Critical.
Authoritative.
Strategic.
Subscribe to CIO Magazine »

Q&A: CIO of Mr Rental, Brad Rappell

Rappell talks about the rental appliances industry, e-commerce plans and his Windows phone
Mr Rental CIO, Brad Rappell.

Mr Rental CIO, Brad Rappell.

Brad Rappell, CIO of Mr Rental, has only been in the CIO role for five months but he has already begun a number of Cloud projects at the Brisbane-based rental appliances company, including an implementation of Microsoft Office 365 across 90 stores in Australia and New Zealand.

The Cloud projects are designed to move the majority of the company’s infrastructure into a private Cloud.

Rappell spoke with CIO Australia about the home appliances and furniture rental market, how the company is improving its online customer services and the challenge of keeping IT relevant.

What does an average work day involve for you at Mr Rental?

Research. I spend the first hour and a half of every day reading IT publications so that we are abreast of what [technology] is breaking in the market. That’s so we know what computer hardware is going to be relevant for customers to rent and what IT innovations are out there that we could use.

I also work with the business, my internal IT team and partners on strategic IT plans that will produce tangible benefits for Mr Rental.

What are some of the challenges you face in the role of CIO?

Being relevant is a big challenge. For Mr Rental, technology isn’t about the nuts and bolts of IT and I would love to call my role business improvement officer because that’s where we are getting to as an organisation.

What are some of the projects you have been working on?

Our online presence is critical to our success so I would like to simplify the process of renting more items and also expand the corporate rental side of the business.

A lot of young professionals are turning to us because they want the latest Macintosh computer or smartphone and they can upgrade the device when they choose to. That corporate market is growing because the bring your own device [BYOD] model is becoming far more acceptable in businesses.

What are the three biggest issues facing CIOs today?

The agility to meet the requirements of the business which is moving faster and faster.

Consumerisation of IT and how to provide a high level of service to a sophisticated market.

Evolution as the industry evolves.

CIOs need to have a seat at the table and be recognised as an asset to the business rather than the traditional IT person keeping the lights on.

What’s your favourite gadget?

I am really happy with my Windows phone. It’s easy to use and integrates with Office applications.

Follow Hamish Barwick on Twitter: @HamishBarwick

Follow CIO Australia on Twitter: @CIO_Australia

Related Articles

  1. From CMO to CEO: Anametrix’s Pelin Thorogood

    CMO

Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.

More about: Microsoft
References show all
Comments are now closed.
Related Whitepapers
Latest Stories
Community Comments
Latest Blog Posts
Whitepapers
  • 2013 Global Information Security Survey: Initial findings
    The results of PwC’s annual Global Information Security Survey indicate that companies are confident in their efforts to secure systems, information, and privacy. Strategies and personnel are in place, they say, and processes and technology are humming along. The number of incidents reported seems manageable. Read more.
    Learn more »
  • Leading Through Connections – Insights from the Global Chief Executive Officer Study
    IBM’s 2012 Global CEO study follows face-to-face discussions with more than 1,700 CEOs and senior public sector leaders from around the globe. The findings examine how CEOs are responding to the complexity of increasingly interconnected organisations, markets, societies and governments. For example, almost one-quarter of CEOs say their organisations operate below par in terms of driving value from data. CEOs have expressed frustration about their inability to capitalise on available information. This is because: “The time available to capture, interpret and act on information is getting shorter and shorter.” CEO, Chemicals and Petroleum, United States Given the need for deeper business insight, the best performing organisations are more adept at converting complex data into insights, and insights into action. Download Entire Report Now.
    Learn more »
  • Best Practices for Migrating to SharePoint 2013
    This white paper details a number of best practices for migrating to SharePoint 2013. These best practices also apply to migrations to most earlier versions of SharePoint. Download now.
    Learn more »
All whitepapers
rhs_login_lockGet exclusive access to Invitation only events CIO, reports & analysis.
Recent comments