Anand Srinivasan, CIO at Akasa Air, redefined the CIO’s role as far more than technology; it’s about strategy, cost discipline, and leadership.
“In today’s boardrooms, the CIO isn’t just the tech guy anymore. You’re a strategist, a financial steward, a negotiator, and sometimes even a parent who must say no when everyone else wants a yes,” said Anand Srinivasan, Co-founder and CIO of Akasa Air, during his keynote session.
With humor, candor, and sharp insights, Srinivasan unpacked the evolving role of the CIO, drawing from his own journey in aviation and beyond. His message was clear: success in the digital age is no longer about coding prowess alone; it’s about vision, fiscal prudence, and people management.
The Expanding Role of the CIO
Gone are the days when CIOs could succeed solely as technologists. Today, Srinivasan argued, the role demands a broad portfolio of finance acumen, legal awareness, HR sensitivity, and the ability to manage a complex ecosystem of stakeholders.
“You’re not just running IT,” he emphasized. “You’re managing senior executives, business partners, your team, and vendors all while keeping the ship afloat in a rapidly changing tech landscape.”
Saying “No” as a Leadership Skill
In one of the keynote’s most memorable moments, Srinivasan likened CIO leadership to parenting teenagers. “If you don’t learn how to say no, you’ll break everything else,” he quipped. Whether it’s refusing insecure system requests or unrealistic business demands, the ability to hold firm is what preserves security, cost efficiency, and long-term strategy.
Building for the Long Game
Srinivasan cautioned against short-termism. He outlined a three-step roadmap for technology leadership:
Year 1 – Foundation: Establish the essential building blocks.
Year 2 – Path to Excellence: Build solutions with focus and speed.
Year 3 – Industry Leadership: Position as a global benchmark, not just a local competitor.
“The big picture is like the cover of a jigsaw puzzle,” he explained. “If you don’t know what the picture looks like, you’ll never get the pieces to fit.”
The Cost Trap CIOs Can’t Ignore
The hardest-hitting part of his talk was on cost. CIOs often clash with CFOs, but Srinivasan reframed the real danger: it’s not the large ticket items; it’s the hidden costs.
- Shelfware: Software bought but never used.
- Overlapping tools: Vendors selling similar solutions that confuse operations.
- Lazy design: Systems are patched instead of being properly built, creating mounting technical debt.
Hidden pricing models: “Pay-as-you-go” costs that silently balloon, much like compounding interest.
“You don’t hemorrhage in IT, you bleed slowly. It’s death by a thousand paper cuts,” Srinivasan warned.
Rethinking Data and Real-Time Obsessions
While real-time analytics is a corporate buzzword, Srinivasan challenged its blind adoption. Real-time, he said, is costly and should only be deployed when machines—not humans—need immediate decisions.
Instead, he advised segmenting data into three buckets:
- Historical (for trends)
- Live (for human monitoring)
- Event-triggered (for machine-to-machine automation)
This pragmatic approach, he noted, prevents waste and sharpens business focus.
The Five Traits of a Future-Proof CIO
Srinivasan closed by outlining what it takes to thrive as a CIO of tomorrow:
- Adaptive – Navigate ambiguity with ease.
- Fiscally minded – Innovation dies when the budget does.
- Influential – Shape both war-room and boardroom conversations.
- Visionary – See around corners with the help of partners.
- Inclusive – Build teams that combine tech expertise with business consulting skills.
“Stop hiring just coders,” he urged. “Hire storytellers who can sell your vision. Because if you don’t sell the story, the strategy never takes off, and it certainly won’t land.”