CIO increasingly a driver of business growth

Gartner finds CIO taking on more than just IT
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Paul Rellis, Viatel, presents the CIO of the Year Award 2018 to Tom O'Leary of ICON Plc (Image: Mediateam)

27 March 2019

The CIO’s role in organisations is changing almost as fast as the technologies they are expected to implement.

According to Gartner, the vast majority (84%) of CIOs are taking responsibilities outside of IT.

This has come from the fact that as CIOs successfully steer their organisations through digital transformation efforts, their abilities are recognised and leveraged by other areas outside of IT to help with other transformation opportunities.

The CIO must be a facilitator, service provider and innovator that can not only provide the right technologies for the business, but also help the business develop and achieve its ambitions through a deep understanding.

ICON Plc is a global provider of outsourced development services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries. It has grown from just five people in 1990 to a global footprint with almost 14,000 employees.

The company has diversified through organic growth and acquisition in a high regulated and competitive global market.

Through the stewardship of its CIO, Tom O’Leary, the company has been enabled to achieve number eight of the top 10 global clinical research organisations. It operates from 98 locations in 38 countries.

Supporting the executive leadership team, O’Leary has been instrumental in delivering IT capabilities and strategies which support the business, while operating in a highly regulated industry. He has brought in-depth knowledge of the ICON business, which has been invaluable in successfully delivering key projects and initiatives since taking up the role. In 2017, under his guidance, there were 17 key business projects delivered by the IT organisation and an additional 19 major ‘go-lives’.

O’Leary pioneered an investment policy that favoured projects that had the greatest impact for the business, or improved current operations, which directly facilitated the organic growth necessary to expand ICON’s business.

In recognition of O’Leary’s achievements he was awarded CIO of the year in 2918 at the Tech Excellence Awards.

If you have a CIO or IT leader that deserves recognition for their invaluable contribution to the organisation, then submit an entry to the Tech Excellence Awards 2019, the closing date is 12 April.

Enter now!

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