| | SEPTEMBER 20219WITH THE PROLIFERATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA, THE CIO NEEDS TO GARNER SKILLS TO DEFTLY MANAGE THE VISIBILITY AND COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY TO ALL THE STAKEHOLDERSchanges that are foreseen. Today for example, we see an big upsurge in the broadband, OTT, e-Commerce and online education. One should be able to time the investment and optimize the returns. It is always better to have a long term than a shorterm view. Therefore, I would add that the CIO needs to also be a juggler, economist and a super forecaster. The other important skill which I believe is needed in this volatile environment is how nimble you are in being able to alter the investment portfolio. Do you have a contingency plan if a disaster strikes? What and how do you respond to the repeat of Covid situation. For example, now, there is a talk of third wave and even a fourth one. What does it mean to your investment portfolio? One needs to be constantly on the watch, as it is possible that many years of good work could be wiped out by one or two careless decisions. The importance of risk management cannot be overemphasized for this role.It is also notable that the recent trends suggest that it is not enough for a CIO to just be a star portfolio manager. He needs to be a strategic thinker and shaper of business strategy. Change management is another skill that is now becoming increasingly relevant for this role. This is true particularly in M&A situations. Also, with the proliferation of social media, the CIO needs to garner skills to deftly manage the visibility and communicate effectively to all the stakeholders.If you would like to make a career of becoming a CIO, be prepared to go through an unorthodox route. It is not necessary that only persons with finance background become CIOs. Increasingly, people with broader business skills are pursuing the role of investment management and I think that is a good sign.
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