A large number of CIOs came to the rescue of their enterprise during the Covid-19 lockdown, gaining the mindshare of their CEOs in a way they hadn’t before. These stronger relationships, combined with a higher level of visibility, will give CIOs the leverage they’ll need for their next big challenge — digital business acceleration in an extremely uncertain environment.In an exciting chat between a senior leader from management and IT from Tata Chemicals, ETCIO explored the priorities of these Senior level positions and how and why do these priorities converge.
Part of the discussion were Zarir Langrana, ED and President, Tata Chemicals, Dr Richard Lobo, Head Innovation and CQH – Business Excellence, Tata Chemicals and Varun Aggarwal, Senior Associate Editor, ETCIO.
Beginning the discussion, Zarir Langrana, ED and President, Tata Chemicals, said, “The new mantra for not only for business but for society in general is to be contactless, automated and remote. When we look at digital, we want it to answer a few questions for us. Like, will it increase safety for our people, assets? Does it in any sense lead us further into our aim of zero harm. Does it positively impact performance and cost optimization?”
Langrana expects that the Innovation leader at Tata Chemicals plays an important role in developing an innovation portfolio and to drive growth and spur investments.
“I look at the Innovation leader to be a key player in driving execution and innovation plans in collaboration with business team members who take it to market,” he said.
Talking about converging priorities and coming together to serve the business in the times of Crisis, Dr Richard Lobo, Head Innovation and CQH – Business Excellence, Tata Chemicals, said, “The world is changing today. We have innovation, digital R&D and sustainability and they all need to work hand in hand. The closer these functions come together, it allows the business to actually see the value and merit.”
Langrana believes that to get the bang for the buck, one can’t divorce innovation, technology, digital and IT from business strategy.
“If Innovation leaders deliver what the organisation’s top priorities are, they have done their job. And this can only happen if the heads of department work along with the board of directors and senior management in a manner of genuine partnership and not in silos,” Langrana added.
Developing leadership capabilities at various levels and aspects of the business has become very imperative today.
“As we are able to harness this closer and allow leaders to work in collaboration and understand each other’s priority while focusing on their own long-term goals, it allows for even more enriched opportunities for us to deliver value,” Lobo concluded.
