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Why Don't More CIOs Become CEO?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the because-they-know-better dept.

jcatcw writes "Thornton May is mystified by the very small number of Fortune 500 companies that led by former CIOs. "Knowing what we know about CIOs — that is, that most are smart, hardworking, supremely aware of how the business works and increasingly savvy regarding the workings of external customers' minds — the failure of more CIOs to become CEO has to be one of the biggest mysteries of our age.""

6 of 279 comments (clear)

  1. Who does the picking by gurps_npc · · Score: 5, Insightful

    As long as board members are choosen from the non-technical, management side, those same board members will pick non-technical peopel to head their company.

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    excitingthingstodo.blogspot.com
  2. For the same reason F&A VPs don't become CEOs! by CyberLord+Seven · · Score: 5, Insightful
    They don't have the training!

    Most CEOs are former SALESMEN. Check out their careers. You'll see that most, if not all, were in Sales or Marketing at one or more points in their careers.

    Boards NEED someone at the top of the company who understands what Sales and Marketing NEED. After all, no matter how superior your product is *cough*betamax*cough* if it does not sell, your company goes down the tubes. Not the internet tubes, the other kind.

    No big conspiracy here. Just boards doing what they have always done.

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    We have always been at war with Eurasia!
  3. Elementary, My Dear Watson by RyoShin · · Score: 5, Funny

    CIOs have been unable to escalate to the CEO position because they cannot synergize the corporate enterprise environment into a sigma six solution in a manner that evasperates the board and homogenizes the company.

    I'm pretty certain I made up a few words there, but if I said that to a CEO s/he'd likely nod and say "Why, you're absolutely correct!"

    And that's why CIOs can't obtain the CEO position.

  4. Re:how about by kfg · · Score: 5, Insightful

    . . .the CEO is #1 on the blame list when something goes wrong.

    And gets punished with an $80 million severance package and a lateral move to another CEO position.

    KFG

  5. Re:Who does the picking? by Cigarra · · Score: 5, Informative

    "Most board members are chosen by the CEO"

    I sorry, what? AFAEK, the Board hires a CEO to run the company. Members of the board themselves are elected by the general meeting of shareholders.

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    I don't have a sig.
  6. Re:how about by paeanblack · · Score: 5, Funny

    Actually, 80% of CEOs never work as CEOs again...

    Actually, 80% of CEOs never worked in the first place...