Transforming IT from cost center to catalyst [Video]

How the CTO of the General Bank of Canada remade the IT department from a service department to a strategic partner. Also, learn why she believes AI’s primary influence in the enterprise will be on culture rather than technology.

Credit: Tina Mathas, CTO, General Bank of Canada

Until recently, technology was often seen as a mere expense rather than a catalyst for innovation and business growth. While this perception persists in many organizations, a shift is underway. Studies like Foundry’s 2024 State of the CIO report reveal a dramatic change in attitude. A striking 79% of surveyed CIOs now view their role as a collaborative partner in educating and guiding CEOs and boards.  

My experience aligns with this trend.  

Our IT evolution  

Having worked primarily in traditionally structured industries like oil and gas, government, education and finance, I’ve witnessed firsthand how technology was once considered a commodity, a cost center.  

In 2015, we attempted to introduce the concept of big data and its potential applications for the oil and gas …