Spotlight on Mark Booth

As Chief Information Officer at Perdue Farms, I lead the company’s technology strategy, digital transformation, cybersecurity, enterprise architecture, data, and business modernization initiatives. My current focus is helping the organization leverage technology, AI, and process transformation to create sustainable competitive advantages while modernizing core business capabilities.

I am passionate about connecting technology investments directly to business outcomes and operational performance. Outside of work, I am an avid Masters swimmer and enjoy challenging myself through continuous training and competition. 

Learn more about the Washington, DC CIO community here.
 

Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.

My career has been built at the intersection of business transformation and technology leadership. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to lead large-scale modernization efforts, enterprise application initiatives, cybersecurity programs, and organizational transformations across multiple industries. Those experiences reinforced a simple belief: technology creates the most value when it is tightly aligned to business strategy and operational execution.

Today, as CIO of Perdue Farms, I am fortunate to help guide one of the industry’s most significant digital transformation journeys while preparing the organization for the opportunities created by artificial intelligence. 
 

What is one of your guiding leadership principles?

Lead with clarity, ownership, and transparency. 

Teams perform at their best when they understand the mission, know what success looks like, and feel empowered to make decisions. I strive to create an environment where people are encouraged to challenge assumptions, learn continuously, and take ownership of outcomes. 
 

What is the greatest challenge CIOs face today, and how are you addressing it?

The biggest challenge facing CIOs today is balancing rapid innovation with disciplined execution. Artificial intelligence is creating tremendous opportunities, but leaders must simultaneously modernize legacy environments, strengthen cybersecurity, improve data quality, and deliver measurable business results. 

At Perdue Farms, we are addressing this challenge by focusing on strong governance, modernizing our digital foundation, and ensuring AI investments are aligned with strategic business outcomes. We view AI not as a stand-alone technology initiative, but as a capability that must be integrated into business processes, operating models, and decision-making to create lasting value. 
 

What is the key to success for someone just starting out as a CIO?

Spend more time understanding the business than the technology. 

Early in a CIO role, it is tempting to focus on systems, applications, and infrastructure. Those are important, but the most successful CIOs understand customers, operations, finance, and strategy first. Build relationships across the organization, earn trust through execution, and always translate technology decisions into business outcomes. If you can connect technology investments to growth, efficiency, risk reduction, or customer value, you’ll become a strategic partner rather than simply a technology leader. 
 

How do you measure success as a leader?

I measure success in three ways: 

1. Business Impact — Are we creating meaningful outcomes for the company, our customers, and our operations? 
2. Team Growth — Are we developing leaders, expanding capabilities, and creating opportunities for people to succeed? 
3. Sustainable Change — Have we built processes, capabilities, and a culture that will continue to deliver value long after a project is complete? 
    

What is the value of being a member of Gartner C-level Communities?

The greatest value of Gartner C-level Communities is the ability to learn from peers who are facing similar challenges. Technology leadership can often feel unique to your organization, but many of the most important issues—from AI governance and cybersecurity to talent development and transformation—are shared across industries. The community provides a trusted environment to exchange ideas, challenge assumptions, and accelerate learning through real-world experiences. Those connections often become one of the most valuable assets a leader can have. 

Governing Body members share their insights and leadership perspectives to shape the agendas and topics that address the top priorities impacting business leaders today.