On November 18, the achievements of 50 of Australia’s leading technology and digital executives were celebrated at the Sydney launch of the CIO50 awards program.

In this episode of The CIO Show, the last for 2021, CIO Australia’s editor-in-chief, Byron Connolly, speaks to Dr Steve Hodgkinson, CIO at the Victorian Department of Health, who placed number two in the list, and Helen Clifton, chief digital officer, who placed number three this year.

A CIO5o stalwart, Steve Hodgkinson has been a champion of agile in the Australian public sector He discusses the way technology has been used to help the healthcare sector deal with the worst pandemic in 100 years. He also discusses the impact of the platform+agile approach he developed and how it is being copied by other state government departments, local government councils, and health services.

Meanwhile, the media sector has undergone rapid change in recent years; the effects of digital disruption has been widespread and brutal. The ABC’s Clifton discusses how the organisation uses digital tools in engaging audiences, particularly around the delivery of key community services.

Hodgkinson and Clifton also talk about where they see the CIO role evolving over the coming years as organisations shift to more flexible, hybrid working environments.