Behind every great company is a great CIO. When we think of leaders, we usually think of the CEO. Perhaps we think about the CFO. Because of a multitude of factors including digital transformation and the rise of AI technology, CIOs are more necessary than ever. Furthermore, we are also seeing how necessary it is for the enterprise to fully digitalise. For this reason, companies need great CIOs. We have decided to put together a list of the top 10 CIOs that influence and inspire us. While some may quantify the greatness of a CIO by the increase of revenue of a company, we have decided to incorporate a number of factors. These CIOs have:

  • Displayed an enormous sense of achievement through their story.
  • Influenced others through their publications, lectures or media.
  • Commitment to technology and to other tech professionals.

Wendy Pfeiffer, Nutanix.

Our number one CIO is Wendy Pfeiffer. An inspiration to women in tech, Pfeiffer serves on the board of Girls In Tech. She is also advocate for gender equality in the workplace, stating that companies need to enforce structural changes to accommodate better for women in industry. Out with the boys club and in with equality!

This year, she has spoken to Girls In Tech about how women CIOs have an opportunity to define the role of CIO for other women.

Nicholas Colisto, Avery Dennison Corp.

How could I write this list without talking about the writer of The CIO Playbook? I couldn't. In fact, I refuse to. In 2012, Colisto released a book that would help to pave the way for CIOs to come. With that said, what has he done this year?

Formerly working as the CIO as Xylem, Colisto pushed Xylem into the digital transformation with ease. Criss-crossing over five different business units, Colisto defines efficiency!

Patricio Colombo

Ever heard of a freelance CIO? Colombo is just that! Making this list because of his adaptability to different businesses, Colombo has worked with the Jamie Oliver Group, Hello Magazine! and more.

He makes this list because of his dedication to so many businesses. He's the IT ninja; agile, flexible and hardworking!

Tim Crawford, AVOA.com

Tim Crawford first captured our attention when we saw him talk about the "Four Seismic Shifts CIO face." Having spent his time as a CIO in the past, Crawford is the CIO whisperer. An advisor with a background in information technology and a Stanford Education.

In 2018, Crawford told CIOs how to be smarter about the use of resources and why cloud is an important tool to shift data to.

Norma Dove-Edwin, Places for People

It's no secret that we are fascinated by data transforming business. As it turns out, so is Norma Dove-Edwin of Places for People. She spoke recently about putting data at the core of her organisation's strategy, which we felt was inspiring.

Furthermore, Dove-Edwin is flexible. She has mentioned that different companies want their data managed in different ways. She has also recognised that companies need to adjust to GDPR and has actually been preparing for it since she started in Places for People!

Steve Homan, MetaPack

No one ever said being a CIO was easy. What makes it even harder is the fact that Steve Homan is the CIO of MetaPack; a leading provider of eCommerce delivery management. It's certainly a tricky job but Homan does it well!

Joining MetaPack on 2018, Homan has given tips on how to deal with insane rushes such as Black Friday! Handling it gracefully and keeping his cool, Homan is more than your average CIO.

David Chou, Children’s Mercy

A passionately committed member of the tech community, Chou is the CIO with an insight into everything! Whether you are interested in how serious he is about blockchain, his commitment to cybersecurity or why digital transformation is important, Chou is your man!

Kicking off the year in January as the 2018 CSO50 Award winner, Chou's pure dedication is certainly the sort of role model we NEED in tech!

Jacky Wright, HMRC

When it comes to being a CIO, Wright is certainly a voice of experience. Furthermore, Wright is also a voice of wise decision making. Previously working as CIO at BP and General Electric, Wright is now the Chief Digital and Information Officer of HMRC.

This year, Wright has been instrumental in developing an operating model based on insourcing the organisations IT. This has allowed HMRC to work at the pace of a digital business. Wright has therefore transformed HMRC into a much more sustainable model.

Paula Tolliver, Intel

When we think enterprise, we think Intel. When we think Intel, we think Paula Tolliver. Having previously served as the CIO of Dow Chemical, working with them for over 20 years! During this time, Dow Chemical gained $1 Billion in revenue.

Why is Tolliver important in 2018? We keep seeing her name everywhere! Because of her commitment to tech, Tolliver has become a sought after tech professional. She recently got added to the board of directors of C.H. Robinson because of her outstanding expertise in technology and innovation.

Tammy Labelle, Public Services and Procurement Canada

Labelle has an inspiring story that is enough to influence anyone to become the leader of any company! 35 years ago, Labelle was working for the Canadian federal public service - as a receptionist! In 2018, she became the Chief Information Officer for Public Services and Procurement Canada.

Furthermore, she has become an inspiration for many women who are interested in tech. She recently stated

“Don’t underestimate the value of being a woman in a leadership role. Chase your dreams and go after the jobs you want."