We recently welcomed Jim Chilton to the Cengage team as our new Chief Information Officer. Jim brings with him a robust background in technology and software with 25 years of experience in both start-ups and larger businesses. He most recently led teams at Dassault Systemes where he supported the global, multi-billion dollar business first as CIO and then in a go-to-market strategy role for SaaS and cloud-based products.
Jim hit the ground running at Cengage and is already making an impact by helping students gain the confidence and momentum they need to achieve their education and life goals. Jim took a few minutes out of his schedule to chat with us about his background, vision for the role and life outside of the office.
What excites you about joining an education and technology company?
I am excited about joining Cengage for several reasons. First, as a career-long technology strategy guy, I get excited when I see digital product revolutions transform and improve customer experiences. I have a fair amount of experience helping to lead and support change and am eager to contribute to the transformation underway at Cengage.
Second, I am a father of four, with three kids currently enrolled in college. Additionally, I was a self-funded college student many years ago, and spent nights and weekends earning my Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and then my MBA. I was that non-traditional student we are now so committed to here at Cengage. I know how digital options would have helped me. And I see how digital is helping my kids today. I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to create greater learning experiences and outcomes for students.
What does the CIO at Cengage do—what will you be focused on?
The role of the CIO has changed dramatically in the past decade as companies, customers, employees, partners and other stakeholders have become increasingly bound together through technology. I will be working with the team to transform Cengage into a truly digital enterprise with integrated platforms that allow us to work better at every point on the customer lifecycle. Ultimately, this will help us realize our goal of better serving learners. Everything is in service of the customer.
Tell us a little more about yourself. What do you do in your free time?
Well, obviously my four incredible children get a lot of my attention, even with three of them being in college. I am a big sports car enthusiast and they are indeed my weakness. I am an avid workout fanatic and focus on HIIT workouts—or high intensity interval training. I still play beach volleyball in the summers and snowboard in the winters. At some point, my age will force me to turn instead to golf, but that is something I am putting off as long as possible.
A hearty welcome to Jim!
To read more about Jim check out these articles: