Business technology and change leaders need to know how to respond to today’s challenges, prepare for the future and communicate a compelling vision for business technology and information leadership. IT Directors, Managers and CIOs find themselves in a critical, strategic position. The boundary between business change and technology change is practically non-existent; very little business change today is conceived or achieved without business technologies and information playing a key role.

How should business technology leaders respond to change? What strategies do they need to develop and execute, to enable and contribute to business objectives? What skills do they need to be effective leaders for today and tomorrow?

To meet these challenges, Searchlight Consulting – experts in delivering IT-enabled business transformation – have developed a comprehensive business technology leadership programme, providing mentoring and advisory services to today’s aspiring business technology leaders. Leveraging Searchlight’s network of experienced technology leaders, the programme will support and enable up and coming leaders to develop the strategies, organisations and personal skills they need to succeed, compete and thrive.

Open to all individuals new in post, or on the path to becoming a next-generation business technology leader or CIO, the programme will provide 1-2-1 mentoring and advice, in a safe environment for personalised learning and development. Mentees will gain valuable insight, develop directional work plans; as well as accelerating learning in operating models, process, governance, softer skills and ways of working so successful strategies can be rapidly delivered for their organisations. These services may also be of interest to current CIOs, HR Directors and/or business owners wishing to progress someone within their organisation.

The growing list of mentors currently include:

• Rob Pritchard – previously Group CIO Britvic and now Visiting Professor at Birmingham City University, Rob specialises in strategy, innovation and leadership development.
• Simon Thomas – a highly experienced IT leader, with experience in retail and food supply chains, including the NAAFI, Bidvest (3663) Foodservices and Threshers. Simon has experience of managing major technology & business change programmes.
• David Pirie – talented technology executive, bringing experience from Keepmoat, Deb Group, The Law Society of England and Wales, and British Car Auctions (BCA), David has experience in helping Private Equity (PE) owned businesses through mergers and acquisitions.
• Adrian Wakefield – Adrian cut his industry teeth in a number of engineering roles before becoming Business Services Director at James Walker Group with responsibility for all technology related matters. He has subsequently worked with a diverse range of organisations including Legal & General ERIKS and Marie Curie UK. Adrian focuses on IT strategy, operating model and organisation design.

Searchlight Consulting are extremely proud to have such talented leaders and mentors in our network who will help to make this programme a reality.

More information and photos available on request.

For more information please contact:

Steve Sharp
steve.sharp@searchlightconsulting.co.uk