Human capital
Randstad Mexico
Up to 50 % lower total cost of technology and zero medium- or high-severity findings under GDPR, ISO 27001 and Mexico's data protection law (LFPDPPP).
Technology leadership
Your CIO, as a service.
I lead your company's technology so it drives growth instead of holding it back. Direction, control and results, without a full-time CIO on payroll.
31 years
in technology
17 years
as CIO, CTO or IT Director
Up to 50 %
lower total cost of technology
US$3 B
insurance portfolio run by fewer than 40 people
I have led technology at Randstad, ABC Medical Center, Genworth and CAME, and I serve as an independent board member at Conserva.
Sound familiar?
When technology has no direction, the business pays for it.
- Technology decisions are made without clear criteria, and every vendor recommends what it sells.
- IT spending keeps growing, but no one can explain the value it creates.
- Legacy systems slow down operations and transformation projects never finish.
- The board wants an artificial intelligence strategy and no one can define one with a clear return.
- An audit, a regulator or a security incident caught you by surprise.
- You want to drive a digital transformation and the only proposals you get are to buy more software.
- Your company has no CIO, or the one you had has left.
The problem is rarely technical. It is a leadership problem.
Why a CIO as a service
A CIO's experience, in the measure your company needs it.
An experienced full-time CIO is expensive and hard to find. Not having one costs more: projects that never finish, unfavorable contracts, risks discovered too late. With this model you get executive-level technology leadership with the time commitment your stage requires, and you can scale it up or down as your needs change.
Full-time CIO or CIO as a service.
| Criteria | Full-time CIO | Sawi as a Service |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Salary, bonus, benefits and executive search | Fixed monthly fee based on time commitment |
| Flexibility | Fixed position, hard to adjust | Commitment scales up or down with the company's stage |
| Ramp-up | Months of search and onboarding | Assessment in weeks, with a plan from day one |
| Specialists | Additional hiring for each topic | A network of specialists I bring in when the topic calls for it |
| Confidentiality | Confidentiality obligations under the employment contract | The same level: a non-disclosure agreement signed before the assessment, also binding on the specialists in my network |
| Independence | Depends on the internal structure | No products to sell: I recommend what is right for you |
What's included
Seven fronts, one direction.
CIO as a Service is my core service: it brings these fronts together according to what your company needs. Each one can also be engaged on its own, as a project.
01
CIO as a Service
My core service: ongoing technology leadership, fractional or interim, that brings the other fronts together.
02
AI strategy and adoption
Use cases with a clear return, a roadmap and risk governance.
03
Transformation and core systems
ERP, CRM, ATS, financial back end and any system at the heart of your operations: from business case to go-live.
04
Data, BI and analytics
Reliable information for decision-making, with data governance and executive dashboards.
05
Cybersecurity, risk and compliance
Risk assessment, remediation and audit readiness.
06
IT costs and vendors
Total cost of technology under control and contracts that work in your favor.
07
Board and committee advisory
Independent visibility into technology, risk and investment.
How I work
We start by understanding. At no cost.
Complimentary assessment
A 45-minute initial call with your leadership team and a 2- to 5-day assessment. I deliver a summary of the main findings and how serious they are.
Executive assessment
Root causes, quantified impact, priorities and a roadmap. Its fee is credited if you engage the CIO service.
Plan and priorities
Together we define what to address first and which results to measure.
Leadership and follow-through
I take part in decisions, lead the team and the vendors, and report to management and the board.
Cases
Results you can measure.
Healthcare
ABC Medical Center
Over 40 % of the technology stack renewed and cloud savings of up to MXN 20 million in a single year.
Insurance
Genworth
A US$3 billion portfolio run by fewer than 40 people.
Specialist network
One accountable lead. A network behind it.
I am your single point of contact and I am accountable for the outcome from start to finish. When a topic needs a dedicated expert, I bring in specialists from my trusted network. They work under my direction and only join when the project calls for it. You get the continuity of a team without paying for a fixed structure.
- Cybersecurity
- Data and BI
- Artificial intelligence
- Implementation
- Compliance
About Sawi
An operator's experience, not just an advisor's.
I have spent 31 years in technology and 17 leading it as CIO at companies in financial services, insurance, healthcare, human capital and consumer goods. I have managed annual budgets of over US$10 million and teams of more than 200 people. Today I put that experience to work for CEOs and boards who need technology to deliver.
See my backgroundFrequently asked questions
What clients usually ask me.
When does a CIO as a service make sense?
When technology has become critical to the business but a full-time CIO is not yet justified, during a leadership transition, or when a major change is coming (a core system, the cloud or AI) and you need experienced leadership. I do not recommend it when all of the execution would depend on me or my network, or in companies where technology carries little weight in the business.
What exactly does it involve?
Defining a technology strategy aligned with the business, prioritizing investments, overseeing vendors and projects, anticipating risks, and reporting to management and the board in terms of value and risk.
How is it different from traditional consulting?
A consulting firm delivers a study and leaves. Here the relationship is ongoing: I take part in decisions and I am accountable for results, not hours.
What kind of company is it for?
Mid-sized and large companies in Mexico and Latin America. I work mainly with three kinds of organization: regulated non-bank financial institutions, such as savings and loan companies, specialized lenders, credit cooperatives, insurers and leasing companies; private healthcare organizations, such as hospitals, laboratories and clinic chains; and companies becoming more professionally managed, in any industry: family businesses formalizing their management, companies with an investment fund or board, or companies going through a change such as a merger or a new core system.
How much does it cost?
I work on a fixed monthly fee that depends on the time commitment you need. The first step, the initial assessment, is complimentary, and based on its findings I propose concrete options.
Does it replace my IT department?
No. It leads and complements it. Your team keeps running operations; I bring direction, judgment and control.
How does it work with my team?
Through agreed regular meetings, participation in the IT committee and a direct line to the CEO. Scope and response times are put in writing from the start.
What if a specialist is needed?
I bring one in from my network, they work under my direction, and you receive a single proposal and a single invoice.
Let's talk about your technology.
In a first, complimentary conversation we review where your company stands and what to address first.