Leading with Trust, Value and Vision in the Age of AI

AI is transforming the CIO’s role from technology manager to strategic business partner. Tom Quinn, General Manager – Core IT at Metcash explains that as CEOs face mounting pressure to modernise and differentiate, the CIO becomes central in translating complexity into value. Tom argues that trust, education, and empathy are essential. Rather than sell AI as just a cost saver or revenue booster, CIOs must show its potential for long-term value. That means articulating how it enhances business outcomes, whether by improving availability, customer insight, or supply chain performance. He cautions against using alienating language like “tech debt” to describe older systems, emphasising that legacy technology often underpins daily operations and deserves respect.

Retail, like many industries, is grappling with ageing infrastructure and thin margins, yet innovation is essential to stay competitive. ADAPT data highlights that 25% of organisations are repatriating workloads from cloud to on-premises due to cost and…