The unheralded corporate technologist

When I present at events I have been known to ask corporate technology executives such as CIOs and CTOs in the audience to stand up so I can applaud them. I have long believed our industry gives way more credit (and wealth) to vendor executives and that is my small  way of acknowledging the corporate technologist.

So I was really pleased Karl-Heinz Streibich asked me to interview (mostly) corporate C  level execs across 10 countries for his book, The Digital Enterprise.

The Software AG press release describing the book details many of the executives

• acatech (German National Academy of Science and Engineering): President Prof. Dr. Henning Kagermann explores the wide range of stakeholders involved in the transformation to a digital enterprise.
• Accenture: Senior Managing Director for Austria, Switzerland and Germany Frank Riemensperger explains why the best businesses must develop a “digital vision”.
• Allianz Group: CIO Dr. Ralf Schneider on balancing the opportunities and risk generated by massive volumes of customer and product data.
• BBVA S.A.: CTO Ramón Laguna on rapidly scaling technology to implement the goal of becoming a Tier-1 global investment bank.
• Coca-Cola Enterprises: CIO Esat Sezer look at how cloud computing will drive the next generation of productivities.
• Daimler AG: CIO Dr. Michael Gorriz and Information technologist Dr. Kai Holzweissig on driving the digital enterprise with linked data.
• Datev eG: CEO Prof. Dieter Kempf examines bringing industrial level IT security to small and medium sized businesses.
• DB Systel GmbH: Chairman of the Board Detlef Exner on how German railways are addressing a new generation of digital customers.
• Deutsche Telekom: CEO of T-Systems and Deutsche Telekom Board Member Reinhard Clemens explains why traditional network providers can – and must – develop mew business models.
• DFKI GmbH (German Research center for Artificial Intelligence): CEO Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Wahlster on how semantic product memories promise to reshape how products are manufactured, shipped, sold, consumed, traced and recycled.
• Echo Entertainment: CTO Rob James details how technology-enables innovation can better address their VIP customers.
• General Electric: Global technology director William Ruh on how 50 billion interconnected machines will drive the Industrial Internet revolution.
• Hubert Burda Media: CEO Dr. Paul-Bernhard Kallen looks at turning a German magazine company into an enterprise for entrepreneurs.
• MAPFRE: CTO José Manuel Inchausti Pérez discusses how satellites have transformed their business and help create more agile services.
• Nissan: CIO Celso Guitoko describes how to design “smarter” products.
• Qualcomm: CIO Norm Fjeldheim speaks of how to provide highly personalized and contextualized customer experiences.
• Siemens AG: Member of the Board Prof. Dr. Siegfried Russwurm on how the fourth industrial revolution will create a paradigm shift in required workforce qualifications.
• Staedel Museum: Director Max Hollein on how a digital visit to the museum is a sensual experience.
• Standard Chartered PLC: CIO Jan Verplancke details the roll-out of mobile banking across several continents.
• Statoil ASA: Vice President Magne Fransten on safety through technology in harsh operating environments.
• Technische Universitaet Darmstadt: Chairman, Information Systems faculty Prof. Dr. Peter Buxmann looks at new risk scenarios and enabling new business models.
• TUI InfoTec GmbH: CEO Heinz Kreuzer on using social media, real-time analytics, big data and mobile devices to create a more enjoyable customer experience.

  The Kindle version of the book is only $ 3.99 and all earnings are going to charities. So, please download and join me in applauding these executives for the amazing and largely unappreciated innovation they – and countless other corporate executives - are delivering.