The Heller Report: What’s at the Heart of Baxter’s IT Transformation

Charles “Rusty” Patel, CIO at Baxter, explains to Martha Heller in this article for CIO.com how his IT organization works to build resilient capabilities that drive growth at the global healthcare giant. A veteran IT leader who has worked in several industries, Patel notes that his approach focuses on working “with my team and internal and external stakeholders to build a balanced and pragmatic view to address our needs in a clear sequence.”

Boards are getting smarter about AI, says Global Deloitte AI Institute Executive Director Beena Ammanath, shifting their attention from basic literacy to governance structures and accelerating innovation. In this interview, Ammanath explains how IT leaders can play a central role, helping board members stay ahead of emerging trends, potential disruptions, and strategic opportunities in AI. 

It sounds like a scene in a suspense movie. Wealthy people pull up a chair at the card table hoping for a big payout in the nights’ hands of Texas Hold 'Em. “But they didn't know it was nearly impossible,” the BBC reported. “They were ‘fishes’ allegedly being targeted by the mafia in an elaborate poker gambling scheme that included X-ray card tables, secret cameras, analyzers in chip trays and sunglasses and contact lenses that could read their hand.” Sophisticated wireless technology was another element in the alleged scheme that also involved professional basketball stars, according to the Justice Department’s indictment announcement.

Heller was recently retained to recruit a Chief Information Officer for Cengage Group, a global education technology company with over 100 years of experience supporting learners. Their four operating units—higher education, school, work and English language learning—serve millions of students from middle school to graduate school and workforce skills training in over 125 countries. For this role, we placed Ken Grady who most recently served as Chief Information Officer for IDEXX Laboratories. Prior to that, he held the Chief Information Officer role at New England Biolabs. Congratulations, Ken!