CPOs replace CIOs but support CSOs and CTOs

The increasing importance of business transformation has led to the creation of a new C-level title - the Chief Process Officer (CPO).

One company leading the charge is McAfee which has created the new role for Bill Curtis.

He was previously CPO at Borland. His primary responsibility is to create a corporate project management office inside McAfee, develop corporate business processes and implement internal processes backing up corporate security offerings.

Gartner Asia Pacific vice president John Roberts said the role of a CPO is to drive internal business process improvement.

Roberts said previously the role was undertaken by chief information officers (CIOs).

But the creation of the new CPO role, he said, is indicative of the increasing importance of "transforming a business."

"The CPO is rising out of a new interest in business process management as a discipline and in some organizations it came out of using Six Sigma; it is all about appointing someone to drive internal process improvements," Roberts said.

In addition to a CPO, McAfee has also announced two more C-level appointments.

The company has appointed Martin Carmichael to the role of chief security officer (CSO) and Carl Banzhof as chief technology evangelist.

Carmichael will be responsible for McAfee's internal IT risk assessment, compliance and protection of intellectual assets as well as physical security.

Banzhof also holds the title of vice president, and is charged with driving unified architecture within McAfee as well as explaining the company's direction to customers and partners alike.

According to a McAfee press release, these three roles ease development of innovative products and services, as well as increase efficiency within McAfee operations.

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