The role of the “Chief Information Officer”, or “CIO” has grown increasingly important in recent years. During a time of rapid digital transformation and growth, companies are relying on their executive leaders to help them navigate a new age. The CIO can help with everything from seeking out new vendors, to setting up crucial software projects.
While there are countless impressive CIOs out there, known for helping drive their organisations to the next level, some have emerged as slightly more influential than others. Today, we’re looking specifically at some of the best-known CIOs from the social media landscape, with a strong presence and voice in the digital world.
Let’s dive in.
Cynthia Stoddard (Adobe)
Both the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Adobe, the world’s leading graphic design software company, Cynthia Stoddard has an amazing background. She has over 25 years of experience in directing the design and implementation of IT strategies and systems for all kinds of global enterprises. Before Adobe, Cynthia was also the CIO for NetApp for more than 5 years.
Today, Cynthia maintains an active presence on LinkedIn, and Twitter, regularly sharing information about the industry. She’s well-worth following for anyone interested in learning more about Adobe, the rise of women in technology, or the evolution of SaaS.
Ian Pitt (Progress)
Ian Pitt is the Chief Information Officer for the Progress Software brand. Though he’s only been in this position for a little over a year at the time of writing, he has plenty of background knowledge when it comes to the technology landscape. Before starting with Progress, Ian worked as the CIO of LogMeIn for 5 years, and he was also the CIO for Thunderhead for over 4 years.
Pitt is active on LinkedIn, and frequently takes part in collaborative conversations about the software and technology landscape. He’s a great person to follow for anyone who wants to learn more about the role of the Chief Information Officer.
Arthur Hu (Lenovo)
The impressive and inspirational CIO from Lenovo, Arthur Hu, is an up-and-coming influential figure in the technology space. Hu has spent more than 13 years with Lenovo, building his career from the ground up. Before that, he had more than 8 years of experience working with the incredible McKinsey & Company brand.
Hu is a very active figure on social media, with plenty of regular posts sharing information about the industry. He also takes part in speaker sessions and events throughout the digital and offline world, to share his experiences with the wider community.
Rakesh Bhardwaj (Cognizant)
With an extensive background in the position of Chief Information Officer, Rakesh Bhardwaj has a lot of knowledge and insights to share for people in the technology space. He was the CIO and Senior Vice President for Cognizant until 2021, and he also acted as CIO for GE Healthcare for a time.
Today, Rakesh is the CIO for the budding “Ola” company, committed to creating mobility platform solutions. Bhardwaj has over 7,000 followers on LinkedIn, and consistently shares valuable content and insights on his social media channels.
Atish Banerjea (Meta)
Atish Banerjea is a fantastic influential figure to follow in the technology space today. As the CIO of Meta (previously Facebook), he has plenty of insight to offer the tech landscape. His regular updates on Facebook, LinkedIn, and other channels provide plenty of details on the innovative new creations coming from the Meta ecosystem.
Before working for Meta, Atish had a fantastic career in a range of different technology roles. He also continues to stand on the Board of Directors for Neelson Education, and Hibu.
Fletcher Previn (Cisco)
Both the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for one of the world’s leading technology and communications companies, Cisco, Fletcher Previn has an amazing background. Before starting his position with Cisco, Previn was also the CIO for IBM for more than 15 years, where he was responsible for delivering a productive computing environment to hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.
Fletcher has a great presence on social media, with plenty of regular updates from events, speeches, and experiences he’s had over the years.
Penelope Prett (Accenture)
With thousands of followers throughout the technology landscape, Penelope Prett is the CIO for Accenture, responsible for leading the brand’s global IT operations. She has also played a significant role in ensuring Accenture employees can continue to thrive in the new age of remote and hybrid work, across more than 120 countries.
Prett has a strong presence on LinkedIn, where she regularly updates her feed with news about her accomplishments, and insights into upcoming events. She has more than 30 years of experience working with Accenture in total, so she knows the company inside and out.
Archie Deskus (PayPal)
Archie Deskus is an accomplished figure in the IT space, with an amazing record of delivering phenomenal results through tech-powered transformations. Currently, she’s both the EVP and CIO of PayPal, a position she began in 2022. Before moving to PayPal, Archie also built her technology accolades in a CIO position with Intel.
Outside of working on PayPal’s transformation strategy, Archie also devotes a decent portion of her time to her tasks as a board director for the Cognizant brand.
Meerah Rajavel (Palo Alto Networks)
Known for regularly posting content about the rise of women in tech, the future of work, and the evolution of cybersecurity, Meerah Rajavel is a wonderfully influential figure. She’s currently the Chief Information Officer for the Palo Alto Networks company. However, she’s also promoted the evolution of technology initiatives for countless other organizations.
Meerah is a board member for the Health Aliance Plan, TruU Inc, and JFrog, she was also Chief Information Officer at Citrix for more than 3 years.
Bret Arsenault (Microsoft)
A seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience in the technology space, Bret Arsenault is a must-follow individual for those interested in technology. Bret has worked within the Microsoft corporation for more than 30 years, and started his position CIO and Corporate Vice President in 2015. He’s a well-respected security leader, and this shows in his online posts.
When you follow Bret on LinkedIn, you won’t just get insights into Microsoft, you’ll also learn more about how to protect your business from emerging challenges and risks in the digital landscape.
