Video: Optus CIO Lawrie Turner
In this exclusive video interview, Optus chief information officer Lawrie Turner speaks to ZDNet.com.au about being the IT head for Australia's number two telco.
After a career that included stints in the retail, airline and travel sectors, Turner was appointed to the Optus role in August 2007. Although he enjoys the telecommunications industry due to its fundamental focus on technology, he confesses he is not a technologist and considers himself a true example of the modern business CIO.
Australian behemoths Coles and Qantas have both had the CIO on their books, organising the supermarket's IT transformation and overseeing the integration of Qantas' and Australian Airlines' IT systems.
The executive joined Optus just as its billing and customer care revamp — the Reitz program — was moving into its last stages, and was able to witness the company's relocation to new digs in Sydney's North Ryde.
Optus CIO on changes he's wrought
Optus CIO Lawrie Turner talks about what changes he has initiated since taking the job
Optus CIO talks datacentre rationalisation
Optus chief information officer Lawrie Turner talks about datacentre rationalisation at Australia's second largest telco.
Optus CIO talks mobile computing
Optus CIO Lawrie Turner talks about how the telco uses mobile computing internally.
Optus CIO Lawrie Turner talks about the size of Optus' operation.
Optus CIO Lawrie Turner talks about the telco's attitude towards open source software.
Optus CIO Lawrie Turner talks about the telco's attitude towards outsourcing.
Optus CIO talks billing migration
Optus CIO Lawrie Turner talks about the telco's Reitz program, an initiative to revamp its billing systems.
Optus CIO Lawrie Turner talks about the changing nature of the modern CIO role.