Guess it Wasn't the 'Best CIO Job in the World' After All

I have the best CIO job in the world. It used to be the case that the CIO existed to bring technology to business, but it’s our belief that’s vanishing. Increasingly now, the way our technology works is driving the business. The CIO of tomorrow is not a business service person; the CIO of tomorrow is a technologist who understands business in a different way.

- Former Google CIO Douglas Merrill, February 14, 2008

Google CIO Douglas Merrill is resigning from the company, reports PodTech founder John Furrier (And yes, we did independently confirm this. Twice.). He’ll join EMI Music as president of digital. Guess “the CIO of tomorrow” is the EMI president of the future …

Now why would a senior Google (GOOG) executive with no music-industry experience join the world’s fourth-largest record label, a label whose lousy digital licensing strategy sent Radiohead fleeing into the woods and inspired its pay-what-you-like pricing experiment? And beyond that, why would EMI hire him – aside from his unique taste in music (Nine Inch Nails and Megan Slankard?)?

Well, EMI is clearly desperate for someone, anyone who might help it more skillfully navigate the transition to digital distribution. And Merrill? No idea, really. He was a pre-IPO Google employee, so money is probably not an issue. Perhaps he’s looking for a challenge. If he is, he’s certainly found one in EMI.