancing innovation, operational excellence, risk management, talent development, and business growth simultaneously.How can aspiring CIOs transition from technical management roles to strategic business leadership positions?The transition starts with changing your mindset.Many technology leaders focus on systems, projects, and platforms. Strategic leaders focus on outcomes, customers, revenue, productivity, growth, and competitive advantage.I encourage aspiring CIOs to spend time understanding business strategy and financial performance. Participate in commercial discussions, engage with customers, learn how investments are prioritized, and become comfortable speaking the language of business executives.Another important step is building influence outside IT. The most successful CIOs I know are trusted advisors to the business, not just technology experts. They are recognized for helping solve enterprise challenges, regardless of whether those challenges are technical.Which technical, financial, and communication skills do future CIOs need to stay relevant in the AI and automation era?From a technical perspective, CIOs must understand AI, data platforms, cybersecurity, enterprise architecture, cloud technologies, and automation. They don't need to be the deepest technical expert in every domain, but they must understand how these capabilities create business value.Financially, CIOs need strong business acumen. They should understand investment prioritization, value realization, portfolio management, operating models, ROI, and cost optimization.Communication is becoming even more important. Future CIOs must be able to explain complex technical concepts in simple business language. They must influence boards, inspire teams, engage external partners, and build trust across the organization.In the AI era, the leaders who will stand out are those who can connect technology possibilities with business realities.What are the biggest career mistakes IT professionals make while aiming for a CIO role, and how can they avoid them?One common mistake is focusing exclusively on technology and neglecting business knowledge.Another mistake is believing that career progression is only about accumulating technical certifications. Technical expertise creates credibility, but executive leadership requires much broader capabilities.A third mistake is avoiding difficult assignments. Some of my greatest professional growth came from taking on complex transformations, organizational changes, and challenging business situations.
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