Leadership 
Chief Information Officer (CIO) is one of the most critical roles in modern business. Some 60% of CIOs have frequent access to the main boardroom. Typically, CIOs report to the CEO and are responsible for all IT operations within a company.
CIOs are essential leaders in today’s tech-driven business world. They handle everything from vendor procurement to software projects, including IT strategy. Not to mention, they also guide and mentor IT professionals throughout their organizations.
The best CIOs make their company scalable, secure, and proficient with technology. They run the technology systems that keep the lights on and set the company up for massive growth.
What are the responsibilities of a CIO?
CIOs have a ever growing number of responsibilities. As the role of information technology rises, CIOs shoulder more responsibilities.
These business leaders are responsible for overseeing all information technology an organization uses. The role of the CIO oversees many areas, including the IT budget, data security, and leading their IT staff.
Besides elite technical chops, CIOs need strong business acumen as well. They need to understand how to operationalize their business best and map their IT strategy to business outcomes.
Related: What Is a Contact Center? Definition, Features, and Uses
Meet the Top 80 CIOs (A to Z)
Looking for inspiration on how you can become a CIO (or a more effective one)?
Meet 80 CIOs who are excelling in their field.
We’ve found the best and brightest CIOs working at today’s most innovative companies. The top CIOs range from e-commerce pros to award-winning consumer heavyweights.
In this alphabetical list of CIOs by company name, you will find experts in their industry. You should keep them on your radar and follow them in 2020 and beyond.
1. Bertrand Leroux of Activision Blizzard
A veteran of the video gaming and entertainment industry, Bertrand is a seasoned leader in all things IT. As SVP and Global Chief Information Officer at Activision Blizzard, he leads technology innovation and digital transformation. He delivers scalable technologies that support the business strategy.
Social media: LinkedIn
2. Cynthia Stoddard of Adobe
Cindy Stoddard brings 25 years of leadership experience to her role as SVP and Chief Information Officer at Adobe. Some of Cindy’s top achievements at Adobe include scaling IT platforms to support revenue growth from $4.5B revenue in 2013 to $7.5B in 2018. Follow her on Twitter and LinkedIn to connect with one of the top CIOs in one of the world’s top tech companies.
Social media: Twitter | LinkedIn
3. Brennan Sullivan of Allscripts
Brennan Sullivan has spent the last 15 years serving as SVP and CIO for AllScripts, helping scale one of the most successful healthcare IT partners in the United States. A graduate of James Madison University, Brennan is based out of Atlanta, Georgia. Connect with him on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
4. Stephen Schmidt of Amazon
As Vice President of Security Engineer and Chief Information Security Officer at Amazon, Stephen Schmidt oversees IT security for arguably the most famously secure tech company on the planet. A must-follow for anyone interested in IT security.
Social media: Twitter | LinkedIn
5. Jay Kerley of Applied Materials
As the CIO for Applied Materials, Jay Kerley runs IT, business transformation, advanced analytics, machine learning, and cybersecurity programs. Applied Materials is a $16B global high technology leader.
Social media: LinkedIn
6. Mark Ohlund of Armada
As the Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice-President Information Technology for Armada, Mark Ohlund helps support Armada’s supply chain strategy. He improves business efficiency via analytics, integration, and automation. A graduate of the prestigious Carnegie-Mellon University Tepper School of Business, Mark is one of the top IT leaders in Pittsburgh and worth a follow on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
7. Jon Summers of AT&T
Stanford University graduate Jon Summers has spent the last four years serving as Chief Information Officer for AT&T, the most dominant telecommunications company on the planet. Over his 30 year career, Jon has held a variety of positions at AT&T, including Technology and Product Development, Marketing, and Operations.
Social media: LinkedIn
8. Prakash Kota of Autodesk
Prakash Kota has been the CIO of Autodesk for the last 2.5 years, overseeing the company’s global information and technology organization. His team manages critical technology systems supporting the company’s worldwide enterprise applications and infrastructure. Follow Prakash on LinkedIn to learn from one of Silicon Valley’s brightest CIOs.
Social media: LinkedIn
9. Vipul Nagrath of ADP
Vipul Nagrath is the Global Chief Information Officer for one of the tech industry’s most respected companies, Automatic Data Processing (ADP). Before working at ADP, Vipul served as CIO at Bloomberg for 3.5 years, making him one of the most accomplished and respected CIOs in Gotham. Follow Vipul on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
Related: IT Director Interview Questions & Answers To Get Hired
10. Terry Williams of Belcan
As Vice President of Technology Solutions and Chief Information Officer (CIO), Terry Williams is responsible for leading Belcan’s strategic and operational information technology initiatives, global cybersecurity, and the evaluation and deployment of current and future technology platforms used throughout Belcan. Terry oversees both domestic and global technology-related investments required to enable and streamline ongoing business functions. Follow Terry on LinkedIn for his insights on serving as the CIO for one of Ohio’s top companies.
Social media: LinkedIn
11. Claire Rutkowski of Bentley Systems
Claire Rutkowski has spent the last six years serving as CIO for Bentley Systems and previously MWH Global. Named one of the Top 50 Women in Construction, Claire is passionate about delivering IT solutions with laser-like execution. Follow Claire on LinkedIn to get her perspective on being a female leader in two male-dominated industries — tech and construction.
Social media: LinkedIn
12. Ed Russell of Blackboard
Ed Russell’s accomplished IT career includes leadership stints at AOL, Winstar, Sprint, and Blackboard, where he currently serves as Chief Information Officer. A graduate of Liberty University, Ed Russell is experienced in delivering large-scale projects on time and within budget. Such projects include supporting both domestic and international call centers, and delivering cost savings to business units without sacrificing quality or functionality. Follow Ed on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
13. Dorien Weijts of Blue Yonder
As SVP & CIO at Blue Yonder (formerly JDA Software), Dorien Weijt helps lead IT and technology solutions for one of the biggest technology companies in Phoenix, Arizona. Dorien has built an impressive 15-year career at Blue Yonder, scaling the ranks to become the top IT leader within the company. Follow Dorien on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
14. Scott Crowder of BMC
Scott Crowder has spent the last 6.5 years serving as SVP and CIO of BMC Software. Based in Houston, Texas, Crowder has built a career as an proven Chief Information Officer with three decades of experience who has founded and scaled engineering organizations. Follow Scott on LinkedIn to connect with one of the top CIOs in Texas.
Social media: Twitter | LinkedIn
15. Andy Nallappan of Broadcom
A veteran of software behemoths such as Hewlett Packard and Avago, Andy now serves as Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Broadcom. The 18,000-person company operates 80 locations. Nallappan has built a reputation for disrupting the IT landscape with better and faster solutions, driving M&A, and reducing IT spend YoY towards 1% or lower of revenue.
Social media: LinkedIn
16. Dan Evans of Buffalo Bills
Dan Evans has served as the Vice President of IT for the Buffalo Bills, Buffalo Sabres, and Pegula Sports Entertainment since September 1998. During his 20+ year track record with the Sabres and Bills, Evans has earned a reputation within the sports industry for being a forward-thinking IT leader with a track record of excellence in his field. Follow Dan on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
17. Neil Kole of Cadence Design Systems
Cadence Design Systems CIO Neil Kole has crafted a phenomenal reputation in Silicon Valley working for some of the leading tech companies over his 30-year career. Such organizations include Informatica, Xerox, Intuit, Symantec, IBM, and VMWare.
Social media: LinkedIn
18. Savio Thattil of Capital One
As CIO of Commercial Banking Technology and SVP at Capital One, Savio Thattil oversees product/delivery management of large projects, customer management, solutions strategy, execution and delivery, process improvement and optimization, team building and staff development, system integrator selection/contract negotiations, and ISV partnerships. Before serving at Capital One, Savio was acting CIO of Sephora for over six years. Follow Savio on LinkedIn.
Social Media: LinkedIn
19. Bill Graff of Cerner
As the CIO of Cerner, Bill Graff has expanded the infrastructure environment managed by his team from 10,000 square-feet of domestic data center space to more than 64,000 square feet. Graff has been named a Premier 100 IT Leader and currently oversees Cerner’s worldwide data center facility operations, traditional and cloud computing infrastructures, enterprise security, and their corporate applications portfolio.
Social media: Twitter | LinkedIn
20. Jacqueline Guichelaar of Cisco
Jacqueline Guichelaar is the Group CIO of Cisco. She has held roles in Lloyds Bank, Deutsche Bank, National Australia Bank, IBM and CSC gaining experience across industries such as Financial Services, Utilities, Telecommunications, Media and Retail. Jacqui was also the Chair of the 2012 Women on Wall Street Conference. Follow her on LinkedIn and Twitter for more insights.
Social media: Twitter | LinkedIn
21. Rakesh Bhardwaj of Cognizant
Rakesh Bhardwaj is the Senior Vice President and Global CIO of Cognizant, where he leads the IT organization. The 26-year-old company has a long list of technology acquisitions. Bhardwaj ensures that Cognizant remains at the forefront of innovation and empowers the organization to be flexible and resilient.
Social media: LinkedIn
22. Peter Jones of Commercial Metals Company
Since 2015, Peter Jones has been the VP and Chief Information Officer at Commercial Metals Company. Based in Dallas, Texas, Peter has nearly three decades of IT leadership experience.
Social media: LinkedIn
23. Reza Morakabati of Commvault
Commvault CIO Reza Morakabati is a high tech operations executive with experience in IT, sales, and professional services operations, organizational strategy, and process scalability and execution. In addition to serving at Commvault, Reza also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Babson College.
Social media: LinkedIn
24. Anne Mullins of Corning
Anne Mullins is the SVP of Chief Digital and Information Officer at Corning. Before that, Ann served as the CIO at Lockheed Martin. A graduate of Villanova University and George Washington University, Anne is based in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Follow her on LinkedIn for more insights.
Social media: LinkedIn
25. Atilla Tinic of DISH Network
Dish Network CIO Atilla Tinic is a veteran of the technology industry, having served as CIO of DISH Network and Level 3 Communications. A graduate of the University of Denver, Atilla currently resides in Denver, Colorado. Follow him on LinkedIn for more information.
Social media: LinkedIn
26. Erich Windmuller of DXC Technology
A graduate of Virginia Tech, Erich Windmuller is the CIO and Senior Vice President at DXC Technology. Windmuller’s experience includes over 15 years of service at IBM. His expertise covers executive management, both domestic and international, services and product sales, P&L, and much more.
Social media: LinkedIn
27. Carman Wenkoff of Dollar General
Dollar General EVP and CIO Carman Wenkoff is one of the foremost technology leaders in the Nashville area. In addition to his work at Dollar General, Wenkoff also holds leadership positions as the Vice Chair of the Nashville CIO Leadership Association and a Board Member of the Greater Nashville Technology Council.
Social media: LinkedIn
28. Rami Mazid of eBay
eBay CIO Rami Mazid has over 28 years of IT leadership experience, with a focus on building and supporting architecture, infrastructure, data centers, virtualization, information security, end-user services, communication and collaboration, global IT operations, disaster recovery, and business continuity. Follow him on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
29. Richard Murr of Epicor Software
Rich Murr has spent the last three years serving as CIO for Epicor, one of Austin, Texas’s foremost cloud software providers. A former Marine officer and guitar player in his spare time, Murr holds over 20 years of experience and has developed deep expertise in IT architecture, software development, operations, security, and data governance.
Social media: LinkedIn
30. Claes Cegrell of Ericsson
Claes Cegreell is a true unicorn in business, having spent the entirety of his accomplished 29-year career at Ericsson, where he currently serves as VP and Chief Information Officer. Cegrell is responsible for the technology strategy, products/solutions, delivery, solution evolution, and emerging business towards T-Mobile US. Follow him on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
31. Dan Abushanab of Esri
Dan Abushanab is the first CIO at Esri, a position he has held for the last nine years. During this time, he has put the people, structure, processes, and technologies in place to help Esri become a more agile, web-enabled company. Follow Dan on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Social media: Twitter | LinkedIn
32. Atish Banerjea of Facebook
Facebook CIO Atish Banerjea has had an incredible career, serving as CIO at Facebook, NBCUniversal, and Pearson. A graduate of Temple University, Atish currently oversees the global Information Technology function at Facebook. His team is responsible for building and running systems that will help scale Facebook globally enabling the company to continue making the world more open and connected. Follow Atish on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
33. Ido Gileadi of Fidelity National Information (FIS)
Fidelity National Information CIO Ido Gileadi has spent the last 6.5 years helping grow Fidelity into a national player in the financial technology world. Based in Jacksonville, Florida, Gileadi specializes in integration, vendor management, software development life cycle (SDLC), risk management, and enterprise architecture. Follow him on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
34. Robert Blaskowsky of Fortive
Over the last 20 years, Robert Blaskowsky has served as VP and CIO for five different high-growth tech companies, including Niku, Serena Software, Tektronix, Danaher, and his current role at Fortive. A graduate of the University of Washington, Blaskowsky is based in Portland, Oregon. Follow him on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
35. Sean Tuley of Global Medical Response
A graduate of The Citadel and Duke University, Sean Tuley has spent the last 20 years building a decorated career as a CIO for Fortune 500 companies and IT services leader for Fortune 1000 companies. He is responsible for creating vision, strategy, and developing teams and culture. He’s accountable to deliver measurable results for the company to ensure it’s resilent in the face of industry and market changes. Follow him on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
36. Ben Fried of Google
Google CIO Ben Fried is in the midst of an incredible 12-year run serving as CIO for the most innovative technology company in the world. During his tenure at Google, Fried has led the company through over nine years of growth. He has spearheaded the company’s B2B growth using Google’s product engineering disciplines to build breakthrough solutions to Enterprise problems. Follow Ben on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
37. Harvey Guindi of Health Network Laboratories
Health Network Laboratories CIO Harvey Guindi has over 25+ years of strategic and operational experience in the Pharmaceutical, Biotech, and Healthcare industries (BioTech, Pharma, CRO, and Providers [Lab]); including infrastructure design and support, project management, helpdesk management, and software development. Harvey is a graduate of Cal State Fullerton and is based in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Follow him on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
38. Marty Paslick of HCA
Marty Paslick has spent the last eight years as CIO for HCA, where he has lifted the company into the Fortune 100 and become a true leader in the healthcare services industry. Connect with Marty on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
39. Tom Cody of Hibu
Hibu CIO Tom Cody is a veteran IT leader whose prestigious career has included stints at Dun & Bradstreet, R.H. Donnelly, YellowPages, and now Hibu. At Hibu, Cody directly manages the teams that develop and support the systems and services that drive US business and the products that we offer to the marketplace. Follow him on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
40. Fletcher Previn of IBM
Fletcher Previn, CIO of IBM, has the unique distinction of serving in an IT leadership role for perhaps the #1 technology company (IBM) and #1 retail company (Walmart) for extended periods over the last 20 years. A graduate of Connecticut College, Fletcher is based in New York City, where he creates secure global IT at scale for 360,000+ IBM employees worldwide. Follow Fletcher on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Social media: Twitter | LinkedIn
41. Graeme Thompson of Informatica
Informatica CIO Graeme Thompson is a veteran of elite Silicon Valley tech companies. Before his four-year run with Informatica, Graeme spent eight years as a Global IT leader at Oracle and two years as a CIO at Bea Systems. Follow Graeme on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Social media: Twitter | LinkedIn
42. Archana Deskus of Intel
Archana (Archie) Deskus is the SVP and CIO at Intel. Archie has charted an incredible twenty-year run as the CIO for some of the leading companies in the world, including HPE, Baker Hughes, Ingersoll Rand, and Timex. Follow Archie on LinkedIn and Twitter for her spectacular insights on leading IT for high-growth, innovative tech companies.
Social media: Twitter | LinkedIn
43. Atticus Tysen of Intuit
Atticus Tysen has spent the last 18 years scaling the ranks at Intuit, helping build one of the largest and most respected technology companies in the world. His role is quite broad, encompassing IT, information security, and fraud prevention. A graduate of Stanford University, Atticus is a great follow on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Social media: Twitter | LinkedIn
44. John McGregor of Kronos
Since December 2018, John McGregor has served as the Chief Information Officer at Kronos, where he runs global IT and hosting operations. A graduate of Nova Southeastern University and Boston resident, McGregor has accrued many accomplishments over his 12 years with Kronos, including architecting, building, implementing and operating cloud hosting environments for multiple Kronos businesses; creating a web-based 360-degree view of customers accessible company-wide; building production data center; and implementing SOC security program and controls for hosted environments.
Social media: LinkedIn
45. Robert Hawthorne of Lam Research
During his last seven years as CIO for Jabil and now Lam Research, Robert Hawthorne has built a distinguished reputation as a forward-thinking IT leader adept at overseeing multi-billion dollar international business segments. Follow Robert on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
46. Arthur Hu of Lenovo Group
Senior VP and Global CIO Arthur Hu has built a decorated career as an IT leader and consultant, first with McKinsey and now with the Lenovo Group in San Francisco. A graduate of Stanford University, Hu is responsible for leading the global IT team to deliver information services, business transformation, and digitalization for Lenovo Group across the entire value chain. Follow him on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
47. J.P. Jones of Macerich
J.P. Jones has spent the last 18 years serving as the CIO at Macerich, an S&P 500 real estate giant based in Los Angeles, California. During his distinguished career with Macerich, J.P. has been responsible for hiring, training, developing, and leading a highly efficient IT team which includes functional, technical and support teams, with vast experience in managing large project and operating budgets. J.P. is also a graduate of the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.
Social media: LinkedIn
48. Ananthan Thandri of Mentor Graphics
A graduate of St. Mary’s College, Ananthan Thandri has spent the last 13 years leading information technology at Mentor Graphics, a technology leader in electronic design automation (EDA). In addition to serving as SVP and Global CIO at Mentor, Ananthan serves on the customer advisory board for a couple of global technology companies and is an advisory board member of the University of Oregon Applied Information Management graduate program and Portland CIO advisory alliance.
Social media: LinkedIn
49. Bret Arsenault of Microsoft
As CVP and CISO at Microsoft, Bret Arsenault has designed, implemented, and led the information security organization for a multinational, Fortune 50 technology company for over a decade. In addition to his role as CISO, Arsenault also serves as the Chairman of Microsoft’s Information Risk Management Council, convening teams from across the company that focuses on data protection and hosts Microsoft’s Security Council, a forum with enterprise customers that drives product direction and operational best practices. Bret is a great follow on LinkedIn – connect with him there.
Social media: LinkedIn
50. Ponna Arumugam of MicroStrategy
As the CIO & Executive Vice President, Customer Operations at MicroStrategy, Ponna Arumugam is responsible for cross-functional IT and business leadership at one of the leading information technology companies in the world. Before joining MicroStrategy, Ponna held IT leadership roles at distinguished companies such as HCL Technologies, CEB, and Symantec. Follow her on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
51. Andy Flatt of National Healthcare Corporation
A graduate of Lipscomb University, B. Anderson (Andy) Flatt is the SVP and CIO at National Healthcare Corporation, one of the largest multinational healthcare corporations in the United States. Follow Andy on LinkedIn for great insights and commentary based on his 30+ years of IT leadership experience.
Social media: LinkedIn
52. Bill VanCuren of NCR
NCR Corporation SVP and CIO Bill VanCuren boasts over 30 years of IT leadership experience and has spent the last 12 years serving as CIO at NCR Corporation based out of Atlanta, Georgia. In his current role, VanCuren is accountable for all IT infrastructure and business application management, managing a workforce of 1400+ associates globally, and an IT budget over $300M. Connect with Bill on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
53. William H. Miller of NetApp
NetApp Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer William H. Miller holds nearly two decades of CIO experience, leading IT at prominent companies such as Harris Corporation, Broadcom, and now NetApp. Miller is a graduate of Loyola University of Maryland, the University of Virginia, and the University of Central Florida College of Business. Follow him on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
54. Josh Lesavoy of Nextiva
Nextiva Chief Information Officer Josh Lesavoy was one of the very first hires at Nextiva and has helped the company grow into the largest privately-held business communications company in North America. At Nextiva, Lesavoy directs the company’s technology planning and investments, manages data center operations and all relationships with carriers and vendors. Josh also plays a key role in strategic planning and product development. Follow Josh on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
55. Mark Sherwood of Nuance Communications
Nuance Communications SVP and CIO Mark Sherwood serves as the leader of Nuance’s global IT organizations and operations, overseeing the company’s infrastructure operations, core data services, business systems, SaaS delivery, and information security. A veteran of other leading IT companies such as Symantec and Cisco, Sherwood brings over 25 years of IT leadership experience to his current role. Follow Mark on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Social media: Twitter | LinkedIn
56. Mark Kramer of PAC 12 Networks
Since 2012, PAC 12 Networks IT leader Mark Kramer has served as the VP Engineering and Technology for the PAC 12, leading its distributed team from startup to operational maturity. During his tenure with the PAC 12, Kramer has overseen digital platform development across Web, iOS, Android, Apple TV, Fire TV, and FAST services for 24/7 live and on-demand streaming content. He has also founded one of the largest data analytics programs in college sports. Mark is a must-follow on LinkedIn. Connect with him there.
Social media: LinkedIn
57. Hiroshi Sakakibara of Panasonic
Panasonic CDO & CIO Hiroshi Sakakibara has built a distinguished career as a rare hybrid IT and sales leader for some of the world’s foremost tech companies. At Panasonic, Sakakibara spearheads digital transformation and modernizing the system infrastructure by amalgamating the power of IT with business at Panasonic. Follow Hiroshi on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
58. Marc Chesley of Paradox
Marc Chesley is the Chief Operating Officer of a Paradox, which exists at the intersection of artificial intelligence and talent acquisition. As COO at Paradox, Marc has broad responsibility across the organization, including leading the product and engineering team, serving as general counsel, and helping to grow the company. Previously, Marc led technology for Infusionsoft, taking it from a startup to over $100mm in revenue. Follow Marc on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Social media: LinkedIn | Twitter
59. Steven Mayotte of Payomatic
Payomatic Chief Information Officer Steven Mayotte has spent the last 5.5 years serving as the CIO for the high-growth financial technology company. During his time as CIO, Mayotte has helped the company scale to over $100M in revenue, 1000 employees, and 150+ retail locations in New York City.
Social media: LinkedIn
60. Steve Reese of Phoenix Suns
Since 2013, Steve Reese has served as the Chief Information Officer for the Phoenix Suns NBA basketball organization. At the Suns, Reese oversees an IT team of eight employees, implements productivity measures that have resulted in organization-wide operational efficiency of over 30%, and formed the Suns’ first technology council. Follow Steve on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Social media: Twitter | LinkedIn
61. Paul Johnson of Poly
Poly CIO Paul Johnson is in the midst of an impressive run at the telecommunications leader. He aggressively drives an agenda of process globalization, IT velocity, portfolio management, and cost reduction for an IT organization of 240 employees with an annual budget of $75M. Also, Johnson leads the most critical global technology transformation projects as Poly continues on its four-year growth trajectory from $880M to $1.7B in revenue.
Social media: LinkedIn
62. Joe Drouin of PulteGroup
PulteGroup Chief Information Officer Joe Drouin has spent seven years serving as CIO for one of America’s largest homebuilding companies with operations in more than 40 markets across the country. As CIO, Drouin has led technology leadership efforts across the company, making it one of the most scalable homebuilding organizations in North America. Follow Joe on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
63. Mary Gendron of Qualcomm
Qualcomm Sr. VP and CIO Mary Gendron boasts a dozen years of CIO experience at organizations such as Celestica, Hospira, and now Qualcomm. Before that, Gendron held executive leadership positions at The Nielsen Company, Motorola, and Bell Canada. Follow Gendron on LinkedIn for her insights on the world of technology leadership.
Social media: Twitter | LinkedIn
64. Chris Broe of Rolls Royce
Rolls-Royce Group CIO Chris Broe started his career at Unilever, where he spent 30 years in CIO and IT leadership roles. At Rolls Royce, Broe specializes in improving performance through IT and digital innovation, supporting business change, and transforming IT teams and service providers to optimize performance and cost.
Social media: LinkedIn
65. Joann Olsovsky of Salesforce
Salesforce SVP and CIO Joann Olsovsky has spent the last two years leading Salesforce’s worldwide technology team. In her current role, Joann’s areas of focus include ensuring trust in the Salesforce brand, improving employee experience, creating operational excellence in technology operations, generating industry collaboration and partnerships, and positioning Salesforce on a global scale. Joann is based in Dallas, Texas. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
66. Terry Halvorsen of Samsung Electronics
Terry Halvorsen has forged an incredible career lasting nearly 40 years. Before joining Samsung as the CIO and EVP of IT Mobile Samsung Electronics, Halvorsen served as the CIO for the United States Department of Defense. While there, he managed a $37B budget and established the strategic IT direction for the Department of Defense. Follow Terry on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
67. Jay Upchurch of SAS
Based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Jay Upchurch is the Chief Information Officer at SAS, the leader in business analytics software and services, and the largest independent vendor in the business intelligence market. As CIO, Upchurch has developed a proven track record of leveraging business and technical skills to align strategy, investment, and operations. Upchurch is a graduate of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Follow Jay on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
68. Justin Skinner of SmileDirectClub
SmileDirectClub Chief Information Officer Justin Skinner leads one of the fastest-growing dental services companies in North America. Before joining SmileDirectClub, Skinner served in technology leadership roles at Adidas, Toms, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. As CIO, Skinner oversees global transformation for SmileDirectClub’s 5000+ team members, serving over 750,000 members across the world.
Social media: LinkedIn
69. Chris Bedi of ServiceNow
During his five years as CIO at ServiceNow, Chris Bedi has helped the IT powerhouse continue to grow into one of the most respected technology companies in the world. Bedi is an innovative and profit-driven CIO with a proven track record of increasing margins, driving growth, and improving customer experience, having previously served as CIO at VeriSign and JDSU.
Social media: LinkedIn
70. Jeff Fields of Servpro Industries
Servpro Industries CIO Jeff Fields leads IT for the premier cleaning and restoration company in the world with over 1,700 franchises nationwide. A graduate of the University of Tennessee – Chattanooga, Fields is currently in his third CIO role, having spent previous stints as CIO at Magazines.com and SafeAuto. Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
71. Rani Johnson of SolarWinds
Georgia Tech graduate Rani Johnson is the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at SolarWinds, one of the leading environmental technology companies in the world. As CIO, Johnson has spent the last 3+ years driving technology and organizational efficiency across SolarWinds’s 2,000+ member workforce. Johnson is based in Austin, Texas, and you can connect with her on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
72. Anne Rocco Pacione of St. John’s University
Anne Rocco Paccione has served as the CIO for St. John’s University since 2011. During her incredible run at SJU, Paccione has led numerous IT transformation projects, identifying and establishing strategic initiatives to elevate security and technology at the University, including the transformation of the Information Technology organization. Paccione has also established the University Information Security program. Follow Paccione on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
73. Michael Ringman of TELUS
TELUS CIO Michael Ringman began his career as a bike mechanic, of all things. Since his humble origins, Ringman has risen to prominence as an IT leader for TeleTech and now TELUS. At TELUS, the University of Colorado – Boulder graduate integrated TELUS International’s Managed IT Services and added TELUS hosted contact center solutions to TELUS International. The total revenue produced by the new combined organization represents 10% of TELUS International’s current business portfolio. Follow Ringman on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Social media: Twitter | LinkedIn
74. Ellen Barker of Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments SVP and CIO Ellen Barker has spent her 35-year career improving the IT and organizational efficiency at the heralded IT giant. As the reigning CIO since 2014, Barker has helped the 23,000+ employees at Texas Instruments by improving IT strategy, management, acquisition integration, revenue recognition, and business process improvement. Follow the University of Dallas graduate on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
75. Sharon Mandell of TIBCO
TIBCO CIO Sharon Mandell boasts over 25 years of IT leadership. Over the course of her career, Mandell has developed a diverse array of experience, working with startups, medium organizations, and enterprises. Mandell has managed organizations with up to 550 people and $100M+ in operating/capital budgets. She is a graduate of the University of Chicago and currently resides in the San Francisco Bay area. Follow Mandell on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Social media: Twitter | LinkedIn
76. John Taylor of United Way
United Way’s John Taylor holds several leadership roles within the leading nonprofit, where he operates as SVP, Chief Information Officer, and Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Taylor has spent nearly three decades with the United Way, where he has played an integral role in helping streamline the company’s IT infrastructure and processes. Connect with Taylor on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
77. David Belder of Verint Systems
Verint VP and Chief Information & Security Officer David Belder oversees IT operations for Verint’s team of more than 8,500 professionals across 70 locations. Belder leads all aspects of IT and Cyber Security aspects in the Cyber Intelligence Solutions division including projects, infrastructure, applications, cybersecurity, planning strategy, and integration of mergers and acquisitions.
Social media: LinkedIn
78. Rajeev Chandrasekharan of Verizon
As the CIO of Verizon’s Small Business Team, Rajeev Chandrasekharan oversaw the launch of Verizon’s newly created business group, consolidating three previously independent entities under a single umbrella to support $4B in aggregate annual revenues. As CIO, Chandrasekharan oversees 500 employees and leads product innovation, process automation, and all shared services utilized by three other teams. Rajeev is based in New York City, New York.
Social media: LinkedIn
79. Bask Iyer of VMware
VMware CIO and Chief Digital Transformation Officer Bask Iyer is one of the most accomplished CIOs in tech, having served as CIO for major brands such as Dell, Juniper Networks, and Honeywell. At VMware, Iyer is the single point of accountability for company-wide, end-to-end operations, Information Technology, and systems, and tools. During his five years as CIO, Iyer has led cross-functional oversight and digitization of VMware’s operations capabilities in support of VMware’s growth to $20 billion. Follow Bask on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Social media: Twitter | LinkedIn
80. Sheri Rhodes of Workday
Workday CIO Sheri Rhodes is a veteran IT leader who has spent her 20+ year career spearheading IT leadership and operations inside some of the world’s leading companies, including Workday, Western Union, Symantec, and Visa. A graduate of San Diego State University, Rhodes is based in San Roman, California. Follow Sheri on LinkedIn.
Social media: LinkedIn
2020: A jarring year for CIOs
No CIO had anticipated the winds of change that we’ve seen this year with COVID-19. It’s safe to say that CxOs across the world have adjusted plans for all possible contingencies.
Business leaders that have embraced cloud technology will speed up their timelines. Executives are shaking loose anything that stifles growth. It’s why cloud communication tools are a top priority.
One of the new technologies to embrace is the small business phone system for the winding road ahead.
Congratulations to these world-class CIOs for making our list. Follow them on social media to learn about how they advance their company’s use of technology.
To learn more about becoming an extraordinary CIO, check out our breakdown of the CIO Career Path on the Nextiva Blog.
Related: How to Prevent Business Failure [Next Level Podcast]
