itinfraworld

Security: Most Demanding Concern in This New World of IT

By Federico Flórez, Chief Information & Innovation Officer, Ferrovial

Federico Flórez, Chief Information & Innovation Officer, Ferrovial

Role of Data in IT

We manage assets in the whole life cycle, construction sites, services, airports and highways. IT is everywhere in our assets, sensors and citizens with technology which is able to connect themselves, so every application can be foreseen. Not only IT, but developers and also start-ups will play an important role in IT in the near future. In some cases, technology will not be mature enough, but you will have to test it to take advantage being the first.

To integrate data across the enterprise for a 360 degree view of the customer, you could offer a better service and sell more to your customers. The integration of the data is the critical issue. Any complete information about our customer will be not only a business requirement but also a user demand. It is not an easy task anyway. Platforms to integrate that information will have to be developed.

Current Technology Trends

Digital will offer new business opportunities. Internet of things and big data will be two technologies that could be an advantage for those who will be able to use them properly. It depends on how you are able to take value from them and for that you will need new skills: business and IT working together, because you will need business criteria to use the IT tools in valuable way.

The technologies are available right now. The key is how you are going to adapt them to your business and how are you going to make your business different from your competitors. Now the different issue is that you will have to test many possibilities and quickly. That is only possible using different environments from the traditional ones. So you will have two IT environments within your enterprise

We are using Big Data, Cloud, IoT, and Mobile but it will increase dramatically. It is also important to have a digital plan to take into consideration which are the right for your business and when.

Technology is in every business, user and environment like never before, because of the connectivity through internet and the new entrants of new developers with new applications.

The current technology has changed a lot. I joined the company 7 years ago as Chief Information Officer. After two years I became also Chief Innovation Officer to lead innovation, which is cross, linked to the business and use IT as a tool. Now, I am exploring new business opportunities because of digital. A very changing role. My business card says Chief Information and Innovation Officer, but that could also change, who knows?

I explained before, but after leading IT looking for synergies and supporting the business process, I changed into the business challenges to cover with innovation. You have to develop new skills and adapt quickly. Also in the IT role you have to use more external stakeholders than before, cloud, start-ups, stakeholders .

Importance of Data Protection across Enterprise

Security is the most demanding concern in this new world of environment for a CIO, where technology is everywhere and where there are so many data. We must protect the data because that is value for the company behind them and we must protect ourselves, because we have access to critical information. We will never be safe enough anyway.

Be open minded, look for the data value and be close to the business. It is time to share knowledge and to work in open environments, so protect the information. Build teams sharing the knowledge because talent will be the critical success factor in the future. Consider all the stakeholders you can have in this new world and I strongly recommend developing communication skills.