AikinenOptimizing the Pieces Together

Virtual Chief Information Officer (vCIO)

Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO)

Business organizations today are faced with mounting complexities due to both increasing complexity of information technology (IT) systems and software in every department and IT security and accountability. This increase in complexity creates situations where it's critical to make correct decisions or security breaches, crisis events, and financial consequences are the result.

Information Technology now reaches into the heart of every department including Sales, Marketing, Finance/Accounting, Operations/R&D, and Human Resources. Having the correct IT solutions in place is necessary to have each of these departments function and run correctly. Too often major decisions regarding which technologies to use or how to implement/manage them is either left to non-IT "Super Users," or in house IT Technicians/Staff who do not fully understand the business objectives and strategies.

Executives and Directors of the Board are wearing multiple hats and do not have the time or senior IT Executive experience to be able to field all the choices being presented by various parties and their agendas within the organization. Having a truly experienced IT Executive who is also an experienced business executive and is very skilled at interfacing with Executives or Board Directors is the answer to this challenge. Most vCIO's and vCISO's are still basically Technology Managers who have never worked in any other department other than IT. What is needed is a person who has the proper breadth of experience to make these decisions, having done full time work in sales and marketing, finance and accounting, operations and product management, and of course in depth Information Technology experience from superior software design to IT business analysis, security/cybersecurity, servers, systems, and networks.

A skilled vCIO/vCISO relieves the senior management of small and medium business from the stress and risk of making these high impact IT decisions and promotes an IT Executive Strategy that optimizes every specific department. Even better is when the vCIO/vCISO is able to work with senior management, making the decisions together with them, explaining in business terms, not IT jargon, what each option means for the business. In many ways the vCIO/vCISO is a liaison officer between the operating departments, IT, and the executive management of the company. A true vCIO/vCISO, looking at the business processes in-depth, will see clear IT solutions and will make sound recommendations how to use technology to make those processes more efficient and productive.

I have over 20 years of experience in executive information technology management and as an executive on the Board/Corporate/Executive Management Team at every level. I also have over 30 years of business experience in my career working full time in every department in Finance and Accounting, Information Technology, Sales, Marketing, Product Management, Operations, Quality Assurance, and Human Resources. I have solved very complex business challenges which confounded management, bringing them to resolution. I am able to bring out the strengths and talents of the existing management team to facilitate greater levels of cooperation and performance gains. Contact me to discuss the various vCIO/vCISO or Executive Management/Consultant/Advisor options available.

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                     Download vCIO/vCISO Brochure

Available via Annual Retainer/Per Meeting/Project/Hourly

Virtual CIO/CISO/IT Executive Advisor Services Include

• Aikinen Principles and Models Applied to Business and IT Challenges
• Department, Function, and Project Specific IT Solutions and Strategies
• Strategic IT & Business Thinking and Planning
• IT Security and Cybersecurity
• System Wide Evaluation/Audit of IT Processes and Security in the Organization
• Formulating Company IT Policy, Procedures, and Methods of Enforcement
• Innovative and Superior Software Design
• Software Project Management and Implementation
• Software Testing/Quality Assurance
• Hiring & Monitoring Performance of IT Staff or Executives
• Coaching IT Executives or Staff to Promote More "People Skills" in the IT Department
• Resolving "Problem" IT Staff or Attitudes/Coaching Difficult IT Executives/IT Standards of Conduct
• IT Governance and Internal IT Controls
• IT Strategy that Seeks to Align/Maximize Business Processes with Innovative Technological Solutions
• Advanced IT Think Tank Solutions and Ideas/Creating Efficiency
• Advanced Negotiation/Persuasion to Convince Departmental Heads/Other Managers to New Technologies
• Leveraging IT Technologies and Data Analysis/Science to Promote New Sales and Business Opportunities
• Building Improved Communications and Leadership between IT and other Business Departments
• Information Technology Roadmap and Digital Transformation Plan
• Independent Mediation and Resolution of Disputes between IT and Executive Management or Others
• Reducing or Eliminating Old Business/Long Standing IT Issues, Personality, and IT Team conflicts
• Efficiently Solving Business Challenges and Complexities Using advanced IT Solutions and Strategies
• IT Procurement/Purchasing/Communicating with Third Parties such as Vendors, Other Service Providers
• Superior IT Risk Management and Strategy/Advice
• Fielding Technology Requests/Changes from Outside Clients or Vendors
• Disaster Recovery Analysis/Business Continuity Planning/Strategy
• Creating an Agile DevOps Methodology
• Creating an Accurate Forecasting of IT Budget and Expenses
• IT Portfolio/Architecture/Change Management

Aikinen also offers 3 separate IT Risk Assessments as independent services in both Basic and Advanced forms. The IT/Technology Risk Assessment, the Software Design/Project Risk Assessment, and the Website Health/Errors/Security Risk Assessment.

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