CIO Jeff Carvell discusses his responsibility in transforming an information management function , and the challenges involved
For the leader of an information management ( IM ) function , there ’ s a balance between what the organisation can achieve through technology , what the organisation must achieve to enable its strategic objective , and what the CIO might like to bring . Being focussed on continued relevance can unlock the opportunities IM leaders covet .
Jeff Carvell , CIO of InterOil , has 25 years of IM experience behind him . He has led IM functions in both SMEs and MNCs , worked at a number of global locations , and been responsible for IM development across many industries .
“ I like the challenge of an IM function that ’ s broken and needs work , especially in companies that are on the edge of their own transformations ,” says Carvell . “ I ’ ve worked in manufacturing and financial services , then more recently mining , and now oil and gas . There ’ s always more that IM could for the business , and that seems to hold true across multiple sectors .”
When setting the strategic direction for the function at InterOil , the prioritisation of business demanded that initiatives ahead of self-improvement became an essential exercise . Understandably , the business expected that the IM function was ready to support the broader organisational transformation . In fact , there was a lot to be achieved in order to become effective .
During the first quarter of 2014 , a strategy was approved for reinventing the IM function from a cost consumer to a strategic enabler . The strategy was underpinned by three objectives , each aligned to a fiscal year planning horizon . Each tactical step moved the function closer to success .
An early starting point was to record
56 November 2016