Job Title : CIO and Head of BA Services

Organization : British Airways

Paul Coby was number one on the CIO50 list in 2007 and was present in the top 10 in 2008 and 2009. He joined British Airways (BA) in 1997 and became CIO in 2001, taking charge of the airline’s technology and IT-enabled business change.

In January this year he took over responsibility for financial shared services, property, business metrics and the application of Lean process across the airline.

During his tenure as CIO he has reduced the cost of running BA’s IT operation by 54 per cent and masterminded investments in the airline’s website and its online check-in capability. The IT group and Coby have won numerous awards as a result.

Prior to BA, Coby joined the civil service in the 1970s where he rose to private secretary to the Secretary of State for Transport. His oft-quoted business mantra is “there are no IT projects, only business projects”.

He is also chairman of the e-skills UK CIO Board. e-skills UK works with employees, educators and government to transform IT skills at all levels and ages in the UK economy and society.

Additionally, Coby chairs Sita, which is owned by the Air Transport Community and provides network services and IT solutions in 220 countries across the world.