Before the pandemic, all organizations were transforming into tech businesses. Digital technologies were completely transforming relationships with customers and reversing internal processes. As a result, the CIO role has evolved from simply providing support to directing decisions influencing sales, operations, logistics, risk, and security. Nevertheless, merely implementing powerful new software tools and ensuring employees know how to use them does not transform companies. It is about talent management, integrating with technology, and changing the way you work. This article at CIO by Maryfran Johnson speaks about Cathy Hotka’s journey from being a fired CIO to becoming the founder of Cathy Hotka & Associates, a networking community for retail industry CIOs.
Retail Talent Management
Cathy Hotka mentions that being fired from her job as a CIO was the tipping point of her career. This led to her establishing a successful and influential networking community of retail industry CIOs and leaders across the U.S., Canada, and the UK. Hotka was well-known, knew the challenges, and had the contacts/ sponsors to bag a new client. Within a week, she acquired her first client. Almost two decades later, Hotka brings together CXOs and vendors from across the retail technology community for candid, off-the-record conversations. Every year, IT leaders attending the annual NRF show in New York City in January attend her ‘Retail Insiders Ultimate CIO After-Party’ as a tradition.
Retail IT Leaders
Hotka believes every CIO will continue to step into the shoes of the CEO and COO. CIOs have saved many businesses from closing their doors. She specifies that retail IT leaders are among the most knowledgeable about their company’s business and processes than anybody else in the company.
The retail industry has come a long way in the past ten years. Meanwhile, technological advancement has been occurring at sonic speed in the last two years. Innovative businesses decoded what was required and instantly changed their business model. This was possible because companies understood the importance of IT and allocated the required budget.
Hotka praises the capabilities and personas of the CIOs that identified the challenge, collaboratively analyzed the solution, and upskilled themselves and their employees.
Furthermore, she shares her career lessons and tips.
To read the original article, click on https://www.cio.com/article/309800/why-retail-cios-are-trending-up-in-the-c-suite.html
