(
Chief
Information
Officer) The executive in charge of information processing in an organization. All systems design, development and datacenter operations fall under CIO jurisdiction. CIOs have demanding jobs as information systems in an organization are often taken for granted until something breaks down. The CIO is responsible for explaining to executive management the complex nightmare this industry has gotten itself into over the past 50 years and why equipment must be constantly retrofitted or replaced. Justifying new expenditures can be a difficult part of the job.
CIOs are also involved in creating business opportunities through information technology, although in larger companies this is often the role of the chief technology officer (CTO). Collaborating with other executives, CIOs work at the core of business development within the organization. See
CTO,
job descriptions and
salary survey.