Page 10 - RC14-EDGE-Spring Issue-1Z

The Evolution of
the Real Estate CIO

From Tactical
to Strategic

T he role of the IT department has changed
rapidly over the past five years, presenting real
opportunities and real challenges. Having survived
a period of cost-cutting and containment, many
CIOs today are working to reposition their IT department as a

true business partner within their organization.

Traditionally, a CIO’s primary responsibility has been to

maintain IT’s value within the organization by keeping their

in-house technology running. To develop value beyond the

IT department, CIOs must work to integrate technology more

deeply into the company’s core business strategy. This will

require a new focus on developing relationships at points

where the IT department and other business units intersect.

To succeed, CIOs must take on new roles—bridging

functional silos—that may take them beyond their comfort

zones. Many will have to pass the proverbial ‘screwdriver’

on to someone on their team, focusing instead on working

with executives in these other business units on major

transformation projects, coordinating strategic planning,

marketing and managing company assets and investments

collaboratively.

What should this new CIO role look like? What are the

capabilities forward-looking CIOs will need

to be successful in the next three to five

years? How can CIOs build the foundation

for this strategic, change-leadership

John Chung role while simultaneously delivering the
operational excellence expected of IT?
VP Technology
Allied REIT RealcommEDGE posed these
questions to this year’s Realcomm

conference co-chairmen, John Chung, VP

Technology, Allied REIT, a developer and

Justin Segal owner of urban office properties across
Canada; and Justin Segal, President,
President Boxer Property, a privately-held
Boxer Property commercial real estate company focused

on office, retail, and hotel properties across the U.S.

8 Realcomm