Need some CIO inspiration? We\u2019ve got that too. Check out our top CIO list<\/a>\u2014and find out how they\u2019re knocking their metrics out of the park.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n Company<\/strong>: The Coca-Cola Company Katitja Molele<\/a> is an experienced senior manager with a history that spans across industries\u2014from engineering to consulting, banking to fast-moving consumer goods. For nearly three years, he\u2019s been leading and managing the innovation portfolio for Coca-Cola Africa Operating, based in Johannesburg, South Africa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to being proactive and flexible for the sake of efficiency, he explains<\/a> the importance of teams working together toward the same problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We are a very networked and integrated team\u2014we see challenges down the line, and we address them much earlier on.<\/strong> When COVID-19 hit, we knew we needed to stop introducing complexity<\/strong>. What we did was pause our innovation agency. \u2018Let\u2019s stop for now and let\u2019s look at the things that are working.\u2019 It was about reprioritization and balance and making sure the resources we had were in the right places.<\/p><\/blockquote> Company<\/strong>: Indra Mercedes Martinez Sanz<\/a> is a Madrid-based PMO Manager with deep project management experience and a background that encompasses software development<\/a> projects and consultancy. A passionate advocate for both methodologies and standards, Mercedes served as a member of the Core Committee for the 5th Edition of the PMBOK Guide<\/a> and has collaborated as a subject matter expert on other relevant projects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She was also involved in the ISO 21500 Standard on Project Management and ISO 21502 on Project and Program Portfolio Management. She\u2019s a member of the Board of Directors on the PMI Madrid Spain Chapter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019re impressed by her powerhouse background and her commitment to using new technology to create efficiencies and focus for her teams as she has previously explained at the Project Management Institute<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Artificial intelligence is going to play a role in analytics and should be incorporated in PMOs. Let the machines do the work around data and project managers should focus more on the human part.<\/p><\/blockquote> Company<\/strong>: Rivian A seasoned project\/program manager and PhD-holder, Cathy Hoenig\u2019s<\/a> experience with large, complex, cross-functional initiatives<\/a> in tech and manufacturing has led her from the University of Phoenix to Boeing to Exemplis and finally Rivian, where she serves as Senior Manager and People PMO. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to prioritizing employee engagement, Cathy has some solid insights we can all learn a thing or two from. In a recent piece on How PMOs Can Scale a Change-Ready Culture<\/a>, she explained how company culture and her PMO are linked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The people PMO team has a huge influence on directing the culture<\/strong>. We need to find innovative ways to engage the employees. And we need to ensure that they\u2019re safe, productive and happy.<\/p><\/blockquote> It might sound straightforward, but this hyper-focus on directing culture is just the type of simple, elegant solution that makes a real impact. Since hiring Cathy in 2021, Rivian has nearly quadrupled its employee headcount. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Keeping up with that kind of growth requires simple, elegant solutions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Company<\/strong>: Convene With a background spanning consumer retail, B2B software<\/a>, hospitality, and commercial real estate, Maggie Davis<\/a> was appointed PMO in 2022 and has been driving efficiency and championing strong teams at Convene ever since. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As she explained a few years ago<\/a>, when it comes to customer retention, designing with the end user in mind is part of her secret sauce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I think we\u2019re taking traditionally mundane experiences, e.g. badging into an office, getting notified about events, finding a meeting room, and attempting to bring some color to how employees interact with physical spaces. While landlords are the companies that invest in the technology, the actual end-user is the office employee and we\u2019re designing with them in mind, which is pretty cool.<\/p><\/blockquote> Company<\/strong>: Dropbox Allison Vendt<\/a> is an experienced leader, strategic thinker, and change management<\/a>-focused professional leading Dropbox\u2019s shift to Virtual First with a core team of eight. Her rise at Dropbox was preceded by time at The Forem and Stanford, as well as independent consulting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She made it onto our radar both because we\u2019re impressed with Dropbox\u2019s shift and because her insights about customer retention she recently expressed at her organization<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPlaying Offense With Efficiency<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Katitja Molele<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Title<\/strong>: Innovation PMO Senior Manager<\/p>\n\n\n\nInvesting in Technology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Mercedes Martinez Sanz<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Title<\/strong>: PMO Manager<\/p>\n\n\n\nPrioritizing Employee Engagement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Cathy Hoenig<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Title<\/strong>: Senior Manager, People PMO<\/p>\n\n\n\nPlanning for Long-term Customer Retention<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Maggie Davis<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Title<\/strong>: Vice President, PMO<\/p>\n\n\n\nAllison Vendt<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Title<\/strong>: Senior Director, Global Head of People PMO, People Analytics, and Virtual First at Dropbox<\/p>\n\n\n\n