| Executive search firms are now being asked to | | | | transparency that their CIOs may not have |
| recruit a new breed of information officers | | | | been privileged to in the past. Such open |
| to assist corporations address Sarbanes-Oxley | | | | communication iscritical to an organization's |
| compliance requirements and to compete more | | | | ability to consistently satisfy the |
| effectively overall in the age of | | | | Sarbanes-Oxley requirements and mitigate |
| Sarbanes-Oxley. Passed in response to major | | | | unforeseen exposure to essential business |
| corporate scandals, The Sarbanes-Oxley act | | | | processes. |
| also known as Public Company Accounting | | | | |
| Reform and Investor Protection Act of 2002 | | | | As Chief Executives go about assessing the |
| has redefined the role of the company CIO. | | | | leadership strengths of their information |
| Many of the most progressive corporations | | | | officers and go about identifying senior |
| have successfully embraced the evolution of | | | | information systems executives who present |
| the Chief Information Officer function from | | | | the capacities to truly become the guarantors |
| being narrowly focused on the day-to-day | | | | of one's business processes, executive search |
| maintenance and support of a company's | | | | firm Venerable Partners recommends that CEOs |
| information systems organization to a much | | | | (and their respective selection committees) |
| broader leadership and management role on the | | | | work to identify information systems |
| company's senior management team. Executive | | | | executives who present the following |
| search firm Venerable Partners says that | | | | essential qualifications: |
| these forward thinking corporations have | | | | |
| empowered their CIOs to become vital business | | | | 1. Exceptionally strong general business |
| partners in designing and executing the | | | | acumen along with an astute level of |
| business strategy for their respective | | | | understanding of all critical business |
| organizations. Chief Executives who | | | | functions and their underlying processes. |
| havesuported this evolution have undoubtedly | | | | |
| experienced greater operational efficiencies, | | | | 2. Business process management skills, |
| improved resource utilization, and better | | | | including an understanding of best practice |
| returns on their technology investments. | | | | process documentation procedures. |
| | | | |
| According to Donald Law, Managing Director of | | | | 3. Demonstrated success serving as a key |
| Chicago based executive search firm Venerable | | | | business partner across all major functional |
| Partners , "as a byproduct of this evolution, | | | | disciplines in delivering a comprehensive |
| Chief Information Officers have now become | | | | suite of information technology solutions |
| intimately involved in all of the critical | | | | designed to advance the needs of the |
| business processes that drive their | | | | business. |
| companies. From supply chain management to | | | | |
| production systems, from customer fulfillment | | | | 4. Prior exposure to Sarbanes-Oxley reporting |
| to billing systems, from human resource | | | | and compliance requirements. |
| management systems to compliance tracking, a | | | | |
| corporation's information systems | | | | 5. The interpersonal and leadership skills |
| organization has become inextricably linked | | | | required to establish a trusted advisor |
| to all significant business processes within | | | | relationship with the CEO. |
| their company." | | | | |
| | | | 6. Demonstrated experience as a senior leader |
| It is critical for Chief Executives to | | | | of an information systems organization, |
| appreciate the significance of this linkage | | | | including a thorough understanding of the |
| between an entity's information systems | | | | enabling infrastructure, operations and |
| organization and the critical business | | | | applications solutions that underlie a |
| processes and safeguards required for | | | | world-class information systems organization. |
| Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. According to | | | | |
| executive search firm Venerable Partners, | | | | 7. Familiarity with the emerging information |
| "because it is not practical for Chief | | | | technologies that are impacting one's |
| Executives to understand the granular | | | | particular industrial sector and driving the |
| technical details of the technology solutions | | | | major architectural, econometric and |
| that support an organization's business | | | | customer-focused solutions. |
| processes, the relationship between the CEO | | | | |
| and his/her CIO has to be stronger than ever. | | | | Executive search firm Venerable Partners |
| As an executive search firm who partners with | | | | states that these are only general guidelines |
| senior management, we have seen that CEOs are | | | | intended to provide a basis from which to |
| now coming to expect that their CIOs become | | | | begin an assessment of one's leadership |
| the guarantors of the business processes | | | | strengths within the office of the |
| implemented within their organizations." | | | | information officer. A company's specific |
| However, in order to allow one's CIO to | | | | business challenges and external market |
| become the guarantor of one's organizational | | | | forces will also dictate the ideal profile |
| business processes, CEOs must recognize that | | | | best suited to address an organization's |
| they must now provide for a level of | | | | specific needs. |