Metis Strategy

Among other topics, Gerri discusses the following issues with Metis Strategy: * The significant transformation Adobe has taken to become a more cloud-centric organization and the rationale behind it * How Gerri’s unique position as CIO has been able to influence colleagues to more willingly embrace the change to more of a cloud based model, and how IT has engaged with the business * The way in which, as a CIO, she engages with Adobe’s customer set, which often consists heavily of CIOs *  The different sillsets that are needed in today’s technology world (more collaborative and integrative rather than deep technology skills in one area, as well as more business-savvy skills) * Benefits of her affiliation to the venture capital and technological innovation community, and ways other CIOs can gain insight * Eye on the Trends: Integration of technologies, identity management, and the unification of user experience Gerri Martin-Flickinger’s Biography Gerri is the CIO of Adobe Systems, a multinational software company in the midst of a transformation to the cloud, a topic Gerri and I discuss in some depth in this interview.  Among other responsibilities, Gerri provides strategic direction and management for the global IT infrastructure at Adobe, including hosted services. Prior to joining Adobe, Gerri served as the CIO of Verisign, a company that operates a diverse array of network infrastructure and offers a range of security services, where she oversaw the corporate IT services of over 60 offices.   Gerri has also served as the CIO for Network Associates, Inc., as well as McAfee, Inc., prior to its acquisition by Intel. In addition to her current role at Adobe, Gerri serves as a member of advisory committees for several venture firms, including Sierra Ventures.  She is also involved in the Presidential Management Advisory Board, providing consultation on best practices in IT and building stronger product portfolio management for US Agencies. Gerri received a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Washington State University.

Among other topics, Joe discusses the following issues with Metis Strategy: * How the team defines the “best” technology as it relates to Cathay Pacific’s mission statement, which includes having the best technology in the industry. * The rise in importance of digital customer experience, and the rationale behind why IT leaders my be best suited to being a leadership of “digital” rather than the marketing group. * The ways in which CIOs can encourage their teams to be more customer centric. * Some of the plans around wellness applications. * The way in which innovation is managed at Cathay Pacific (rationale behind HR and IT being co-heads of the innovation council) and how new ideas are solicited by the innovation council. * Previous work experience and how universal some topics compare across industries and companies (similarities between airlines and the energy industry) * Eye on the Trends: Mobility and consumption coming through more and more screens (cars, airplanes, smart TVs) and those changing form factors.  Increasing use of Biometrics Joe Locandro’s Biography Joe is the IT Director (CIO equivalent) of Cathay Pacific, the flag carrier airline of Hong Kong.  Among other responsibilities, Joe leads the strategic positioning and delivery of the airline’s information management and technology requirements, and he is the co-head of the innovation program for the airline. He’ll speak about some of the creative and innovative ideas that his team are developing in this interview. Prior to joining Cathay Pacific, Joe served at the director of IT at China Light & Power where he focused on IT strategy, strategic systems development, infrastructure, and developing initiatives supportive of business unit missions.  Joe has held a number of CIO positions in other industries including entertainment and energy. Joe is also a member of the Hong KongSAR government’s Digital 21 Strategy Advisory Committee, as well as several other IT related advisory boards for universities and the Hong Kong Computer Society. Joe holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Commerce from University of Melbourne, and a graduate diploma in Marketing from Monash University, also in Melbourne.

Among other topics, Gene discusses the following issues with Metis Strategy: * The concept of DevOps and its impactful presence in tech giants such as Amazon, Netflix, and Etsy * The transferability of the DevOps perspective across a wide variety of industries, sectors, and organizational models * Characteristics, as noted by Gene, that the best and most impactful leaders managing DevOps tend to have * The confluence of changes in technology, people, and processes that has led to the era of DevOps * Themes from Gene’s forthcoming book, The DevOps Cookbook * Eye on the Trends:  Containers as a mechanism for rapid, automated testing by developers Gene Kim’s Biography: Gene is an entrepreneur and author, focused on IT operations, information security, and DevOps.  He is most well-known for his co-founding of the software company, TripWire, a security and compliance software company that was recently acquired by Belden, a manufacturer of networking and cable products.  Gene wrote the original version of TripWire in 1992 as an undergraduate at Purdue, eventually co-fouding TripWire Inc. in 1997.  Tripwire eventually grew to a 350 employee company with a customer base of over 9,000 organizations. During his time at TripWire, Gene began his passion of studying high performing IT organizations, eventually codifying his observations of good to great IT transformations into 2 books, The Visible Ops Handbook, and Visible Ops Security.  In 2010, Gene departed his CTO position at Tripwire to start the next chapter in his life.  This eventually led to several books including Gene’s upcoming book, The DevOps Cookbook, and The Phoenix Project: A Novel about IT, DevOps, and Helping your Business Win; the latter reaching #1 under Amazon’s Business Management sub-category. In addition to his books and work at Tripwire, Gene co-founded the IT Process Institute, an organization committed to improving the operating performance of IT organizations across industries.  He has been voted as an up and coming IT individual by publications including InfoWorld and ComputerWorld, and was given the Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2009 by Purdue University’s Department of Computer Sciences. To receive updates about The DevOps Handbook release and receive an advance copy, please sign up here.

Among other topics, Ed discusses the following issues with Metis Strategy: * The important role that Ed’s IT organization plays in a retail and brand management-focused company * The ideology behind Ed’s leadership style, as well as his specific emphasis on rewarding high potential employees with more challenging engagements * The unique approach taken by Ed and his team to incorporate Omni-channel and digital capabilities into the fabric of Fossil Group * The difficulties faced by Ed and his team in aligning individuals working on global teams * The insignificance, to Ed, of the CMO/CIO discussion and its broader implications for the future business leader * Eye on trends:  Wearable technology… and the ability of IT to take advantage of some of the cloud and mobile offerings and enablement that can be brought to the business is exciting from a CIO’s standpoint Ed Robben’s Biography Ed is the SVP and CIO at Fossil Group, a global retailer specializing in fashion and accessory products, primarily watches.  Among other responsibilities, Ed oversees the technology that supports Fossil’s business operations and develops future technology strategies for the organization, while reporting directly to Fossil’s CEO.  He has held the post of CIO since joining the company in 2012. Prior to joining Fossil, Ed served as the SVP, CIO, and Executive Board Member at J.C. Penney.  He also previously served at BNSF and the Feld Group, which was acquired by EDS where he then implemented technology solutions for the NMCI (the largest intranet in the world). Ed graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering.

Among other topics, Jean-Michel Ares discusses the following with Metis Strategy: * The imperative, at BMO Financial Group and within the broader financial services industry, to combine the functions of technology and operations under a single executive * Jean-Michel’s belief in the ability of leadership along the lines of operational excellence, transformation, and innovation to set every CIO on the path to greatness * The four outlined “areas of focus” for Jean-Michel’s team in the coming year * Jean-Michel’s renewed focus on enterprise security, as well as the important role of external partnerships and networks in securing an organization’s data and resources * The great opportunity of each CIO to build strong personal networks, later leveraging those networks to solve complex challenges faced by those within and external to their industry or role * Eye on Trends: The combination of analytics, mobility, social networks, and the Internet of Things in shaping the new technological enterprise Jean-Michel Ares’s Biography: Jean-Michel is the Chief Technology and Operations Officer for BMO Financial Group, Canada’s fourth largest financial institution. At BMO Jean-Michel holds accountability for a diverse array of functions such as Corporate Real Estate, Product Operations, and Strategic Sourcing within Technology and Operations, a topic we cover in some depth in this interview.  Among other responsibilities, Jean-Michel leads over 7,000 individuals within Technology and Operations to partner with business leaders and use technology as a mechanism to achieve the corporation’s growth targets. Prior to his tenure at BMO, Jean-Michel served as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Coca-Cola Company, and as the Vice President and CIO of GE Power Systems. Jean-Michel graduated with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering as well as an MBA, all from McGill University in Montreal.

Among other topics, President Fox discusses the following issues with Metis Strategy: * The innovative ways in which President Fox has leveraged his business acumen and political knowledge to build Mexico and Latin America as hubs of Information Technology * The decision behind President Fox’s move from the private to public sector, as well as the progression in experience and motivation that led him to the Presidency * The importance, for President Fox, of setting ambitious goals and how they allowed him to achieve the ends that he sought to accomplish * The important role that marketing and communications have played in President Fox’s accomplishments across both the public and private sectors * The underlying philosophies, many of which stem from his Jesuit education, that drive Fox to success * President Fox’s opinion on the future of Latin American economies as they become increasingly competitive in the global landscape   Pres. Vicente Fox’s Biography Welcome to Metis Strategy’s Forum on World Class IT. I’m Peter High and I am pleased to welcome President Vicente Fox to the broadcast. Mr. Fox is the former President of Mexico, a role in which he served from 2000 to 2006. President Fox is considered an innovative force in enhancing the global presence of Mexico and Latin America in business and technology, topics which we cover in some depth in this interview. Prior to his tenure as President, Mr. Fox first served as the President of Coca-Cola Mexico rising to that role after beginning as a delivery route supervisor for the company. Under his leadership, Coca Cola became the most popular drink in Mexico, increasing sales by almost 50%. As a politician, Fox was elected as Governor of Guanajuato after first serving in the federal Chamber of Deputies. In 1997, Fox began his campaign for President of Mexico, there years before his eventual election. In January 2007, Fox announced plans for the construction of Mexico’s first Presidential Library, Centro Fox. As a library, center of advancement for democracy, and museum, Centro Fox has a stated mission of training and developing Latin American leaders based on social values. To date, the center provides a variety of programming and resources that support this mission through policy, social, cultural, and academic initiatives. President Fox is a graduate of Harvard Business School and received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City.

Among other topics, Brian and Dan discuss the following issues with Metis Strategy: * The journey undertaken by both Brian and Dan to uncover and accurately portray the stories of nine innovative leaders in the CIO universe * The imperative, as echoed in the stories of each of the nine CIOs, to look past the idea of “aligning IT with the business,” instead beginning to view IT itself as the business * Brian and Dan’s take on shared characteristics of the nine CIOs profiled in the book and how they contribute to their success, including but not limited to the ability of the CIO to answer the call, be a transformational leader, and look “beyond the curve” to create an IT organization that drives revenue * The evolution of the role of the successful CIO to source talent with an assortment of core competencies—the majority of which are surprisingly non-technical * The tenacity of the nine CIOs profiled in the book to forge their way onto the corporate boards or teams of their organizations, landing themselves in positions where they are looked at as another business driver and not simply an IT representative * Eye on Trends: The shifting background of the successful CIO to be more of a “hybrid” between business executive and technologist, the emerging importance of the “networked CIO” in successfully leading the business and IT through challenges Biography of Brian Watson and Dan Roberts: Brian and Dan are the co-authors of Confessions of a Successful CIO: How the Best CIOs Tackle Their Toughest Business Challenges, one of the latest releases in the Wiley CIO Series. With the book, Watson and Roberts bring forward a variety of stories of innovative CIOs, challenges they faced, and their pragmatic and successful responses, a topic we cover in some depth in this interview. Brian Watson is the former Editor in Chief of CIO Insight and has contributed reporting and analysis to several media outlets focused on IT leadership. Since October, Brian has been Executive Director, iRise Advisor Network & Executive Roundtable Series at iRise.  Prior to that, Brian served as Director of Business Outreach for Workforce Opportunity Services (WOS), a charitable organization that helps companies build strong talent pipelines through unique work-study programs. Brian holds a Bachelor of Arts from Bucknell University and a Master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Dan Roberts is a 30-year veteran of the IT industry and the CEO and President of Ouellette & Associates Consulting, Inc., a leading provider of IT leadership and professional development training services focused on the “human side of technology”. Dan is a contributing author of O&A’s latest book titled Unleashing the Power of IT (Wiley, 2011) and has published numerous articles in industry journals. Dan graduated from the Whittemore School of Business and Economics at the University of New Hampshire, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

Among other topics, Mike discusses the following issues with Metis Strategy: * Mike’s unique experiences outside of the IT function, many of which lead and continue to enhance to his now “CIO+” role at Paychex * The innovative mechanisms Mike employs that encourage his IT team to build a broader understanding of how their products are being used in the field * The challenges and opportunities Mike identified when leading Paychex’s product portfolio transformation from that which was service-oriented to a more software-oriented set of offerings * The ability of open source platforms that provide employee-basic services that enable the easy creation of a new business, as well as how that has resulted in loosened barriers to entry * Mike’s continuing journey in transforming the Paychex organization into one that fully utilizes the Agile approach * Eye on Trends:Open source platforms, mobility, frameworks, social media, Platform-as-a-Service, Software-as-a-Service   Mike Gioja’s Biography Mike is the Senior Vice President of Information Technology and Product Management & Development at Paychex Inc., a leading provider of payroll, human resource, and benefits outsourcing solutions for small to medium-sized businesses. With over 28 years of experience in product management and strategy, Mike is considered an impactful leader among many HR and technology colleagues in the realms of technology integration and emerging technologies, a topic we cover in some depth in this interview. Among other responsibilities, Mike leads an organization responsible for supporting the employee-basic services as well as the back-end capabilities of product offerings for all of Paychex’s internal clients. Before becoming the Senior Vice President of IT and Product Management, served as Chief Information Officer and Executive Vice President of Products, Services & Operations of Workstream Inc., a firm providing enterprise and mid-market talent management solutions clients.  Prior to joining Workstream, Gioja also served as Executive Vice President of Products and Services at Workscape Corporation, a private human resource services company in Marlborough, Massachusetts. Over the course of his career Mike has held senior leadership positions with companies such as IBM, American Express, Fidelity, SAP, and PeopleSoft. Mike holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the State University of New York at Oswego.

Among other topics, Suren discusses the following issues with Metis Strategy: * The innovative ways in which Allstate has structured its organization to most effective facilitate a significant business transformation, specifically the various mechanisms used to capture and fund innovative ideas from the ground up * The importance of sourcing technologists that are first and foremost businesspeople when building talent * Suren’s hesitance, throughout his career, to focus on getting to that “next level” and his prescribed alternative * The increasing importance of a flexible and effective organizational structure through which the key principles of operation, execution, enablement, development, innovation, and differentiation are supported * Eye on Trends:The societal changes and possibilities that will come with leveraging data for wisdom; Allstate’s “innovation councils” composed of senior technology and business leaders with the purpose of bringing new ideas to life Suren Gupta’s Biography Suren is the Executive Vice President of Technology and Operations for Allstate Insurance Company, the United States’ third largest personal lines insurer. Suren is considered an innovative force in enhancing delivery capabilities that support a 24/7 global operation, a topic we cover in some depth in this interview.  Among other responsibilities, Suren leads a global organization that delivers innovative and transformational technological solutions for Allstate’s customers, agency owners and employees. Prior to his tenure at Allstate, Suren served as Group Chief Information Officer and Executive for Wells Fargo, the American multinational banking and financial services holding company, where he was responsible for the re-engineering of the real estate lending division’s service delivery. Under his leadership, new delivery capabilities enabled the field sales force to serve customers more effectively with just-in-time information. Prior to joining Wells Fargo, Gupta also served as a founding member of the corporate executive team of Airclic Inc., a start-up wireless Internet venture and was senior vice president, informational technology and operations for GMAC Residential, a division of General Motors. Suren is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and received a master’s degree in computer engineering from West Virginia University, as well as an MBA from George Mason University. In addition to these accomplishments, he serves on the Chicago Public Library Foundation Board as well as the board of the American chapter for Pratham, a nongovernmental organization that provides pre-school education to children in India’s slums.  

Among other topics, Stewart discusses the following issues with Metis Strategy: * The imperative of the IT organization’s strategy to look to become a source of competitive advantage for global organizations in the future * The various ways in which Stewart has built cross-functional capabilities to pull knowledge from the disparate functions of R&D, IT, and business, in a way that enables a greater understanding of the organization’s needs * The important yet difficult conundrum of “build” versus “buy” in a global information technology organization, and the strategic importance of customization of systems and processes in creating competitive advantage * The challenges and opportunities Stewart identified when serving as the lead integrator of two merging companies with distinctive cultures and processes * Stewart’s unique promotion to CIO from the company acquired in a merger, and potential reasons behind the decision * Eye on Trends: The success of high intensity, goal-oriented task forces assembled to improve flawed processes, the growing trend of the CIO having more core competency as a business person than a technologist Stewart McCutcheon’s Biography Stewart McCutcheon is Chief Information Officer and Executive Vice President of Ecolab, Inc., a global leader in water, hygiene, and energy technologies services. Stewart is considered a visionary in the space of IT integration and transformation, a topic we cover in some depth in this interview. Among other responsibilities, Stewart oversees both corporate and functional information technology across the global company, which includes Ecolab’s operations within the region and its individual business sectors. Previously, Stewart served as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Ecolab. Before joining Ecolab through a merger with Nalco Holding Company, Stewart served as the Chief Information Officer of Nalco since joining the company in 2009. In 2010 McCutcheon was named as Nalco’s Chief Productivity Officer, a role in which he was responsible for improving productivity in the supply chain and procurement functions among others. Prior to joining Nalco, Stewart had also served as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer for Acsis, Inc., a leading supply chain software provider. Previously, McCutcheon served as Chief Technology Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Elemica Inc. Stewart holds a Bachelor’s Degree in mechanical engineering from the University of South Carolina, from which he graduated cum laude.

Among other topics, Eric discusses the following issues with Metis Strategy: * The benefits of drawing from IT experience across different verticals and industries to deliver game-changing solutions to a new sector. * Eric’s innovation in applying the “customer perspective” to the traditionally internally focused organization of IT, as well as how it has led him to become a more externally-focused and sensitive CIO. * The comprehensive approach Eric took when developing Chico’s innovative FAS Digital Retail Theater to seamlessly blur the line between the “bricks and clicks.” * The imperative of “relentless transparency” with the customer when capturing information at the point of sale, both to build trust and communicate enhanced value to the customer experience in a way that sustains the relationship between consumer and brand. * The ability of the Tech Tables to leverage technology in a way that elicits a natural and memorable social interaction with customers while significantly decreasing inventory carrying costs for Chico’s. * Eye on Trends: The blurring of lines between the augmented reality digital experience and its spillover into everyday reality, the idea of real life interaction with technology as a continuum that now extends to each moment of the customer lifestyle and the ability of a brand to tap into that connectedness. Eric Singleton’s Biography Eric Singleton is the Chief Information Officer of Chico’s Inc., the international women’s retailer with a portfolio of four brands, Chico’s, Boston Proper, Soma Intimates, and White House | Black Market. Eric is considered a leader in the field of omni-channel retailing, a topic we cover in some depth in this interview. Among other responsibilities, Eric oversees information technology within the enterprise, including but not limited to the desktop, IT and information security, and information delivery. Prior to his tenure at Chico’s, Eric served as the Chief Information Officer for Tommy Hilfiger Corporation where he held worldwide responsibility for the company’s Information Technology division, and as Senior Vice President of Technologies for AOL, Inc., the multinational American mass media corporation. Among many key responsibilities at AOL, Eric led software engineering where he architected and implemented a unified platform for the discovery, trial, purchase and management of AOL’s Paid Services offerings, while also overseeing AOL’s technology roadmap. Eric holds a Bachelor’s Degree in computer science and business from the University of Central Florida and is a graduate of the Executive Management Marketing Program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.

Among other topics, Colin discusses the following issues with Metis Strategy: * The challenges of enabling the IT function to be valuable partners to colleagues outside of IT, particularly how his team was able to weave itself into the technical depth of the broader organization * The evolving role of IT as it moves to support the technology behind the actual product being sold * The early challenges Colin faced when transitioning to a new company, industry, and technical role amidst the 2008 financial crisis * Colin’s view of the “transportability of IT” as a skill that CIOs can master, regardless of their previous experience within industry * His tactical approach in shifting the culture around information technology from a static, cost-oriented center to a dynamic, value-oriented function * Eye on Trends: The ascending trend of computing capacity within the automotive and transportation industries, the lessening imperative of companies to consolidate transactional systems in pursuit of business intelligence Colin Boyd’s Biography Colin Boyd is Chief Information Officer and Vice President for Johnson Controls, a multi-industrial Fortune 100 with revenues in excess of $40 billion that operates in the automotive interiors, automotive battery, and building systems market places. As CIO, Boyd is responsible for the entirety of the IT function, including managing an expense budget in excess of $700 million with IT staff throughout more than 80 countries. Boyd also serves as a board and Academic Committee member for the Milwaukee Public Museum. Prior to joining Johnson Controls in 2008, Colin Boyd previously served in a variety of leadership roles for Sony Ericsson. As IT Director for Sony Europe from 1996 to 2001, Boyd oversaw IT operations for the region as well as implemented a single SAP system to replace multiple national platforms. As Chief Information Officer for Sony Ericsson from 2001 to 2008, Boyd established and headed an independent global IT function within the joint venture, implementing a single global SAP platform. Boyd has a bachelor’s degree in production engineering from the University of Nottingham and a master’s degree in information technology from the University of London.

Among other topics, Tim discusses the following issues with Metis Strategy: * His formative experience managing large technological changes at a critical time for the organization * The tactical approach Tim and Delphi leadership took when outsourcing core IT capabilities, including the strategic identification of future opportunities to reinternalize technology services as needs shift * The impact of Tim’s nontraditional career path and academic training on his role as an innovative IT leader * The way in which technology strategy, when aligned with both top-level and bottom-level needs, can enable the broader strategic direction of an organization to flourish * His unique approach to leadership, particularly within IT * The importance of communicating and educating colleagues on the value that an IT investment will bring to the organization as a whole * Eye on Trends: The growing potential of data-driven analytics and insights within a global organization, the influence of digital capabilities on information sharing in and outside of the workplace Timothy McCabe’s Biography Tim is Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Delphi, a leading global supplier of electronics and technologies for automotives and other market segments. Tim is responsible for all strategic and operational information technology activities in support of Delphi’s global business and the adoption and integration of new technologies. Tim has been with the company since 2006, when he joined Delphi Information Technology as the Director of Strategy and Sourcing. In this role, he led organization’s restructuring activities as well as the deployment of the global supplier management organization. Tim was also responsible for the development and execution of IT strategies, performance management, and organizational change management. Prior to joining Delphi, Tim worked at General Motors where he served in a variety of leadership positions, as the Lead Director of Global Outsourcing, including leading the largest transaction in the IT industry. Tim has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Oakland University and a master’s degree in management from Walsh College.

Among others, Peter discusses the following topics: * The importance of building a strong IT core * The need for IT to partner with the customer facing parts of the organization * The need for IT to build up an R&D mentality * The advantages of better leveraging a company’s ecosystem of partners * The need for IT to ensure it speaks the language of the business * The need for IT to recognize that there is only one customer – the end customer   Purchase this book from About the book While function, innovation, and design remain key elements to the development and management of IT infrastructure and operations, CIOs must now think beyond their primary purview and recognize the value their strategies and initiatives will create for the organization. With Implementing World Class IT Strategy, the roadmap to strategic IT excellence awaits. Praise for Implementing World Class IT Strategy “The CIO role has evolved into one of a true business leader. CIOs must be focused on the company’s business strategy and find ways to deliver value, not just by cutting cost, but by driving the top-line. Implementing World Class IT Strategy provides insights into how today’s CIOs must operate and behave through the experiences of those who are doing it.” —BRUCE HOFFMEISTER, Global Chief Information Officer, Marriott International “Technology is transforming business and industries and those that capitalize will grow and those that do not will be left behind. Implementing World Class IT Strategy captures the many dimensions required for the contemporary CIO to be successful.” —TIMOTHY J. THERIAULT, Senior Vice President, Chief Information, Innovation and Improvement Officer, Walgreens “In Implementing World Class IT Strategy, Peter highlights the difficulty in being both operationally focused and strategically focused. As a CIO you absolutely need to keep things running smoothly, but you also need to make sure your organization is prepared to take advantage of changes—changes in your industry, changes in your customer needs, and changes in technology to deliver your products and services. Peter’s insights around striking the right balance are invaluable.” —BILL KRIVOSHIK, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Time Warner “All IT strategy boils down to answering one simple question: ‘What do we need to be able to do tomorrow that we can’t do today?’ If we can answer that question in clear, concrete business terms, then we can build the right IT strategy. In his discussions with many IT thought-leaders, Peter High has set out to help answer that and many other questions along the way.” —STUART MCGUIGAN, Chief Information Officer, Johnson & Johnson “Peter takes the industry’s best thinkers and shares their patterns of success using IT to transform business.” —KIMBERLY S. STEVENSON, Corporate Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Intel Corporation “Peter High provides practical advice on how to embark on the journey from tactical CIO to strategic CIO, highlighting proven methods that he and many leading CIOs have used to become strategic advisors to their colleagues, ultimately driving tremendous value to their companies and customers.” —GREG CARMICHAEL, President, Chief Operating Officer, and Former Chief Information Officer, Fifth Third Bancorp

Among other topics, Matt discusses the following issues with Metis Strategy: * Matt’s role at Home Depot and the steps Home Depot has taken to improve its technology preparedness since he joined * How Home Depot used technology to transform itself to a customer-centric retailer despite the global economic downturn of 2007 and 2008 * How Home Depot integrate IT and Business functions to facilitate understanding across the enterprise and ultimately improve customer experience * Matt’s involvements in multiple Board of Directors and the unique advantages that can be gained from serving as a member of a Board of Directors * The historical reasons behind why CIOs haven’t traditionally served on Boards and Matt’s advice for other CIOs who wish to become Board-ready * The changing expectation, roles, and responsibilities in today’s corporate IT departments * Eye on the Trends: The increasing desire of boards to include CIOs as companies, regardless of industry, and their customers become more technology centric with regard to the services provided or desired. Matt Carey’s Biography: Matt is the Global EVP and CIO of The Home Depot, the $79 billion retailer providing home improvement and construction products and services. Among other responsibilities, Matt is responsible for all aspects of the information technology infrastructure including communication networks and retail systems across the company’s stores and support centers. In addition to his role at The Home Depot, Matt serves as a member of the Board of Directors and the Audit Committee at Geeknet. Before his tenure at The Home Depot, Matt served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at eBay, the American multinational ecommerce company. Among many key responsibilities, Matt was responsible for product development, site operations, electronic security and product planning for eBay Marketplaces. Prior to joining eBay in 2006, Matt served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Walmart for 20 years. Along with his current board position at the Geeknet, Matt has served as a member of the Audit Committee at TransUnion. Matt holds an Associate’s Degree in Information Systems from Oklahoma State University.