【观点】首席转型官的崛起

随着新的领导角色的出现，引领大规模的业务转型，IT 领导者继续在推动数字化变革方面留下印记——无论头衔如何。

像许多 IT 领导者一样，Richard Wiedenbeck 身兼数职。然而，与他的同龄人不同的是，Wiedenbeck的双重角色——Ameritas的顶级技术主管和转型负责人——经常发生冲突。

作为首席技术官，Wiedenbeck 正在推动自动化和 IT 现代化，以降低复杂性和技术债务。作为首席转型官 （CTO），他目前的任务是领导以运营效率为目标的企业转型工作。为了达到这两个目标，Wiedenbeck有意将角色分开。他还在数字议程上做出了妥协，以推进更大的企业转型目标。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

“我确实以不同的方式思考这两个角色，”金融服务和保险公司高级副总裁兼首席技术和转型官 （CTTO） Wiedenbeck 说。“我不认为这是首席信息官工作的延伸，而是一个单独的角色，以确保我们实现转型。好消息是我可以自言自语来设定目标。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

并非每个领导者都准备好或愿意在复杂的权衡讨论中自我判断。但是，越来越多的公司正在寻求正式设立一个专门负责监督大规模转型工作的职位，有时该职位由首席信息官担任。

虽然业务流程、收入模式和组织结构的转型已经持续了一段时间，但过去几年的变化却在加速。随着新的数字化服务、体验和工作流程的上线，技术前沿尤为活跃，以在大流行高峰期和大流行后保持收入流动和业务运营。在Foundry的61年数字业务研究中，近三分之二（2022%）的受访者证实，全球疫情迫使他们的组织制定和执行数字优先战略。到 2023 年，93% 的受访企业表示，他们已经采用或计划采用数字优先的业务战略，继续推动转型浪潮。

“这并不是说这项工作以前没有其他人做过，而是因为现在的变革活动如此之快，公司觉得有必要创造一个掌舵变革活动的角色，”多行业 CxO Angela Yochem 说，她最近在一家大型医疗保健提供商担任首席转型官。“任何真正改变业务的事情，而不仅仅是现代化、精简或优化，都可能需要有人来照顾这一重大变化。”

指定一个正式的首席转型官角色来指导这项工作，还是将其作为另一位高管的管辖范围，将取决于公司以及转型议程的范围和持续时间。由于在过去几年中，技术和数字业务计划一直是加速变革工作的核心，因此 IT 领导者已经担任了这个角色，其中许多人没有正式头衔。在《2023 年首席信息官现状》研究中，84% 的 IT 领导者受访者表示，首席信息官角色的转型方面仍然是前沿和中心，61% 的受访者表示，与其他业务领导者相比，他们更多地参与领导数字化转型。超过一半 （85%） 的受访者确认他们现在承担着业务战略家的职责，担任业务顾问和战略顾问，并将自己的角色定义为变革者，<>% 的 IT 领导者受访者提到了后者。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

“鉴于先进技术对商业模式发展的巨大影响，首席信息官也戴上转型的帽子是有道理的，”Yochem 说。“如果转型的本质更多的是扩大潜在市场，也许完全是其他人。

一、转型负责人的章程

在 Yochem 的案例中，在被任命为首席转型官之前，她曾担任医疗保健提供商的首席数字官，负责技术、网络安全和数据组、数字健康业务线，并负责探索非常规的收入机会。虽然她没有直接竞争首席技术官的职位，但 Yochem 表示，她确实有意识地将自己的职业生涯转向业务战略和收入责任。扩大的职权范围和增强的知名度使她成为领导企业转型工作的自然人选。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

“医疗保健作为一个行业，很多新的增长和转型都发生在我碰巧拥有的空间中;将首席技术官和首席数字官的职责结合起来是有意义的，“她说。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

接过官方首席技术官的衣钵并不一定会改变 Yochem 的章程或她的日常职责。她说，头衔的改变更多的是建立转型议程的重要性，并消除通常与首席信息官或特定技术角色相关的任何可能的限制。“发生在首席信息官身上的部分原因是，一些高管把他们放在一个盒子里，质疑他们为什么要谈论IT以外的事情，”她解释道。“标题的改变使得在文化上可以在 IT 之外进行对话。数字化是转型的关键，而[首席技术官的角色]就是对此的陈述。

Wiedenbeck 在 2022 年接管了转型，此前他花了十多年时间监督 Ameritas 的 IT 组织和技术战略，包括担任首席信息官。该公司正在进行企业改革，以提高运营效率，不仅从技术角度，而且从业务流程和组织结构的角度来看。Wiedenbeck在业务战略和运营方面拥有深厚的专业知识，他被任命为转型主管，他提出了将这套职责保持在CTTO角色中的理由，而不是将CIO职位抛在后面。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

Wiedenbeck 戴着转型官的帽子，扮演着影响者的角色，在组织和最高管理层的各个角落工作，以确保流程变革、员工文化和公司的数字化准备保持一致，并向前迈进，以实现转型目标，在这种情况下，这是提高运营效率。作为首席信息官，Wiedenbeck 致力于现代化和减少技术债务。有时策略是不一致的。

“Ameritas 推动优化以达到未来状态所需的自动化可能并不完美，”他承认。“它不能是绝对的，你必须在企业需求和 IT 需求之间取得平衡。”CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

除了影响力之外，透明度和问责制对Wiedenbeck的变革管理手册也至关重要。在他的领导下，公司成立了一个变革管理办公室，完全专注于解决问题和推进转型工作。变革管理办公室和 Wiedenbeck 职责中的转型官部分完全专注于确保在每一步都推进广泛的转型目标。作为这一系列职责的一部分，Wiedenbeck 每天都在澄清目标，影响和调整工作范围，并帮助人们确定决策的优先级，以确保转型工作不仅得到执行，而且具有持久的牵引力。

虽然大多数现代首席信息官都擅长技术领域，并且已经磨练了他们的业务头脑，但了解流程改进领域、工作模式的再造以及变更管理的人员方面是真正将 CTTO 的转型方面与典型 IT 领导者的要求区分开来的原因。

Wiedenbeck 说：“人员、流程和技术的绰号被忽视了，但作为转型官，你必须在这三个方面都具备足够的能力，并有足够的深度才能从这个角色中提取价值。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

二、首席信息官在转型中的有机作用

一些拥有强大转型议程的首席信息官对跨界担任正式的首席技术官角色兴趣不大。以卡特里娜·阿古斯蒂（Katrina Agusti）为例，她作为Carhartt的首席信息官，在领导转型计划中发挥了积极作用，包括重新思考上市日历，扩大分销网络，开发端到端客户旅程，以及转向更可持续的产品和包装。几个月前，当负责建立转型办公室的高管离开公司时，Carhartt 的高层管理人员联系了 Agusti，看看她是否会成立办公室并监督工作，直到他们找到替代者。

Agusti 认为，她之所以被寻找转型职位，是因为她在公司任职时间很长（20 年），而且她过去在推进业务战略和与跨职能团队合作进行变革管理方面取得了成就。作为 IT 主管，Agusti 表示，她还拥有许多与转型领导者相同的能力和特征，包括了解业务方向、评估权衡、评估组织准备情况以及在不同职能部门之间进行困难讨论的能力。

“我们 IT 部门领导了许多没有转型的项目，我们已经建立了信任和信誉来承担这项工作，”她说。

即便如此，Agusti 表示，她对长期担任首席技术官没有兴趣，在她看来，同时担任这两个角色对转型办公室不利。

“这不能是副业——它必须是一个重点，由于其他优先事项，我不能自己始终如一地做到这一点，”她补充道。

虽然职能之间肯定存在重叠，但大多数首席信息官认为他们的职责和职业轨迹是对首席技术官章程的补充，而不是直接冲突。例如，虽然首席技术官专注于组织、市场和变革管理挑战，但首席信息官的章程通常将重点放在数字部分——这种划定通常排除了任何重大的地盘争夺战。

“我认为，如果设置得当，这些角色是相辅相成的，”技术集成商上汽集团高级副总裁兼首席信息官基础设施支持内森·罗杰斯（Nathan Rogers）说。“无论是向同一个人报告还是在同一级别报告，如果他们在战略上保持一致，这是一个强大的组合。”CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

Truckpro 的首席信息官 Sri Adusummilli 负责重型售后卡车零件和配件独立分销商转型的所有数字化方面，与从组织结构和文化角度监督工作的公司计划副总裁合作。Truckpro尚未任命正式的首席技术官，Adusumilli表示，他认为这个角色更加短暂，因为公司在其生命周期内将经历的大规模转型工作有限。

“首席技术官是一个有时限的角色，”他声称。“你不会每隔几年就改变你的文化或运营模式。

Adusumilli 认为，无论他或任何其他 IT 领导者是否渴望获得 CTO 头衔，最终都无关紧要，因为 CIO 已经在做协调转型的繁重工作。CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

“如果首席信息官在做自己的工作，他们已经是变革型高管，”他说。“我不想成为一名转型官员，因为我相信我已经是了。”CXO UNION CXO联盟 cxounion.cn

英文原文：

As a new leadership role emerges to spearhead broad-scale business transformation, IT leaders continue to make a mark driving digital change — regardless of title.

Like so many IT leaders, Richard Wiedenbeck wears multiple hats.

Yet unlike his peers, Wiedenbeck’s dual roles — the top technology executive as well as the transformation lead at Ameritas — are often at odds.

As chief technology officer, Wiedenbeck is driving automation and IT modernization to reduce complexity and technical debt. In his chief transformation officer (CTO) capacity, the current mission is to spearhead an enterprise transformation effort that takes aim at operational efficiency. To hit both marks, Wiedenbeck is intentional about separating the roles. He’s also made compromises on the digital agenda to advance larger enterprise transformation goals.

“I really do think about the two roles differently,” says Wiedenbeck, senior vice president and chief technology and transformation officer (CTTO) for the financial services and insurance company. “I don’t think of it as an extension of the CIO job, but rather as a separate role to ensure we achieve transformation. The good news is I can talk to myself to reset objectives.”

Not every leader is ready or willing to self-referee complex trade-off discussions.

But a growing number of companies are game for formalizing a position devoted to oversight of large-scale transformation efforts and sometimes that role is being filled by the CIO.

While transformation of business processes, revenue models, and organizational structure has been ongoing for some time, the past few years have seen accelerated change. The technology front has been particularly active as new digitally enabled services, experiences, and workflows went live to keep revenue flowing and businesses operational during the height and in the aftermath of the pandemic. Close to two-thirds (61%) of respondents to Foundry’s 2022 Digital Business research confirmed the global pandemic forced their organization to formulate and execute a digital-first strategy. By 2023, 93% of responding organizations said they have adopted or planned to adopt digital-first business strategies, continuing the transformation wave.

“It’s not that this work hasn’t been done before by anyone else, but because the change activity is so rapid now, companies feel the need to create a role that sits at the helm of that change activity,” says Angela Yochem. A multi-industry CxO, who recently served as chief transformation officer at a major health care provider. “Anything that is truly transforming the business, not just modernizing, streamlining, or optimizing it, probably requires someone to look after that significant change.”

Designating a formal chief transformation officer role to shepherd that work or making it the jurisdiction of another C-suite executive will depend on the company and the scope and duration of the transformation agenda.

Because technology and digital business initiatives have been at the heart of accelerating change efforts these past few years. IT leaders have stepped into the role, many without the official title. Eighty-three percent of IT leader respondents to the 2023 State of the CIO study said the transformation aspects of the CIO role remain front and center. And 84% said they are more involved in leading digital transformation compared to other business leaders. More than half (61%) of those surveyed confirmed they now have business strategist responsibilities, function as a consultant and strategic advisor to the business. And define their role as changemaker, the latter cited by 85% of IT leader respondents.

“Given the outsized influence advanced technologies have on the evolution of business models. It makes sense for the CIO to also put the transformation hat on,” Yochem says. “If the nature of the transformation is more about expanding the addressable market, maybe it’s someone else entirely.”

The transformation chief’s charter

In Yochem’s case, prior to being appointed chief transformation officer. She served as chief digital officer for the health care provider with responsibilities for the technology, cybersecurity, and data groups. The digital health line of business along with a mandate to explore unconventional revenue opportunities. While she wasn’t directly vying for a CTO role. Yochem says she did deliberately steer her career towards business strategy and revenue responsibilities. That expanded remit and enhanced visibility made her a natural choice for spearheading enterprise transformation efforts.

“So much of the new growth and transformation of healthcare as an industry was happening in the spaces I happened to own. It made sense to combine the CTO and chief digital officer responsibilities,” she says.

Taking the official CTO mantle didn’t necessarily change Yochem’s charter or her day-to-day responsibilities. She says the title change was more about establishing the importance of the transformation agenda and eliminating any possible constraints that are typically associated with the CIO or tech-specific roles. “Part of what happens to CIOs is that some executives put them in a box and question why they would talk about something other than IT,” she explains. “The title change makes it culturally okay to have conversations outside of IT. Digital was the key to the transformation, and [the CTO role] was a statement about that.”

Wiedenbeck took the transformation reins in 2022 after spending more than a decade overseeing the IT organization and technology strategy for Ameritas, including as CIO.

The company is in the midst of an enterprise overhaul to drive operational efficiency, not just from a technology perspective. But across business processes and organizational structure. Wiedenbeck, who had deep expertise in business strategy and operations, was tapped to be the transformation chief and he made the case to maintain both set of duties in a combined CTTO role instead of leaving the CIO post behind.

Wearing the transformation officer hat, Wiedenbeck plays the role of influencer. Working all corners of the organization and the C-suite to make sure process changes, workforce culture. And the company’s digital readiness are aligned and moving forward to meet transformation objectives. Which in this case is improving operational efficiency. As CIO, Wiedenbeck is committed to modernization and reducing technical debt. Sometimes the strategies are at odds.

“The automation Ameritas needs to drive optimization towards the future state may be less than perfect,” he admits. “It can’t be about absolutes — you have to balance the needs of the enterprise with the needs of IT.”

In addition to influence, transparency and accountability are critical to Wiedenbeck’s change management playbook.

On his watch, the company established a change management office entirely focused on problem solving and advancing transformation efforts. The change management office, and the transformation officer part of Wiedenbeck’s mandate, is wholly focused on ensuring the broad transformation goals are advanced every step of the way. As part of this set of duties, Wiedenbeck spends his days clarifying objectives, affecting and aligning the scope of work. And helping people prioritize the decisions that ensure the transformation efforts are not only executed, but have lasting traction.

While most modern CIOs are adept at the technical domain and have polished their business savvy, understanding the process improvement domain, the reengineering of work patterns, and the people side of change management are what really set the transformation aspects of the CTTO apart from what’s required from the typical IT leader.

“The people, process, and technology moniker gets brushed over, but as transformation officer, you have to have competency in all three with enough depth to extract value out of the role,” Wiedenbeck says.

CIOs’ organic role in transformation

Some CIOs with robust transformation agendas have little interest in crossing over to a formal CTO role. Take Katrina Agusti, who as CIO at Carhartt has played an active part in leading transformation initiatives, including a rethinking of the go-to-market calendar. Expansion of the distribution network, developing end-to-end customer journeys. And the shift towards more sustainable products and packaging. When the executive tasked with setting up a transformation office left the company several months back. Carhartt’s top executives reached out to Agusti to see whether she would stand up the office and have oversight of the efforts until they brought in a replacement.

Agusti believes she was sought out for the transformation role because of her long tenure at the company (20 years) and her past achievements advancing business strategy and working with cross-functional teams on change management. As an IT chief, Agusti says she also shares a lot of the same competencies and characteristics as transformation leaders. Including the ability to understand business direction, evaluate tradeoffs, assess organizational readiness, and broker difficult discussions between different functions.

“We in IT have led so many projects without the name of transformation. We’ve built the trust and credibility to take this on,” she says.

Even so, Agusti says she has no interest in serving as CTO long term. And doing both roles, in her view, does a disservice to the transformation office.

“This can’t be a side gig — it has to be a focus and I can’t do that consistently on my own due to other priorities,” she adds.

While there’s certainly overlap between the functions. Most CIOs see their responsibilities and career tracks as complementary to the CTO charter as opposed to direct conflict. For example, while the CTO focuses on organizational, market, and change management challenges, the CIO’s charter most often zeros in on the digital piece — a delineation that typically rules out any significant turf wars.

“I see the roles complementing each other if it’s set up correctly,” says Nathan Rogers, senior vice president and CIO infrastructure enablement at SAIC, a technology integrator. “Whether reporting to the same person or at the same level, if they’re strategically aligned, it’s a powerful combination.”

Sri Adusumilli, CIO at Truckpro, is accountable for all the digital aspects of transformation happening at the independent distributor of heavy-duty aftermarket truck parts and accessories. Working in concert with the vice president of corporate initiatives who oversees the work from an organizational structure and cultural standpoint. Truckpro hasn’t appointed a formal CTO, and Adusumilli says he sees the role as more transient as there are limited large-scale transformation efforts a company will undergo in its lifetime.

“The CTO is a time-bound role,” he claims. “You don’t change your culture or your operating model every few years.”

Regardless of whether he or any other IT leader aspires to hold the CTO title ultimately is irrelevant, Adusumilli contends. Because CIOs are already doing the heavy lifting of orchestrating transformation.

“CIOs are already transformational executives if they’re doing their jobs,” he says. “I’m not looking to become a transformation officer because I believe I already am.”

本文由CXO UNION-CXO联盟（cxounion.cn）转载而成，来源于CIO.COM；作者：Beth Stackpole；编辑/翻译：CXO UNIONCXO联盟小C。

如需加入CXO UNION（CXO联盟）高管社群，请联系社群小伙伴哦~

免责声明: 本网站(http://www.cxounion.cn/)内容主要来自原创、合作媒体供稿和第三方投稿，凡在本网站出现的信息，均仅供参考。本网站将尽力确保所提供信息的准确性及可靠性，但不保证有关资料的准确性及可靠性，读者在使用前请进一步核实，并对任何自主决定的行为负责。本网站对有关资料所引致的错误、不确或遗漏，概不负任何法律责任。

本网站刊载的所有内容(包括但不仅限文字、图片、LOGO、音频、视频、软件、程序等) 版权归原作者所有。任何单位或个人认为本网站中的内容可能涉嫌侵犯其知识产权或存在不实内容时，请及时通知本站，予以删除。