Three approaches, with the same peer stance.
Whether you are a CIO or run the company, my role is to help the people who run your information system decide, negotiate and hold course over time. When the engagement ends, what we have put in place has to work without me.
Deputy CIO
Your situation
An outsourcing renegotiation, an executive team waiting for a position on AI, a tired team and an already full calendar. You know what to do; what you lack is time and someone to think it through with.
What I do
I take on one to three workstreams at your side. We prepare meetings together and run them together. I bring the supplier's perspective: how they build their margin, what they will defend and what they will concede.
What you keep
The decisions, the relationship with your CEO and the credit for the result. I do not speak on your behalf.
What remains after I leave
The results of the workstreams and the method to do it again on your own.
Fractional CIO
Your situation
Your IT has grown faster than its organization. A capable IT manager, many suppliers, and decisions that land on your desk for lack of the right counterpart.
What I do
I hold the CIO role: roadmap, budget, suppliers, security, dialogue with the executive team. I also help your IT manager grow, so they take on an increasing share of the role.
What you keep
The trade-offs. I prepare them with their costs and a clear recommendation.
What remains after I leave
An organization that holds, an IT manager who has grown in stature, and a reasoned answer to the question: should you hire a full-time CIO?
Interim CIO
Your situation
The role is empty, suppliers know it and teams are waiting. Pending decisions pile up on your desk.
What I do
I take charge of IT for as long as needed: securing operations, taking back control of suppliers, unblocking pending decisions and reassuring the teams.
What you keep
Control over hiring. If you wish, I help you define the role and assess candidates.
What remains after I leave
Ground prepared for your next CIO and a written handover.
A duration and objectives set before day one.
All three approaches share the same framework. You make the calls and sign off; I prepare, recommend and lead. The duration is set from the start, and the review lets us decide together whether to renew or hand over.
Take stock
Interviews, review of contracts and service reports, assessment of teams and suppliers. Together we set the three objectives and the priority workstreams.
Run the workstreams
One to three workstreams led end to end, a weekly check-in and a monthly review with the executive team. Questions for the executive committee are brought to it with their cost.
Hand over or renew
Review of objectives, documentation and transfer to the CIO in post or their successor. If the need remains, we renew the engagement or move to support of one to two days a month.
One workstream for each area of the CIO Weather Check.
Each workstream runs within the engagement, or as a short assignment if you prefer a closed scope and a fixed-price result.
Set up the roadmap and AI governance
An aligned executive committee, an AI policy, a grid to prioritize use cases and an 18-month roadmap. Regulation becomes a decision framework.
Governance sprint, 6 to 8 weeksBring the portfolio and budget back under control
Review of ongoing projects, stopping those nobody owns any more, reading the invoice and out-of-scope spend, preparing the budget review with the executive team.
Within a Deputy or Fractional CIO engagementAlign service reports with what users experience
Gap between indicators and user experience, dependence on a few key people, recovery plan tested with the supplier, readiness for a major crisis.
Within the engagement, or crisis preparation as a short assignmentSecure your suppliers' AI
Your outsourcers and software vendors are adding AI to your services. I help you establish who carries which obligations and which clauses to require. Alternatively: a complete map of AI across the company, presented to the executive committee.
Contract audit in 3 weeks, or AI diagnostic in 10 daysTake back control of your outsourcing
Analysis of the contract, service levels and invoice, market benchmarking, costed renegotiation levers and a realistic exit plan.
Flash Diagnostic, 10 daysGet the team back on track
Clarified roles, supplier management skills, a calmer relationship between IT and the business. Individual and team coaching using the GROW method.
Within the engagement, then monthly support45 minutes by video call to take stock, and one page to share with your CEO.
We go through the six areas of the CIO Weather Check, two to three questions each. Within 24 business hours, you receive a dated page: the state of each area, what needs your attention and the question to put to your executive team.
Written to be put on your CEO's desk as it is: six areas, what is holding up, what needs attention and one question to settle.
See a sample page