Last but not least, I urge you to think green. Sustainability is more than a trend; it's a reality of global business. It's also a smart strategy, especially when you consider the amount of money that will likely be spent by the U.S. government on green construction and green energy projects in the next four years. IT can play a crucial role in developing, managing, auditing and analyzing green projects across the enterprise, so do yourself a favor and don't surrender this opportunity to accumulate more responsibility.
When I began my career back in the early 1970s, I never dreamed that IT would evolve into the driving engine of a global economy. Even as the global economy falters, it seems to me that IT is more important then ever. This puts a heavy burden on the shoulders of CIOs. A couple of years ago, people wondered if CIOs were adequately prepared for their new roles as C-level executives. Now people wonder if CIOs are prepared to face a complex set of evolving challenges in a radically altered economy.
José Carlos Eiras was most recently CIO at DHL Express-US, a division of Deutsche Post World Net (DPWN), the world's leading logistics and transportation company. Prior to joining DHL, he served as European CIO and Global Services Information Officer at General Motors. He has also held top executive posts at General Foods, Philip Morris and other multinational corporations. He is the author of the upcoming book, The Practical CIO.
Join the CIO New Zealand group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.