iTnews Benchmark Awards 2016 are now open

When iTnews launched a series of CxO profiles exploring the effects of digital disruption on Australian businesses last year, little did we realise we'd be contributing to the latest industry buzzword.

A phrase coined by Deloitte to describe the changes - both positive and threatening - occuring in business due to advancements in technology has now become the topic of every presentation.

Uber and Airbnb are constantly thrown about as examples of how established industry models could be unseated by a clever idea. CIOs are constantly reminded that keeping the lights on and the systems running smoothly just isn’t enough.

It is against this backdrop iTnews launched this year’s Benchmark Awards yesterday at Sydney’s CIO Strategy Summit.

Through our awards program we seek to cut through the hype and get to the core of why so many of you have chosen technology as your career - because innovative technology can enable change at a pace and magnitude that outstrips other industries.

We’re proud to have showcased tech leaders and past winners including ING Direct's Simon Andrews, Deakin University chief digital officer William Confalonieri, former Commonwealth Bank CIO Michael Harte, and Domino’s Pizza CIO Wayne McMahon, among many distinguished others.

Now we want to know about innovative projects your IT team has delivered since last December.

It's a chance for your team to receive the recognition they deserve.

This year’s awards program will be iTnews' fourth, and following the lines we preach about growing and adapting, we’ve made some changes that we believe will enhance the Benchmarks.

Firstly, given the sheer volume of entries we receive from government entities, we've split the category into federal and state & local to give more of the public sector a fighting chance of attaining finalist status.

Last year we piloted a new way of announcing finalists, and have decided to make the event a mainstay of the program.

This year’s finalists will be announced at a cocktail party on November 25, 2015, at Sydney’s Hilton hotel. Past Benchmark alumni and this year’s entrants will be invited as well as representatives from the judging panels.

The judging for category winners - and ultimately the CIO of the year - will once again be thrown open to our LinkedIn CIO community. We believe this peer voting sets the Benchmark Awards apart from other programs in the industry.

Submit your iTnews Benchmark entries online or complete this form and email it to the editorial team. Submissions will close at midnight on October 30, 2015.

Good luck!