At AstraZeneca David Smoley's implementation of multiple new cloud solutions has cut total IT cost by $150m, boosted customer satisfaction by 16 percentage points, improved critical system stability by 80% and greatly increased responsiveness to incident resolution and speed of programme delivery. The next step? To bring visibility and accessibility to the data the business wants and needs, and be able to move, share and analyse it quickly and easily. When did you start your current role as global CIO at AstraZeneca?April 2013. What is your reporting line?COO. Do you meet with and discuss business strategy with the CEO every week?No. It depends on many factors and can range from monthly to several times in a week. Are you a member of the board of directors?No. What other executive boards do you sit on?None. Does your organisation have a CDO?No. What non-technology responsibilities do you have in the organisation?None. How many employees does your organisation have?65,000. Does your organisation carry out significant trade in the EU?Yes. How many users does your department supply services to?65,000+. How do you ensure that you have a good understanding of your business and how your customers use your business's products?That is a critical part of my team's mission. We have teams that align with business teams and are responsible for understanding and enabling business strategy and capability. I spend 40% of my time discussing business issues with business leaders and my teams. AstraZeneca technology strategy and agenda Is your organisation being disrupted by the internet, mobility or technology-oriented start-ups?Yes. Are you empowered by your organisation to disrupt from the inside?Yes. Describe a disruptive measure you’ve led or played a major part in?Simplified and improved existing business processes by implementing multiple new cloud solutions globally, including Workday (HR), Office365 (email, calendar, file sharing), ServiceNow (ITIL+), Salesforce.com (CRM), Box.com (sync and store), Docusign (workflow, electronic signature), etc. Built and deployed a global medical academy linking medical reps around the world for information sharing. What major transformation project has been recently completed or is under way at your organisation?Significantly improving speed, quality and cost of IT service as well as innovation while reducing cost by 50%. What impact will the above transformation have on your organisation?In 2014 we reduced total IT cost by $150m, which provided additional funding for drug development programmes. At the same time we improved customer satisfaction by 16 percentage points, improved critical system stability by over 80% and greatly increased our responsiveness for incident resolution and speed of program delivery. How has your leadership style contributed to the outcomes of the transformation project?I am a passionate technologist, so I enjoy and get personally involved in technical decisions and solutions. I am also a credible business leader, so I communicate effectively and proactively with the business from the CEO down to the lab/factory/sales office. My style is very collaborative and entrepreneurial, and we are creating an environment that encourages and rewards innovation. What key technologies do you consider enable transformation?Cloud and mobile are the two most transformative technologies. Much of transformation is technology-enabled, although agile methodology is a key enabler as are lean concepts. Are you increasing the number of cloud applications or infrastructure in use at your organisation?Yes. What is your information and data analytics vision for the organisation?To understand and inventory what data we have. To understand and consider what data we want/need, have visibility and accessibility to it and be able to move, share and analyse it quickly and easily. To have no internal/external boundaries or barriers except those required by regulation. How is mobile and social networking impacting operations and customer experience?Mobile is on the verge of transforming medical care and health. Figuring out how to enable this and take advantage of it is a focus area. Internally, mobile is our primary consideration when developing and deploying solutions. Social is an opportunity with less clear impact and effectiveness, and we have deployed technology here with results to be determined later this year. Describe your strategic vision towards shadow IT and BYOD. How do you influence and engage executives and employees around choice?We have clear policy and guidelines around the selection and implementation of technology as well as services. Our strategy is to be proactively collaborative and helpful and to offer the lowest cost and highest value solutions so there is no need or desire for shadow solutions. Who are your main suppliers?Oracle, SAP, IBM, Cognizant, HCL, Infosys, Deloitte, Accenture, Microsoft, SAS, plus previously mentioned companies. AstraZeneca IT security and budget Has your organisation detected a cyber intrusion in the last 12 months?Yes. Has cyber-security risen up your management agenda?Yes. Does your organisation understand the potential cyber-security threats it faces?Yes. Has this led to an increase in your security budget?No. What is the IT budget?$1bn. How much is the IT operational spend compared to the revenue as a percentage?4%. What is the strategic aim of the CIO and IT operations for the next financial year?To support and enable the business to achieve its goals, provide innovative business solutions, make AZ a great place to work through simplification, and to continue to deliver on the IT transformation journey. Are you finding it difficult to recruit the talent you need to drive transformation?No. Has recruitment and retention risen up your agenda as a CIO?Yes. Are you looking for recruits in the EU to fill the skills shortage you have?Yes. Does your IT organisation operate an apprenticeship scheme?Yes. AstraZeneca technology department How would you describe your leadership style?Collaborative, team-oriented, empowering, driving, networking, experimenting. Explain how you’ve supported and developed your senior leadership team to support your overall objectives and visionRecruited great leaders, engaged and included them in strategy and decision-making, enabled them to be effective in their roles and with each other, and encouraged them to work together to solve problems for the business. How many employees are in your IT team?2,500 internal. What is the split between in-house/outsourced staff?Was 70% out and 30% in, moving to 30% out and 70% in by 2017. Does your team include key skilled workers from the EU?Yes.