CIOs to Watch in the U.S. 2024

In 2024, the role of Chief Information Officers (CIOs) in the U.S. is more critical than ever, as they navigate a rapidly evolving technological landscape and drive digital transformation across industries. The modern CIO is not only a technology leader but also a strategic business partner, playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of their organizations through innovation and efficiency.

Here are CIO’s to watch in the U.S. 2024: 

Anand Bahl: Micron Technology

Anand Bahl serves as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Corporate Vice President (CVP) at Micron Technology, Inc., where he oversees global technology teams responsible for enterprise applications, analytics, information security, and other business-aligned IT services. With over two decades of experience in IT and Finance across various industries, including chemical, textile, and technology, Anand has a proven track record of driving digital transformation and operational efficiency. Before joining Micron in July 2018, he held leadership positions at Vivint Smart Home, Symantec, Advanced Micro Devices, Koch Industries, and Dow Chemical. Anand holds an MBA in Finance and Operations and a Master’s in Inorganic Chemistry from Vanderbilt University.

 Atish Banerjea: Meta

Atish Banerjea serves as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Meta (formerly Facebook), a position he has held since October 2016. In this role, he leads the global Enterprise Engineering (EE) organization, overseeing Meta’s overall global enterprise engineering function. Banerjea’s responsibilities extend beyond traditional IT operations to include managing the corporate infrastructure connecting Meta’s worldwide offices and building tools and products for both employees and Workplace customers. With over two decades of experience in technology leadership roles at companies like NBCUniversal, Dex One, and Pearson, Banerjea has consistently driven digital transformation and operational efficiency. His approach focuses on creating people-centric enterprise solutions and building internal platforms tailored to Meta’s unique needs, contributing to the company’s rapid scaling and technological edge in the social media industry. 

Praniti Lakhwara: Zscaler

Praniti Lakhwara serves as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Zscaler, where she leads the company’s IT solutions and ensures a seamless experience for both customers and employees. Since joining Zscaler in 2021, she has focused on scaling the company rapidly, building a world-class IT organization, and creating a secure, robust infrastructure. Before Zscaler, she was the CIO at Conga and held senior IT leadership roles at Nimble Storage, Guidewire Software, and Align Technology. Praniti holds a BS in Aeronautical Engineering from Arizona State University and has been recognized as Bay Area CIO of the Year in 2017 by the Silicon Valley Business Journal and the San Francisco Business Times.

Sharon Mandell: Juniper Networks

Sharon Mandell is the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Juniper Networks, where she leads the global IT team in enhancing the company’s IT infrastructure and application architectures to support its growth objectives. Since joining Juniper in June 2020, Mandell has focused on leveraging IT to create seamless and delightful digital experiences for employees and customers. With over 26 years of experience in areas such as cybersecurity, enterprise architecture, and digital transformation, she previously held CIO roles at TIBCO Software and other leadership positions at Harmonic, Black Arrow, Knight Ridder, and the Tribune Company. Mandell is also passionate about supporting women in STEM and serves on various arts and education-related boards, including the computer science advisory board at Temple University.

Rani Johnson: Workday

Rani Johnson is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Workday, a role she assumed in March 2023. She leads Workday’s global IT organization, overseeing the internal deployment of Workday’s products, go-to-market applications, and enterprise-wide IT systems. With over 25 years of experience in technology roles, Johnson has held CIO positions at Cloud Software Group, TIBCO, and SolarWinds. Her career began at NASA Johnson Space Center, where she deployed code on the International Space Station. Johnson holds dual degrees in electrical and general engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and Spelman College, and has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in Technology by Technology Magazine.

Ponna Arumugam: MicroStrategy

Ponna Arumugam is the Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO) at MicroStrategy, a role she has held since November 2020. She leads the company’s global IT and customer operations, focusing on enhancing business intelligence and cloud technologies. Before joining MicroStrategy, Arumugam served as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at HCL, overseeing the Telecom, Media, Retail, and Technology verticals. She brings extensive experience in technology leadership, having held various executive roles throughout her career. Arumugam is based in Herndon, Virginia, and is recognized for her contributions to the tech industry.

Pinal Patel: Veeva Systems

Pinal Patel is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Veeva Systems, a role he assumed in 2022. He leads the global IT organization, focusing on enhancing the company’s internal digital infrastructure and supporting its cloud-based software solutions for the life sciences industry. Before becoming CIO, Patel served as Vice President of IT at Veeva. He holds a graduate degree from The Ohio State University and brings extensive experience in IT leadership. Patel is recognized for his contributions to advancing Veeva’s technological capabilities and supporting its mission to help life sciences companies bring new medicines and treatments to patients faster.

Milind Wagle: Equinix

Milind Wagle is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Equinix since September 2016. He leads the global IT organization, overseeing IT strategy, infrastructure, operations, and digital transformation initiatives. With over 25 years of technology leadership experience, Wagle has been crucial in enhancing Equinix’s employee and customer experiences through innovative solutions. He joined Equinix in 2010 and has played a key role in enabling the company’s global growth. Wagle holds a B.E. in electronics engineering from the University of Mumbai and has previous experience at VeriSign, KPMG Consulting, and Tata Interactive Systems.

Meerah Rajavel: Palo Alto Networks

Meerah Rajavel is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Palo Alto Networks, a role she assumed in April 2022. She leads the company’s global IT organization, driving comprehensive strategies to scale and deliver innovative solutions for worldwide teams. With extensive experience in technology leadership, Rajavel previously served as CIO at Citrix and held leadership positions at McAfee, Forcepoint, Cisco, and Infosys. She holds a Bachelor’s in Computer Science & Engineering from Thiagarajar College of Engineering at Anna University and an MBA from Santa Clara University. Rajavel is recognized for her contributions to the tech industry, having received numerous awards including being named one of Forbes CIO NEXT 2021’s 50 Innovative Technology Leaders.

Kristie Grinnell: DXC Technology 

Kristie Grinnell is the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO) at DXC Technology since December 2021. She leads the global IT strategy and operations, focusing on system integration, digital capabilities, and infrastructure stability. Grinnell oversees the DXC IT Experience team, which includes Applications Services, End User Experience, IT Transformation, and Enterprise Architecture and Analytics. Previously, she was the global CIO and VP for supply chain at General Dynamics Information Technology. Grinnell holds an MBA from Cornell University and has received notable awards, including the 2020 Capital CIO of the Year® ORBIE® Award and the 2021 National CIO of the Year® ORBIE® Award.


Kate Prouty: Akamai Technologies

Kate Prouty is the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Akamai Technologies. Since joining Akamai in 1999, she has led the company’s global IT organization, focusing on business transformation, global strategy, and the development and operation of applications and IT infrastructure. Prouty has been instrumental in enhancing user experiences for Akamai’s customers, employees, and partners through innovative solutions. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Keene State College and is a graduate of the Greater Boston Executive Program at MIT’s Sloan School of Management. Prouty also co-chairs the Executive Women’s Network at Akamai and serves on the board of directors for the nonprofit Delta Projects.


Juan Perez: Salesforce

Juan Perez is the Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Salesforce, a role he assumed in April 2022. He leads the global IT organization, driving digital strategy and overseeing the technical integration of newly acquired companies. Perez is responsible for Salesforce’s internal digital transformation to support growth and scale, implementing modern technologies including analytics, automation, artificial intelligence, and security. Prior to Salesforce, Perez spent over 30 years at UPS, where he last served as Chief Information and Engineering Officer. He holds a B.S. in industrial and systems engineering and an M.S. in computer and manufacturing engineering from the University of Southern California. Perez is recognized for his leadership in technology and diversity, having received awards such as the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Legacy Award and being named to the HITEC 100 list of influential Hispanic technology executives.

Jae Sook Evans: Oracle

Jae Sook Evans is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Executive Vice President of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Platform Services at Oracle, a position she has held since April 2020. In her dual role, she leads Oracle’s global IT organization, driving the company’s cloud transformation across thousands of environments and providing IT services to Oracle’s 170,000 employees worldwide. Evans also oversees OCI’s platform services, including commercial systems, core platforms, and ensuring security and compliance for OCI. With over 20 years of experience in building global technology teams, she has previously held leadership positions at Walmart, Saba Software, and Electronic Arts. Evans is passionate about diversity and inclusion, serving as the executive sponsor of D&I for OCI and participating in various Oracle Professional Asian Leadership and Women in Tech events.

Fletcher Previn: Cisco

Fletcher Previn is the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Cisco, a role he assumed in September 2022. He leads Cisco’s global IT organization, focusing on IT simplification, agility, and business transformation to empower Cisco’s 140,000 employees worldwide. Previn is also responsible for creating secure global IT at scale and serves as an executive sponsor for Cisco’s work with various US Government agencies. Prior to Cisco, he held leadership positions at IBM, including Global CIO. Previn has over two decades of experience in IT and is known for his expertise in driving digital transformation, Agile methodologies, and modern workplace solutions.