November 2023 Perspectives

CIO Perspectives features top Silicon Valley or Global CIOs that provide short answers to 5 questions I pose to provide readers 5 minutes of insights from today’s top technology leaders.?

In this edition of CIO Perspectives, I am featuring Craig Williams . Craig is SVP, CIO, and Chief Digital Information Officer for Ciena, a world leader in optical networking and software solutions. Craig has over 30 years of experience in leading global teams, and delivering innovative solutions that align with company missions.

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1) What is top-of-mind for you today from an overall business or macroeconomic perspective??

"Top of mind is the balance of digital modernization and digital transformation, both of which is needed, but hard sometimes to achieve in parallel.? We have modernization work pretty well handled, but the digital transformation work is continually evolving and sometimes tougher to achieve since it’s about where we want to be versus where we are today.? Driving alignment around this isn’t straightforward- it requires a lot of learning, listening and asking questions to challenge status quo."

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2) How do you envision your top priority in your role of CIO? Do you have anything interesting to share in terms of how it may have evolved over time?

"My top priority as a CIO is to ensure that our IT infrastructure and systems are not just supporting the business, but driving it forward. This has evolved over time from a focus on maintaining operational efficiency to now leading strategic initiatives that can transform our business model.? So, my role is evolving towards a digital role."

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3) What do you like to see when it comes to your organizations journey around AI, Cloud adoption, Cybersecurity, or other important trends?

"We’ve struck a balance on cloud over the years having successfully migrated corporate workloads to the cloud.? We still have an internal R&D environment that is on prem due to the resource demands we have in making our products.?

We’re also working to fully embrace the new AI world.? We started with the basics around monitoring, security, legal considerations, etc., and are now driving use cases for productivity and product enhancements.? We’re careful to not just jump on the latest trend, but to ensure we understand the technologies and how they can create value for our business and our customers. Cybersecurity is also a top priority, as the digital landscape continues to evolve and present new threats, especially with AI in mind."

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4) Speaking of organizational effectiveness and acquiring & retaining talent, what are your priorities? How about focus on workplace culture?

"In terms of organizational effectiveness and talent acquisition, my priorities are to foster a culture of continuous learning and innovation. We need to attract and retain individuals who are not just technically proficient, but who are also creative problem solvers. Workplace culture is key to this, and I believe in creating an environment where people feel valued, empowered, and inspired."

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5) What is useful for you as a CIO, when it comes to how your leaders, teams, or technology partners interact with you? What advice or suggestions would you provide them to be more effective?

"As a CIO, I appreciate when my leaders, teams, and technology partners communicate effectively and proactively. It's important for us to be aligned on priorities and to collaborate closely on delivering results. My advice would be to always keep the big picture in mind, to be adaptable in the face of change, and to never stop learning, pushing ideas, and innovating."

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I hope your enjoyed these insights and I want to thank Craig for providing a view of his current priorities and mindset at Ciena.

If you have feedback on this edition of CIO Perspectives or have suggestions for future insights from CIOs, please provide them here and I’ll consider them for future editions.

Regards, Shawn