DEBESH KHATTOI
Chief Information Officer at National Co-op Grocers
Can you please provide a little introduction about yourself
I lead the Technology team at National Co-op Grocers, based out of St. Paul, Minnesota. I am based out of Dallas, Texas and we work remotely with travel once or twice a month as needed to HQ.
What path have you taken to your current position?
I started in technology, developing applications, and landed accidentally in the Retail sector where I have spent more than 25 years growing up the ranks in IT. I also have experience in the Banking and Insurance sectors.
Has it always been your vision to reach the position you’re at? Was your current role part of your vision to become a tech leader?
Yes, always wanted to lead a technology organization for a business and help transform it. That is what I am doing now.
Have you had a role model or mentor that has helped you on your journey?
Yes, I had multiple role models. Jeff Mader, Ken Kaiser, and TK Balaji are a few to cite.
How do you see the role of the technology leader evolving over the next 5 years?
Educates the business on the power that technology can bring, helps them prioritize and execute on the top priorities.
What skills do you think leaders of the future will need in order to thrive?
Learning and adapting at the pace of change driven in the industry, listening to their customer and partners, prioritizing, communicating successfully and collaborating to drive adoption.
Is there anything in particular that you would still like to achieve in your career or what is the next step on your journey?
Continue business/digital transformations as CIO.
What role do you see emerging technologies (e.g., AI, machine learning, blockchain) playing in your industry, and how are you preparing for them?
These technologies will revolutionize the way many mundane processes work in the current world and create bandwidth for higher-value work!
"Educate and tell the story in their language."
How do you measure and communicate the value and impact of technology initiatives to other business leaders and stakeholders?
Educate and tell the story in their language.
What has been your most significant achievement or proudest moment as a technology leader?
Driving a global team comprised of business partners, consulting partners, product vendor partners, and my employees to create an intelligent assortment and planogramming system that used machine learning, rules engine and optimization techniques, that was patent applied, and created immense value for my company getting the right products to the right stores to meet customer demands!
Can you share a book that has the most profound impact on shaping your professional journey and approach as a leader?
The Innovator's Dilemma, with a New Foreword by Clayton M. Christensen
His work is cited by the world's best-known thought leaders, from Steve Jobs to Malcolm Gladwell. In this classic bestseller—one of the most influential business books of all time—innovation expert Clayton Christensen shows how even the most outstanding companies can do everything right yet still lose market leadership.
Now with a foreword by Marc Benioff, the cofounder and CEO of Salesforce, Christensen explains why most companies miss out on new waves of innovation. No matter the industry, he says, a successful company with established products will get pushed aside unless managers know how and when to abandon traditional business practices.
A big thank you to Debesh Khattoi from National Co-op Grocers for sharing his journey to date.
If you would like to gain more perspective from Tech Leaders and CIOs you can read some of our other interviews here.