SMART COOKIES: Geeks at the sharp end - IT used to be a grey, back-office function. Now it's out there in the open, a vital element in the CEO's evolving strategies for the company's future

Why is IT in the CEO's spotlight?

Number one, it's the internet and e-commerce, stupid. Number two, the focus of IT effort and opportunity is switching from the back office (accounting, enterprise resource planning) to the front office (customer interaction).

So the technology is becoming the business model and the customer experience. If you're a non-techie CEO, you can't hide from technology any more - and you need 100% confidence that your IT director is on top of their game.