Jetstar's A/NZ chief David Hall
Can CIOs be good CEOs?
Read more: Qantas cuts capex, aircraft orders
CIOs can absolutely be successful CEOs, Hall believes, noting the likes of David Thodey, CEO of Telstra, and Rob Fyfe, CEO of Air New Zealand, as stellar examples of CIOs who excel at the top job.
“The CIO role provides a fantastic platform to really understand the business and to gain great perspective and insight into that business,” he says. “CIOs now are predominantly direct reports to the CEO and are sitting at very senior levels of their organisations. They have the ability to talk to the person sitting on their left or right and help their CEO transform the business.”
Hall suggests the reason we’re not seeing more CIOs rise to CEOs is down to behavioural traits, rather than intellect or business ability. He also claims the limits technology may place on CIOs are also often self-imposed.
“CEOs have an ability to manage more by intuition and instinct,” he continues. “CIOs are great at connecting businesses through technology. But as a CEO, it’s about building that emotional connection with customers, team mates, the teams they lead and their colleagues.
“You rely on wisdom to make decisions in a more timely, decisive and strategic way.”
Hall also notes CEOs require more of an earnings, rather than cost-focused approach.
“I’ve no doubt there are great opportunities for CIOs to progress further in their organisations and they should aspire to the CEO role,” he adds. “Amplifying the behavioural skills around leadership, self-assurance and intuition will get them there.”
Innovating Jetstar
Technology continues to play an important role at Jetstar, Hall says. He describes the relationship between technology and line-of-business functions as a “push and pull” relationship.
“CIOs are in a very fortunate position to be able to see the art of the possible and seek out technologies that solve corporate problems, whether it’s resource management or customer experience,” he says.
An example of this was rolling out Apple iPads to employees. With 70 per cent of its 7000 total staff mobile, how to put technology directly into their hands was a big challenge. Today, all Jetstar pilots have iPads featuring flight manuals and flight plans, and the devices are also being rolled out in other parts of the business.
Read more: Qantas raises fuel surcharges again
“That has transformed the flight deck for pilots – they have readily accessible, up-to-date information at hand,” Hall says. It’s also transformed the cost base and helped with compliance.
“This was a great example of technology driving enablement – here’s a problem we have, here’s how technology can fix it, and here’s how we can use it further across the business,” he says.
Having celebrated its 10th birthday and with his sights firmly on the next decade, Hall says he continues to face razor-thin margins, constantly changing market conditions and extreme competition. His priorities include strengthening the underlining fundamentals of the business while keeping costs down and driving better customer engagement, and Jetstar’s Asian expansion.
Through all this, Hall says his success will come down to resilience, confidence, the ability to quickly adapt to circumstances, and to provide inspiring leadership.
“I need to be able to withstand the constant shocks and keep the team focused on what’s important,” he adds.
Can you be a CEO? Hall’s top tips
- Strategic intent
- A good eye for talent and getting the right people into your organisation
- Focus on the things you can control
- Resilience, confidence and the willingness to adapt to quick-changing circumstances
- Optimism peppered with a good dose of reality
- Being well-rounded and humble
- Inspirational and visionary leadership
- Being an industry leader; knowing also when to be the pioneer, and when to follow.
Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.