I get asked this question regularly when taking role briefs:
“What should our next XXXX look like?”
I've chosen to focus on the CIO role here, because it's probably the role where I'm asked for the most input.
Having placed a lot of CIOs over the years, I can certainly offer a view on the backgrounds, experiences and capabilities I've seen work in different businesses and markets.
But I'm increasingly reluctant to answer that question without asking another one first:
➡️ “What does the business actually need this person to deliver?”
Because there isn't a universally right CIO profile.