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Description

Chief Information Officer: Framing, Prioritising and Steering the IT Function

Step up to CIO level on strategy, budgets and the relationship with business lines

  • 0.75 days — 5.25 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • All levels
  • Up to 6 participants

The chief information officer is expected to perform on two registers that are hard to hold together. Business lines demand fast answers while executive management asks for a legible roadmap and a controlled budget. In between, technical debt accumulates and trade-offs are made without explicit criteria.

This five-and-a-quarter-hour virtual module works on the CIO's posture and steering tools. It covers the construction of an IT master plan, the structuring of the project portfolio and the management of the IT budget. It then addresses the relationship with business lines and the control of security.

Learning objectives

  • Build an IT master plan aligned with the organisation's priorities
  • Structure and prioritise a project portfolio against explicit criteria
  • Build and defend an IT budget that distinguishes operating from capital spend
  • Organise the relationship with business lines and the management of suppliers
  • Steer security, continuity and compliance at your level of responsibility

What makes this programme different

The project portfolio is prioritised using a scoring grid built by the participants
The IT budget is broken down until it can be defended before an executive committee
Taking up the role is prepared as a first-weeks action plan

Programme

1Strategy and IT Master Plan

Setting a direction for the information system

  • Reading corporate strategy and translating it into requirements
  • Mapping applications and dependencies
  • Building the master plan and delivery horizons
  • Addressing technical debt and obsolescence

2Project Portfolio and Budget

Prioritising and funding

  • Project selection and prioritisation criteria
  • Governance and decision-making bodies
  • Budget structure between operating and capital spend
  • Cost tracking and rechargeing to business lines
  • Supplier and contract management

3Business Relationships and Risk Control

Holding an executive role

  • IT function organisation and key roles
  • Relationship with business lines and demand handling
  • Steering security and business continuity
  • Compliance and data protection
  • CIO communication towards executive management

Who is it for

Newly appointed chief information officers, along with IT managers and deputies preparing to take charge of an IT function.

Prerequisites

Hold an IT management responsibility or be preparing to take up a chief information officer role

Dates & locations

12 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.