Author ORCID Identifier
Benjamin Richardson: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1965-0273
Degan Kettles: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-3578-9789
Daniel Mazzola: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-8605-8866
Hao Li: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-5284-0323
Abstract
The Chief Information Officer (CIO) plays a pivotal role in shaping the technological strategy and overall success of modern corporations, working in close collaboration with other C-suite executives such as the CEO and CFO. This study offers an analysis of the defining characteristics of Fortune 500 CIOs and compares them to their executive peers. Using an inductive methodology, we examine the career trajectories of 2,821 Fortune 500 executives, including 400 CIOS, through LinkedIn data and leverage interviews with six Fortune 500 CIOs to contextualize the findings. The results highlight several distinct patterns: aspiring CIOs tend to be more racially diverse, work across a greater number of companies, hold more positions over their careers, and take longer to reach executive roles compared to other C-suite members. Through predictive modeling, we identify that CIOs can reduce the time it takes to reach top CIO positions by seeking out internal promotion opportunities at those same companies. This paper concludes with actionable recommendations for aspiring CIOs and outlines how these insights inform both practice and future research on IT leadership.
Recommended Citation
Richardson, B., Kettles, D., Mazzola, D., & Li, H. (in press). Career Trajectory Analysis of Fortune 500 CIOs: A LinkedIn Perspective. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 55, pp-pp. Retrieved from https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol55/iss1/25
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