Chief information officer - Definition and Overview

The Chief Information Officer or CIO is a job title for a manager responsible for information technology within an organization, typically a listed company. They often report to the chief executive officer or chief financial officer.

The prominence of this position has risen greatly as information technology has become a more important part of business. In a few technology-oriented firms, the CIO may be a member of the "executive board", but this is not typically the case.

No specific qualification is typical of CIO's. Many have degrees in computer science, software engineering, or information systems, but this is by no means universal. Further management training is also common.

(See also: business titles)