Organization : Group IT Director

As group IT director at Standard Life, Keith Young is in charge of the organisation’s global IT operation focusing on greater efficiency and making sure the company is able to expand globally.

One of Young’s biggest challenges so far has been completing the IT programme that was prompted by the demutualisation of Standard Life in 2006.

Young graduated in geography but has been involved in IT for his entire professional career, working at Distillers Company and Bank of Scotland before moving to Standard Life 22 years ago.

He started as a business analyst before moving on to project management. He became IT development director in 1998 before becoming IT director in 2001 and assuming his current role last year.

Earlier this year Young explained to silicon.com what he thought was most important skill for a CIO: “Leadership – because when you are managing 1,000 people and a wide variety of functions, you cannot possibly know everything.

“What you need to know is who are the experts, who are the people you can rely on, whose judgement do you trust – and what support and encouragement can you give these people.”