Mentoring and workshop opportunities
As part of the Next CIO programme, cohort members will gain exclusive access to some of the UK’s leading digital, data and technology professionals.
Cohort members will be eligible to receive up to six one-on-one virtual sessions with a Next CIO mentor over a period of 12 months.
Mentees will be expected to lead the agenda of what they want to cover with the mentor, who is there to provide guidance and support, while both parties must be willing to commit the time and effort to the programme, and to share information confidentially.
Next CIO workshops will coach and educate aspiring digital, data and technology leaders on the attitudes, skills and proficiencies they’ll require if they are to progress into senior CIO, CTO and CDO positions.
Led by experienced presenters, including current and former CIO 100 judges and members, these 60-90 minute workshops will be held at Foundry’s offices in London throughout 2022 and early 2023 and will be available to Next CIO cohort members and other up-and-coming technology leaders.
Register for next workshop
To express your interest in joining our workshop series, please register.
Next CIO workshops
The headhunter’s guide to becoming a first-time CIO 18th January 2023
The transition from technology leader to a board-ready CIO or CTO can be challenging. It comes with additional responsibilities and, most importantly, different viewpoints. You’ll be part technologist, part business leader and play a bigger role in the growth of business.
Join this Next CIO workshop as Natalie Whittlesey, director at recruitment firm Investigo, discusses getting your first board-level role, why your personal brand is as important as your skills and experience, and how to tackle those first three to six months in order to excel in the long run.
This session will explore all of the above and equip you with ideas and actions to help you to secure and thrive in your career as you make your way to CIO.
Sharp strategy 18th January 2023
The last two years have reminded us that entire industries, and the businesses within them, can change in the blink of an eye. As such, we need a more agile and nimble way to develop strategy, taking the journey into account.
In this Next CIO workshop, SUSE CIO and CIO 100 judge Christine Ashton discusses developing sharp strategy that tells a story, identifying the value gap between current operations and strategy ambition, how much industry change your business can accommodate and how IT can fill the gaps between what it provides and what the business needs.
The great leadership balancing act 3rd February 2023 (online only)
IT is no longer seen as a back-office cost centre but rather an integral business unit responsible for delivering digital transformation.
For digital, data and technology leaders, this represents an opportunity and a challenge. It marks a chance to increase influence, to align business and IT strategy and deliver against an organisation’s desired outcomes. And yet, at the same time, they must figure out how to balance innovation with the business-as-usual.
Join this Next CIO workshop with CIO 100 winner and judge Anna Barsby, as she discusses how to deliver transformation while keeping the lights on.
Communicating with the board 7th February 2023
Joining the board can be a steep learning curve. No longer are CIOs in the “comfortable” position of reporting into a board member, shielded from the politics and challenges that face the most senior management of an organisation.
They are now at the top table, and everyone in the business knows where the buck stops. While this can be an exciting time, it’s also one full of potential traps, politics and bureaucracy.
In this Next CIO workshop, Jumar’s CDIO Chris Weston sits down with CIO UK editor Doug Drinkwater to discuss understanding board objectives, what to include in your board report, how to approach strategy and tweak communication, and how you become an “engine” not an “anchor.” We also discuss how to put digital on the board’s agenda and improving digital literacy from the top-table down.
Why upskilling is your best talent retention strategy TBD
In the ongoing battle for technology professionals, organisations are having to rethink how they attract and retain talent.
Gone are the days of the employer being king, and of shiny city offices luring prospective employees. In 2022, technology salaries are booming, hybrid working is omnipresent and the changing demographics of the workforce mean that new workplace values are emerging.
Join us for this provocative Next CIO workshop, as Pluralsight’s Ellen Griffiths sits down with CIO UK editor Doug Drinkwater and the Next CIO 2022 cohort to discuss new talent strategies, HR-IT alignment, professional development – and how to practically tackle the skills gap crisis.
Further workshops be added later this year