Linda Cooke
Group CIO
Chaucer Group
Linda Cooke is the CIO at Chaucer Group, where she oversees the strategic planning and execution of enterprise IT systems. With nearly 30 years of experience in the financial services sector, Linda has been instrumental in driving large transformation initiatives and leading teams through M&A.
Linda joined Lloyds TSB in 1995 not knowing how to work a computer. After 18 years in banking, she moved to insurance to Chubb (a global P&C insurer) and undertook various roles, leaving Chubb as the head of consumer lines IT across 24 countries accountable for all IT across three lines of business.
Linda is a board trustee of the Nene Park Trust charity, a large parkland providing recreation, education and conservation.
She is a passionate gardener, loves to watch sports, especially rugby. She also enjoys travel, food and outdoor activities such as walking.
Learn more about the UK & Ireland CIO community here.
Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.
I started as a trainee IT operator and have worked in development, project management, service introduction, business technology manager and head of IT roles.
What is one of your guiding leadership principles?
One of my guiding leadership principles is leading by example and being a catalyst for change. Change is constant, and as a leader, we define it, drive it and must champion change to be responsive to the evolving business landscape.
What is the greatest challenge CIOs face today?
The greatest challenge is to be a data-driven organisation with the mission to provide trusted data that is easy to use and understand with connected user experiences.
What is the key to success for someone just starting out as a CIO?
The key to success is stakeholder management and networking. It can be a lonely job if you let it be.
How do you measure success as a leader?
I measure success by happy consumers of IT, growth of individuals and team spirit.
What is the value of being a member of the Evanta community?
It provides a ready-made network to share and explore your thoughts.
Evanta Governing Body members share their insights and leadership perspectives to shape the agendas and topics that address the top priorities impacting business leaders today.
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