5 years ago… CA CEO calls for IT execs to storm the board

22.07.1999:The chairman and CEO of Computer Associates, Charles Wang, has stressed the need for all companies to have IT representation at board level.

Speaking exclusively to silicon.com during the company's annual conference in New Orleans, Wang outlined the changes that lie ahead for chief information officers (CIOs).

He believes that IT should be made a strategic part of business and that the CIO should be working closely with the CEO. Wang said: "I'm not saying he should report to the CEO, but the CIO should be part of that strategic planning process for your business."

When asked how important it is to have IT representation on the board, he replied: "If a business does its planning on a board level, then... an IT director or the CIO should be a member of the board."

22.07.2004: Wang went on to say that: "One day, these IT directors will be CEOs and board members, and that will be a fundamental shift." Unfortunately, it seems, if recent news is anything to go by, that shift is yet to happen.

CIOs' appetite for a place on the board hasn't waned in the intervening years but the current heads of IT are suffering from a company-wide image problem that could be holding them back.

A recent survey found that of all UK professionals, marketers make better leaders than their techie colleagues. According to analyst house Gartner, there's also a significant perception gap between how important CIOs are and how important they think they are.

Even silicon.com's own CIO Jury agreed that their colleagues in the boardroom don't value them as much as they should.