– John C. Maxwell “
A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.
Leading the Digital Fron er ‘
Aswestepinto2025,theroleofChiefInformationOfficerhasneverbeenmore
pivotal.InaneradefinedbyAI-driveninnovation,cloud-nativeenterprises,andthe relentlesspaceofdigitaltransformation,CIOsarenotjusttechnologyleaders,they arebusinessstrategists,architectsofchange,andcatalystsforgrowth.
Thisyear’sTheCIOWorld’slatesteditionof The Most Influential CIOs to Watch in 2025 celebratesvisionaryleaderswhoareredefiningtheboundariesofenterprisetechnology Thesetrailblazersareshapingthefuturewithdata-drivendecision-making,cybersecurityfirststrategies,andagilearchitecturesthatempowerorganizationstothriveinan increasinglyvolatilelandscape.Fromrevolutionizingcustomerexperiencestoleveraging generativeAIandpredictiveanalytics,theseCIOsareprovingthattechnologyisnotjustan enabler—itisthecoreofcompetitiveadvantage.
Beyondtechnology,thislisthonorsCIOswhochampioninnovationwhilefosteringresilient andinclusiveteams.TheirleadershipgoesbeyondITgovernancetodrivingculturalshifts, breakingdownsilos,andensuringthatdigitaltransformationissustainableandhuman centric.
Asyouexplorethisedition,youwilldiscoverhowtheseCIOsareshapingindustries, pioneeringnewfrontiers,andsettingbenchmarksforleadershipin2025andbeyond.Their storiesserveasatestamenttothepowerofvision,adaptability,andtherelentlesspursuitof excellenceinthedigitalage.
Happy reading!
16. P R O F I L E S
Ali Katkhada Transforming Visions into Digital Realities
22.
32.
Andrew Herd A Journey with a Passion for Technology as its Core
Imed Ben Ameur Accelerating Digital Maturity in the Maritime industry
38.
44.
Julia Zhou Inspiring Transformation Through Technology
Khalid Alissa Driving Digital Transformation in Education
28. 48. A R T I C L E S
How Top CIOs are Preparing for the Next Wave
How Top CIOs 2025 Are Building Future-Ready Teams
Editor-in-Chief
Deputy Editor
Managing Editor
Assistant Editor
Visualizer
Art & Design Head
Art & Design Assitant
Business Development Manager
Business Development Executives
Technical Head
Assitant Technical Head
Digital Marketing Manager
Research Analyst
Circulation Manager
David
Mia
Richard
Ali Katkhada Group CIO
Andrew Herd
Chief Digital and Informa on Officer
Dr. Khalid Alissa CIO
Eoin Patrick Murphy
Chief Informa on Officer
Imed Ben Ameur Transhipment HUBs CIO
Jim White
Chief Informa on Officer
Jonathan Smith
Chief Informa on Officer
Julia Zhou
Chief Informa on Office
Company Name
Depa United Group www.depa.com
Marshall Pearson
Chief Informa on Officer
Adare SEC www.adaresec.com
IAU www.iau.edu.sa
Allianz Global Assistance www.allianzpartners.com
APM Terminals www.apmterminals.com
Descrip on
Katkhada is a visionary technologist focused on business transforma on through emerging technologies like blockchain, process automa on, and digital innova on strategies.
Herd is an experienced in IT leadership and digital transforma on, with a strong background in technology services development and business growth strategies.
Alissa is a cybersecurity expert and award-winning leader in digital transforma on, recognized for contribu ons to educa on and IT management.
Murphy is a strategic thinker with exper se in IT leadership, digital strategy execu on, and enhancing opera onal capabili es through technology
Ameu is a Mul lingual IT strategist specializing in program management, SAP deployment, IT security, and architecture, with extensive experience across global organiza ons.
Lompoc Valley Medical Center www.lompocvmc.com
White is an accomplished CIO with a track record of leveraging technology to drive growth, improve processes, and deliver innova ve solu ons.
North Country HealthCare northcountry www.healthcare.org
CINQCARE www.cinq.care Central Peninsula Hospital www.cpgh.org
Smith is a technology leader known for op mizing IT systems, fostering innova on, and aligning digital ini a ves with business goals.
Zhou is a skilled professional with experience in event management, legal tech, and administra on, complemented by a background in law and accoun ng.
Mike Trkay
Chief Informa on Officer
Pearson is an expert in IT governance and enterprise architecture, dedicated to implemen ng efficient systems that support organiza onal objec ves. FICO www.fico.com
Trkay is a seasoned IT leader with exper se in driving technological innova on, streamlining opera ons, and implemen ng strategic digital solu ons to enhance organiza onal efficiency.
Intheever-evolvinglandscapeoftechnology,few
individualshavenotonlywitnessedbutactively shapeditstransformation.MikeTrkay,CIOofFICO, isonesuchleader,withacareerspanningover27yearsin technologystrategy,digitaltransformation,andenterprise innovation.
Thoughnotoriginallyatechnologistbytraining,Trkay’s journeyintothefieldbeganinthelate1990swhenhe enteredtheworldofmanagementconsulting.Workingwith Fortune500companies,heplayedapivotalroleinguiding C-suiteexecutivesonhowtechnologycouldrevolutionize theirindustries.Fromtheriseofonlinebankingtothe disruptionofthemedialandscape,hewasattheforefrontof discussionsthatshapedthedigitalera.
Hisearlycareerexperienceslaidthefoundationforhis expertiseinleveragingtechnologyforbusiness transformation.Overtheyears,hehasledmajorinitiatives, includingbuildingoneofthefirstandlargestprivatecloud infrastructuresinthemid-2000s.Sincejoininganalytics softwarecompany hehasbeeninstrumentalin FICO, deliveringAI-poweredcloudsolutions,helpingbusinesses harnesscutting-edgetechnologytoredefinetheir operations.
Asanexecutive,Trkay’sroleextendsbeyondITleadership. Heactsasastrategicadvisorandexecutivesponsorforkey clientaccounts,ensuringthattechnologynotonlysupports butacceleratesbusinesssuccess.Hisjourneyreflectsa
continuousevolution—fromoptimizingexistingsystemsto pioneeringnewtechnologicalfrontiersthatshapethefuture ofenterpriseIT
DrivingEnterpriseInnovation
Throughouthiscareer,Trkayhasbeennostrangerto tacklingcomplexchallengesintherealmofenterpriseIT. AsCIOofFICO,hisroleextendsbeyondtheconventional responsibilitiesofoverseeinginternalsystems—heisalso deeplyinvolvedinmanagingtheoperationsofFICO’s Software-as-a-Service(SaaS)andPlatform-as-a-Service (PaaS)offerings,ensuringseamlessservicedeliveryto customersworldwide.
Oneofthemostintricatechallengeshehasfacedinthis roleisprovidingenterprise-classsupportforadiversearray ofcustomersolutionsbuilton Unlikea FICOPlatform. traditionalcloudtechnology,wherecustomersusea standardizedsystem,FICOPlatformisuniquely configurableandcustomizable,leadingtothousandsof bespokeimplementations—eachtailoredtoacustomer’s specificneeds.Thedifficultyliesinmaintainingthehigh availability,security,andresiliencythatenterpriseclients expect,despitethevastdifferencesbetweeneach deployment.
Ratherthanresistingthiscomplexity,Trkayandhisteam embraceditthroughtheconceptof composability—developingtechnologyandprocessesthat allowforconsistent,repeatablemanagementofunique configurations.Byimplementingscalablegovernanceand automationframeworks,theytransformedwhatcouldhave beenanoperationalhurdleintoacompetitivestrength.The result:customersreceivethecustomizationtheyrequire withoutsacrificingthestabilityandsecurityofa standardizedsystem.
ThisachievementnotonlyunderscoresTrkay’sstrategic visionbutalsohighlightshisabilitytoturnchallengesinto opportunities.HisworkatFICOdemonstrateshow technologyleaderscandriveinnovation—notjustby solvingproblemsbutbyredefiningthewaybusinesses operate,scale,andsucceedinanincreasinglydigitalworld.
BridgingCustomizationandScalability
OnceFICO’sproductengineeringteamsdevelopand releaseanewsoftwaresolution,Trkay’steamtakesover, ensuringitsdeployment,provisioning,anddailyoperations inthecloud.Thisresponsibilityextendsbeyondsimple
maintenance—itencompassessystemupdates,security, performanceoptimization,andensuringseamlessservice delivery.
ByredefininghowFICOdeliversandsupportsitscloudbasedofferings,Trkay’s teamhasnotonlysolvedacomplexoperationalproblem butalsoenhancedthecompany’sabilitytoscaleand innovate—ensuringthatFICOremainsaleaderinAIpowereddecisioningandriskmanagementsolutions.
NavigatingtheDigitalTransformationofFinancial Services
Thefinancialservicesindustryhasbeenundergoingdigital transformationfordecades,butinrecentyears,this evolutionhasacceleratedatanunprecedentedpace.From theintroductionofcomputersinbankingtotoday’sAIdrivendecisioningplatforms,eachstageoftechnological progresshasreshapedtheindustryinprofoundways.Trkay hasbeenattheforefrontofthisshift,guidingenterprises throughthecomplexintersectionoftechnology,security, andregulatorycompliance.
“Digitaltransformationisanongoingprocessthatbegan withtheadoptionofdigitalapplicatiomsandhassince expandedintotheintelligententerpriseera,whereAIand automationareredefiningfinancialoperations,”saidTrkay
Withtheaccelerationofdigitaltransformationcomes increasedregulatoryoversight,designedtomitigaterisks associatedwithrapidtechnologicalchange.
“Balancingagilitywithcomplianceisessential—financial institutionsmustadoptnewtechnologieswithoutcreating barriersthatslowdowninnovation,”saidTrkay
LeadingwithCustomer-CentricInnovationandAIDrivenTransformation
Trkayembracesacustomer-firstapproach,ensuringthat technologyisnotonlyatoolforefficiencybutalsoadriver ofbusinessgrowthandclientsuccess.Whilemanyperceive theCIOroleasaninternalfunction,Trkay’steamisdeeply embeddedincustomerinteractions—fromsalesand onboardingtosoftwareprovisioning,ongoingsupport,and platformperformance.
HerecognizesthatapositivefirstexperiencewithFICO Platformiscritical.Ifacustomer’sinitialusecaseis successful,theyaremorelikelytoexpandtheir engagement,bringingadditionalbusinessandleveraging moreFICOsolutions.Conversely,apoorexperiencecan hinderadoptionoffutureservices.Byensuringoperational excellence,reliability,andseamlessintegrations,histeam directlycontributestocustomersatisfaction,revenue retention,andlong-termgrowth.
“Technology,AI,anddigitaltransformationarenotjust reshapingfinancialservicesbutalsocreatingnew opportunitiesforbusinessestooperatesmarter,faster,and moresecurelyinanincreasinglyinterconnectedworld,” saidTrkay
TheFoundationforSuccess
Trkay’sleadershipphilosophyisrootedintransparency, integrity,andtrust.Hebelievesthatinordertoinspire customer-centricthinkingwithinhisteam,hemustmodel thatbehaviorhimself.Asanexecutivesponsorforkey clientaccounts,heplaysanactiveroleinensuringthat FICOPlatformisalignwithcustomerbusinessobjectives, evenifitmeanshavingcandidconversationsaboutwhatis feasibleandwhatisn’t.
AI&theFutureofFinancialDecisioning
Asthefinancialservicesindustryapproaches2030,Trkay envisionsAIplayingacentralroleindecision-making. WhileAIhasrecentlybecomeahottopic,FICOhasbeen leveragingAI-drivendecisioningfordecades.FromonpremisessolutionstoAIplatforms,FICO’sevolution mirrorstheincreasingrelianceonAItodrivebusiness outcomes.
By2030,financialinstitutionswillmovebeyond experimentingwithAI—theywillintegrateitasacore
componentoftheirdailyoperations.Decision-makingin banking,frauddetection,andriskassessmentwillbe automatedatscale,ensuringconsistency,explainability,and ultra-lowlatency.InstitutionswillseekAI-drivenplatforms thatenablecross-functionaldecision-making,maximizing efficiencyandreducingoperationalrisk.
FICO,guidedbyTrkay’stechnicalleadershipandthe strategicvisionofCEOWillLansingandEVPofSoftware NikhilBehl,ispositionedtobeattheheartofthis transformation,providingtheAI-poweredplatformsthat willdefinethefutureoffinancialdecisioning.Hisstrategic visionensuresthatFICO’stechnologynotonlymeets today’sneedsbutalsoanticipatesthechallengesand opportunitiesofthenextdecade—helpingfinancial institutionsnavigateaworldwhereAIisnolongeroptional butessential.
,, ,,
Successful CEOs are those who have the ability to inspire and motivate others, to build strong teams, and to lead by example.
- Cyril Ramaphosa
How Top CIOs are Preparing for the Next Wave
Withtechnologyadvancingatapaceunlikeever
before,ChiefInformationOfficers(CIOs)face mountingpressuretoremainaheadofthecurve andguidetheirbusinessesthroughatransformingdigital world.By2025,CIOswillhavetonotonlydealwiththe currenttechnologyenvironmentbutalsoreadytheir businessesforfuturebreakthroughs.Thisarticlediscusses howleadingCIOsarepreparingforthefuturewaveof technologychange.
TheEmergingTechLandscapeof2025
Thetechnologyworldisconstantlyevolving,butthe comingyearsholdparticularlyexcitingtransformation. Withartificialintelligence(AI),machinelearning,the InternetofThings(IoT),5Gnetworking,andquantum computingallonthevergeofmainstreamuse,CIOsneedto stayinsyncwiththeseinnovationsandleveragethemto fuelbusinessgrowth.Butit'snotsomuchabout implementingnewtechnologies—it'saboutintegrating themharmoniouslyintoanorganization'scultureand infrastructure.
CIOswillneedtobeadaptableandvisionary,recognizing boththeopportunitiesandissuesthatarisewiththe acceleratedintroductionofnewtechnology Additionally, competitivenessinthemarketplacewilldependonmore thantechnicalacumen;asolidbusinessstrategyknowledge willbethekey.
1.DrivingInnovationwithArtificialIntelligenceand MachineLearning
In2025,machinelearning(ML)andartificialintelligence (AI)willbeinfusedintoalmostallaspectsofbusiness functions.Whetheritisenhancingcustomerexperienceor optimizingsupplychains,thesetechnologiescantransform industries.
LeadingCIOsareprioritizingmakingsuretheirstaff possesstheappropriateskillsetstorolloutandscaleAIand MLwithintheircompanies.SpendingonAI-based platformsthatwillimprovedecision-making,automate processes,andforecastmarkettrendswillbevital. Additionally,CIOswillhavetoconcentrateondeveloping moralguidelinesforAIusage,complyingwithprivacy laws,andsolvingproblemssuchasbiasinalgorithmic decision-making.
ThefuturewaveofAIwillalsoseegreaterhuman-machine collaboration.CIOswillhavetoimplementmeasuresto assistworkersinacceptingAIasatechnologythatcan complementtheirabilitiesinsteadofdisplacingthem.
2.Using5GConnectivityforBusinessTransformation
Withthemassdeploymentof5G,CIOswillbeableto unlocknewbusinessmodelsthatwerenotpossiblebefore. 5Gisexpectedtoprovidegreaterbandwidth,faster downloadspeeds,andultra-lowlatency,makingittheideal platformforinnovationinindustriessuchashealthcare, manufacturing,andlogistics.
In2025,CIOswillleadthechargeinusing5G'spotential forreal-timedatacomputation,improvedIoTapplications, andvirtual/augmentedreality Thesetechnologieswillplay akeyroleinoptimizingbusinessoperations,smarter devices,andend-to-enduserexperiencesacrossindustries.
quantumcomputersmaytransformdomainssuchasdrug discovery,financemodeling,andclimatechangemodeling.
CIOswillhavetopreparetheircompaniesforthe5G revolutionbymakinginvestmentsinthepropernetwork infrastructureandcollaboratingwithtelecomprovidersto facilitateadoption.
3.TheDawnofQuantumComputing:ANewAgeof Problem-Solving
Althoughquantumcomputingisinitsearlystages,its possibilitiesarevast.Quantumcomputingwillbeadvanced enoughby2025tobeginresolvingintricateissuesthat conventionalcomputerscan'tbythen.Forinstance,
CIOswillhavetoremainaheadofthistechnologybybeing awareofitsimplicationsanddiscoveringusecasesthat maybringcompetitivebenefits.Eventhoughquantum computingremainsmainlyinthedevelopmentandresearch stages,CIOswhopredictitsdevelopmentandtryoutearly adoptionwillsettheirorganizationsasleadersinthefield.
4.ACybersecurity-FirstStrategy
Asmorecompaniesundergodigitaltransformation, cybersecuritywillremainatopagendaitemforCIOs.The risingnumberofdata,thecomplexityofmulti-cloud systems,andtheexpandingthreatvectorwillmake protectingdataandmanagingriskincreasinglyharder
Aspartofthepreparationsfortheupcomingwaveof technologicalgrowth,leadingCIOsaredevelopinga cybersecurity-firstapproach.ThisentailsinvestinginAIandautomation-drivennext-generationsecuritytools, strengtheningreal-timethreatdetection,andmaking securityprotocolsintegratedintoeverylevelofthebusiness infrastructure.
Theshifttoazero-trustsecuritymodel,inwhichaccessis onlyonaneed-to-knowbasis,willbecomeincreasingly prevalentasorganizationsadoptadecentralized,cloud-first strategy.
BuildingfortheFuture
Thesubsequentwaveoftechnologyinnovationoffersboth phenomenalopportunitiesanddauntingchallengesfor CIOs.In2025,theywillhavetoguideorganizations throughunprecedentedtransformation,fromembracing machinelearningandAItoanticipatingtherevolutionary potentialofquantumcomputing.
Throughongoingagility,concentratingonethicaluse, constructingacybersecurity-firstorganizationalculture,and developingadigitallyresilientemployeeforce,exceptional CIOswillhavetheirenterprisesreadytobesuccessful withinthefast-pacedconstantlychangingtechspace. Successwillbecontingentonthebalancingofinnovation andusability,andofcoursekeepingfingersonthepulseof whatincomingtechnologieswillcontinuetoshapeintothe future.
,, ,, Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. Ifyou love whatyou are doingy , ou wi be successful.
- Epictetus
How Top CIOs 2025 Are Building Future-Ready Teams
Aswestepinto2025,thelandscapeoftechnologyandbusiness
isevolvingatanunprecedentedpace.ChiefInformation Officers(CIOs)arenolongerjustITmanagers;theyare strategicleaderswhomustnavigatethiscomplexenvironmenttodrive innovation,operationalresilience,anddigitaltransformation.Acrucial aspectofthisroleisbuildingfuture-readyteamsthatcanadaptto emergingtechnologiesandmarketdisruptions.
In this article, we will explore the strategies top CIOs are using to build these teams and position their organizations for success in the digital age.
UnderstandingtheNeedforFuture-ReadyTeams
TheglobalITtalentshortageandtherapidevolutionoftechnologies likeAI,cloudcomputing,andcybersecurityhavecreateda challengingenvironmentforCIOs.Thekeytotransforming organizationsliesnotinhiringmorepeoplebutinupskillingand trainingexistingtalenttoleveragedisruptivetechnologieseffectively. Future-readyteamsareessentialfordrivingbusinessgrowth, enhancingemployeesatisfaction,andachievingcompetitive differentiation.
StrategiesforBuildingFuture-ReadyTeams
1.DefineClearGoalsandVision
Afuture-readyteamstartswithaclearvisionofwhattheorganization wantstoachieveinthenextthreetofiveyears.Thisinvolves identifyingthetechnologiesthatwilldrivegrowth,theskillsrequired tostaycompetitive,andthebusinessgoalsthatneedtobemet.
Forinstance,afintechstartupexpandinggloballymight focusoncloudsecurity,AI-drivenfrauddetection,and seamlessmobileexperiences.
2.UpskillandReskillExistingTalent
Giventhetalentshortage,CIOsmustprioritizeupskilling andreskillingtheircurrentworkforce.Thisinvolves identifyingskillgapsthroughassessmentsandinvestingin advancedtrainingsystemstoensureemployeeshavethe necessaryskillstothriveinemergingtechnologies. Continuouslearningandcollaborationarecrucialfor fosteringaforward-thinkingculture.
3.FosteraCultureofInnovationandAgility
CIOsmustencourageacultureofadaptabilityand innovationwithintheirteams.Thisincludespromoting agilemethodologies,cross-functionalcollaboration,anda mindsetthatencouragesexperimentationandrapid iteration.CompanieslikeAmazonandGooglehave successfullyimplementedsuchcultures,allowingtheirIT teamstoprototype,test,anditeratequickly
4.EmphasizeAILiteracyandAdoption
AIisnolongeranexperimentaltechnology;itmustbe integratedintocorebusinessfunctionstoenhance efficiency,automatedecision-making,anddrivecustomer engagement.CIOsshoulddevelopclearAIstrategies, investinAIgovernanceframeworks,andfosterAIliteracy acrosstheorganizationtoimproveadoptionandmitigate risks.
5.EnsureZero-TrustSecurityandIdentityAssurance
Ascyberthreatsbecomemoresophisticated,extending identityassurancewithzero-trustsecurityiscritical.CIOs mustevolvetheirdefensestoprotectagainstemerging threats,ensuringthatsecuritymeasuresalignwithbusiness goalsandcompliancerequirements.
6.ProactivelyMitigateRisksofEmergingTechnologies
HighmaturityITfirmswillhaveanadvantageinmanaging risksassociatedwithemergingtechnologies.CIOsshould proactivelyassesspotentialthreatsanddevelopstrategiesto mitigatethem,ensuringlong-termresilienceand operationalcontinuity
7.BuildExponentialProductTeams
TorealizethefullvalueofAI,CIOsmustbreakdownsilos betweenITandotherdepartmentstocreateexponential productteams.TheseteamsshouldfocusonintegratingAI intobusinessprocessestodriveinnovationandefficiency.
CaseStudiesandExamples
• MongoDB'sTransformation:MongoDBCIOMindy Liebermanisfocusingontransformingoperational efficiencyandmaximizingbusinessproductivityby leveragingAItoreimagineprocesses.Thisincludes strategicallyaddressingSaaSsprawlandenhancing employeeexperiencesthroughintegratedtoolsets.
• CityofSeguin'sGrowth:TheCityofSeguin,Texas, hasdoubleditsITstaffandinvestedinupskillingto meetthechallengesofrapidgrowth.Thisapproach ensuresthattheteamismoreefficientandproductive, capableofhandlingincreaseddemands.
Conclusion
Buildingfuture-readyteamsin2025requiresamultifaceted approachthatincludesdefiningcleargoals,upskilling talent,fosteringinnovation,andintegratingAIandsecurity strategies.Astechnologycontinuestoevolverapidly,CIOs mustbevisionaryleaderswhocanbalanceinnovationwith operationalefficiencyandriskmanagement.Byadopting thesestrategies,organizationscanpositionthemselvesfor long-termsuccessinthedigitalage. CIO
Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.
- Warren Bennis
