The Heller Report: From CIO to Board Service with Graphic Packaging's Vish Narendra

In our lead item, Graphic Packaging's Chief Information Officer Vish Narendra discusses with Martha Heller his move from CIO to board director in this article for CIO.com. Learn how business leadership has defined Narendra’s career both as the CIO of a large global manufacturer and as a board director who provides governance to CIOs. 

Among this month's highlights: Insurance company John Hancock named Kartik Sakthivel, former vice president and global chief information officer at LIMRA LOMA and LL Global, as its new chief information officer; Guidehouse, an AI-led professional services firm, taps Ron White, former global chief information officer at Avanade, to be its new chief information officer; and Clancy & Theys Construction Company, a construction management, design-build, and general construction services provider, appointed Tim Farris, most recently the senior director, technology leader for RTI International, to be its new chief information officer. 

AI is reshaping the workplace—but not in the sweeping, job-killing way headlines suggest. In The Wall Street Journal, Christopher Mims reports that adoption is uneven: interns and early-career employees are often the most avid users, while senior experts lag behind. The real barrier isn’t technology—it’s people, workflows, and culture. Companies that make AI a priority and encourage experimentation are pulling ahead, while others risk falling behind. As Mims notes, "AI won’t take your job, but someone using AI might."

Heller has been retained to recruit a Vice President, Digital Platforms & Engineering for a top hospitality company based in Las Vegas. Reporting to the Chief Information Officer, this role is responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive strategy for digital and customer-facing technologies that align with the company’s business objectives, focusing on enhancing customer experience and increasing operational efficiency. This is a critical leadership role for a strategic thinker who envisions, builds, deploys, and maintains digital capabilities and plays an integral part in the business's future direction and performance. The ideal candidate will have 10+ years of experience in a senior level IT leadership position along with 5+ years of experience working in a fast-paced global hospitality, retail, gaming, or consumer company. Candidates MUST be willing to relocate to Las Vegas.