The Heller Report: How CIOs Can Help Boards Get Value from AI, and the Digital Transformation at a Centuries-Old Manufacturer

In this, the first in a two-part series about leadership and governance for companies seeking value with AI, Dan Roberts, host of the “Tech Whisperers” podcast, shares insights about moving from the “messy middle” of stalled initiatives and skeptical stakeholders. Roberts convenes three CIOs-turned-board members – Julie Cullivan, Diana McKenzie, and Wayne Shurts – to share their lessons on driving value while managing risks and building profitable enterprises.

Robert Oh, the chief digital and information officer at International Motors, says it’s vital to engage all stakeholders during a transformation effort. “Operational leaders are not always comfortable with ambiguity and may shy away from innovation and change,” Oh tells Martha Heller in this interview for CIO.com. “I’ve learned that I need to take everyone, regardless of where they are, along the transformation journey.”

The digital grassroots run deep in Etteln, a town of 1,750 residents in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. An online petition saved a school from closure. Locals marshalled equipment to dig trenches to connect remote neighbors to fiberoptic cable. Residents can use a free ride-share app for the village’s electric car. And, most impressively, reports Reasons to Be Cheerful, a digital twin of the town that collects useful data and earned the village top honors in the IEEE Smart Cities Contest (ahead of Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore). The town has used the 3D model to evaluate the safety of proposed homes that could be at risk of flood damage, among other applications.

Heller has been retained by Feed the Children, a global non-profit, to recruit a Chief Information Officer. Reporting into the President/CEO, the CIO is a key transformational member of the executive leadership team, responsible for helping to establish and execute the organization’s global vision, driven and enabled by IT, technology, and digital strategies. The ideal candidate will have 15+ years of progressive experience in a technology leadership position, including a minimum of five + years’ experience as a CIO. The role will be based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.