ANZ “ The role of CIO is of course being responsible for technology , but we should also see our job as a business leader and part of the executive team ”
— Sami Yalavac , CIO , Bupa ANZ and view themselves , as members of the business ’ overall teams – they are not just referred to as the technology team , but some members might be referred to as the ‘ claims ’ team , for example . “ IT departments are part of the business – there shouldn ’ t be a separation of business and IT . We all have the same responsibility to make sure this organisation delivers the best service for the customers . We ’ re here to deliver the company ’ s purpose , not deliver the technology .
“ In our IT department , we try and get the teams really close to the business and close to the customers – ‘ What ’ s happening over there ? What are the exact pain points ?’ – and then we start thinking about how technology can solve those . Without that mindset , you never efficiently deliver results . You ’ ll have a huge data warehouse but no idea what to do with it .”
Aside from focusing on customer needs and business growth , Yalavac also maintains that creating an environment people enjoy working in and can grow and develop in is paramount . “ A positive environment attracts and retains talent , keeping everyone connected to business outcomes , customer expectations and strategic partnerships ” he says . Engaging his people and developing a collaborative , agile culture has been a huge focus for Yalavac since he became CIO . He has invested in building a high performing leadership group and giving his leaders the skills to coach their teams through change . In November 2017 , he also launched the Tech-A-Gender program to attract , inspire and develop female talent into technology roles at Bupa and the team have a vibrant program to
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