Technovation with Peter High (CIO, CTO, CDO, CXO Interviews) From Bottleneck to Accelerator: How NiSource’s CIO Repositioned IT as a Growth Engine
9 snips
Nov 27, 2025 In this engaging discussion, Waco Bankston, CIO at NiSource, shares insights from his extensive experience leading a major technology transformation. He highlights the shift from viewing IT as a bottleneck to embracing it as a business accelerator. Waco outlines a comprehensive six-year roadmap to modernize legacy systems and instill a new culture of urgency and integrity. He delves into governance strategies for AI and cybersecurity and the importance of adapting lessons from other industries to enhance decision-making and integration post-acquisition.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
IT As A Business Enabler
- IT should be the enabler of business strategy, not the long pole that slows progress.
- Repositioning IT to ask "How fast can you go?" changes its role from bottleneck to accelerator.
Confronting Heavy Outsourcing
- Waco found NYSource was ~82% outsourced when he arrived and saw limits to that model.
- He planned to shift the balance by modernizing platforms so strategic work stays in-house.
Plan A Multi-Year Full-Stack Roadmap
- Treat transformation as a multi-year program and design realistic timelines; Waco planned six to six-and-a-half years.
- Prioritize end-to-end replacements (asset, customer, finance) rather than piecemeal upgrades to reduce complexity.
