No place on the top table for techies

Research out today reveals that not one CEO in charge of a FTSE 100 firm has a background in IT. Which while it perhaps isn't surprising, it is slightly worrying.

IT has been the driving force behind big business for the past 10 years - and not just the high-tech firms, but every kind of business from financial institutions to large manufacturers. It has been IT which has been at the fore in the development of all major brands, and yet recognition of this fact seems to be muted.

It appears IT is still something which should be seen and not heard - behind the scenes magic which happens while the important people are at home asleep. It's there, it works and beyond that it has no place in the considerations of shareholders.

It is clearly assumed that techies have no skills beyond fiddling with switches and therefore, it would be a wasteful luxury to pay them a CEOs wage. Inherent in this thinking isn't the assumption that IT is of no use - far from it, it is as important as the walls and ceilings which hold any office together - but rather the assumption that the roll of technology starts and ends at the server room threshold.

The irony here is that IT directors who have steered companies through a downturn which was inextricably linked to technology are probably among the best positioned to understand the nature of modern business as we - hopefully - exit that downturn.

However, it goes without saying that it is still very much 'who you know' rather than what you know that will stand you in good stead for that ultimate promotion.

Old school ties still carry far more weight in the boardroom than an in-depth knowledge of your company's business processes and the tech-minded are likely to have to wait a lot longer for that situation to change.