Best CIOs in Indonesia 2008

Early morning Friday this week, I got a called from my former boss. He was talking about the Best 10 CIOs in Indonesia as he saw on the coverpage of a national magazine here. One of them was before working for us. Knowing some top guys, the industry, the business, and the community at large, my ex-boss was quite curious and wondering where are those guys hiding.

I shared with him that we knew of many people that might (or certainly) be on the top list. Just bear in mind, this is a result of processes for those willing to participate for this particular magazine. A total of 12 people was short-listed from 21 candidates that were identified and participated. Also, one of the general requirements is that the companies CIOs belong to shall be headquartered in Indonesia.

Nevertheless, I congratulated our former guy to make to the top 10 list. We notices few familair faces on the list as well. While few mentioned about implementing business transformation, the majority is still struglling about applications and integration. The criteria is developed arounf current challenges (complexity, roles of IT) and Individual achievement. This is in light of the evolution of CIO roles as laid out by the Panel from operational transforming to strategic.

Some can be learned about this result and those challenges the CIOs are facing. The remaining big chunks are still on general, typical, and average IT shops trying to help the business. It would be interesting enough if Warta Ekonomi, the magaizine, can look at the angle as to try to portary that IT is (part) of the business and run IT as a business. IT Doesn't Matter -- a debate quite a while ago from an article on the Harvard Business Review. The author then further published again in response to many feedbacks - Does IT Matter ?. I would like to keep on saying to my collegues that the 'ultimate' measure of IT 'success' could be simply sensed: senior level managment (CEO or the executive team) is to have IT come into their mind when about to make strategic business decisons.

The gap between theory and practice seems very wide when it comes to the CIO role, wrote Edaward Cone in The Accidental Strategist, CIO Insight April 2008. New research from CIO Insight indicated that a sizebale percentage of CIOs identify themselves as more tactical than strategic in their day-to-day affairs. Fewer than half of responding CIOs say they "create or co-create business strategy". Sixty pecent say they "contribute" to their company's strategy. Cone put it that tactical and operational jobs still matter.

One of the finding on this annual survey the magazine conducted is on the role CIOs perceiving about their jobs. On the top lists are 1) Adviser on improving business processes across the company, 2) Technology visionary. On the bottom lists (rank 15 and 16) are 1) product or business process innovator, 2) discover of new business opportunities.

On talking about the new height of challenges, seems that CIOs are loaded with a heavy-weight busines expectation when CIO Insight describing that CIOs confuse operating a business with running a business. It's a tough job to be expected from the technoogy chief to really contribute to the bottom line, devising new ways to put more money in shareholders' pockets.

Would it be Career is Over if it's not delivering that way? Again, It would be quite a hot discussion if Warta Ekonomi could package it all with the above matters in spotting and selecting the next best CIOs of Indonesia corporations.