Top 5 CIO influencers to follow on social media

Today's CIO is expected to be a strategist and innovator, responsible for guiding organizations through AI adoption, digital transformation and continuous change. Keeping up to date with these trends and changes can require constant exposure to fresh perspectives and real-world insight.  

Learn more about ways CIOs can reduce tech debt.  

Social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, have become increasingly valuable for professionals seeking guidance from fellow CIOs and technology executives. Influencers and thought leaders use social media to share research, leadership insights and lessons from their own transformation journeys. For CIOs, following peers online is more than simply networking. It is an efficient way to gain insight, validate strategy and become part of a community.  

The influencers below are active thought leaders on social media, regularly sharing educational insights on all aspects of the modern CIO's role, and were selected due to high activity and follower counts on the social platform, LinkedIn.  

1. Atish Banerjea

Atish Banerjea is a CIO at Meta and is a member of the board of directors for both hibu and Nelson Education. His previous roles include executive vice president and CIO at NBCUniversal, where he led global technology strategy. Banerjea has also held other senior technology leadership positions at Dex One, Pearson and Simon & Schuster.  

With over 20 years of experience, Banerjea has several awards and recognitions to his name, including:  

• Voted number one CIO in North America in 2023 by Technology Magazine. 

• A member of the ‘CIO Hall of Fame’. 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atishbanerjea/  

2. Jim Fowler

Jim Fowler is CTO at Nationwide Insurance. His previous roles include CIO at GE and Director at Lumen Technologies. In addition to maintaining an active presence on social media, Jim makes event appearances, such as the Métis Strategy Summit in October 2025, and participates in podcasts, including the Tech Whisperers podcast. Jim discusses AI, the digital workforce and the future of innovation.  

In addition to his work at Nationwide Insurance, Fowler serves on the Information Systems Advisory Board at Miami University. Fowler is also on the board of Year Up United, a non-profit focused on workforce development and skills training.  

In 2017, Jim Fowler was granted the Forbes CIO Innovation Award.  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrfowler/  

3. Kathryn Guarini

Kathryn Guarini is the founder of Inspiring Innovation LLC, an advisory practice helping companies advance responsible innovation. Guarini was previously the CIO at IBM. Guarini's main area of expertise is in digital transformation and innovation, and is the author of the Mother of Invention blog, a digital journal detailing Guarini's insights as a "transformation leader." 

Guarini has been recognized as one of the top 10 female CIOs in North America by Business Chief.  

Rosa Heaton is a content manager for the IT Strategy group at Informa TechTarget.