How much time do you spend with the marketing department? The common perception might be too much, with executives across the business expected to contribute to commercial and communication strategies. The tide, however, is tiding.

CIOs who shy away from interaction with the fluffy world of marketing are in for a shock. More and more IT leaders recognise they spend an ever-increasing proportion of their time with the chief marketing officer (CMO). The rise of social media and consumer devices means marketing and technology are colliding, providing a real opportunity for CIOs to shape how the business interacts with its customers.

“I spend more time now with the chief commercial officer, who is responsible to marketing, because of the criticality of social media,” said easyJet CIO Trevor Didcock, when asked by CIO Connect’s editor Mark Samuels whether he has spent more time with the marketing department during the past 12 months.  Read more here.

You can expect to hear similar views at CIO Connect’s annual conference on 4^th and 5^th November, where IT leaders from across the private and public sector will debate the rise of social media and its impact on the technology team. At Power to the People? How consumerisation is turning business inside out, we will hear from an experienced CMO who will state directly what they expect from a CIO and how the marketing/IT relationship will continue to develop.