James Savage
Founder and president
Concurrency Inc.
Brookfield
Industry: IT consulting
Employees: 85
www.concurrency.com
The huge changes in information technology that enable smartphone apps and social sharing in our personal lives are also causing big changes for businesses and their chief information officers, says James Savage, president and founder of Concurrency Inc.
“Information technology executives – from chief information officers at mega-corporations to technology managers at smaller firms – are playing increasingly important roles in core business strategy and operations.
“No longer are CIOs focused mainly on managing IT projects and systems. Now, many IT functions are handled more efficiently by third parties through cloud technologies that are proving as revolutionary today as email was in the 1990s.
“Previously, up to 89 percent of corporate IT dollars were spent just to maintain existing systems and software, according to Microsoft. But now, cloud-based services mean CIOs can focus their time on projects that boost business productivity. As an example, the idea of an email server in a closet down the hallway is becoming increasingly obsolete due to cheaper, subscription-based, outsourced services.
“In turn, a larger proportion of a company’s IT budget can be allocated to more than just ‘keeping the lights on.’ Many chief marketing officers now drive a much larger portion of a company’s overall IT budget than just a few years ago. That’s because new technologies are increasingly critical in efforts to find, reach, and serve customers.
“As these trends play out, CIOs are increasingly at the table with other top executives deciding core business strategy about products, services and operations. In turn, their IT departments are evolving from cost centers to true partners within their organizations.”
