The Harry Fox Agency uses a metrics-based approach to link IT with business decisions and capture new sources of revenue.

Center for CIO Leadership

Center for CIO Leadership Member Case Study

In a rapidly shifting business environment, the IT group at the Harry Fox Agency (HFA) was confronted with the challenge of aligning more closely with the music rights licensing organization's strategic direction. To address this, the CIO instituted a disciplined project portfolio approach driven by metrics that linked the business heads to the IT planning process. In a market with declining revenues, this has allowed HFA to make the appropriate investment to capture new sources of revenue and stay ahead of the curve.

In early 2007, after wrapping up a multi-year technology transformation, the IT group at HFA had to re-focus its efforts on new projects, balance competing priorities from different business heads and strive to align its work with the company's four or five areas of strategic focus. Senior Vice President and CIO Lou Trebino saw the opportunity to align IT's effort and investment decisions with the strategic planning of the business. The team recognized that in order for HFA to differentiate itself in a highly competitive and dynamic marketplace, it required continuous technology-driven business innovation. Lou quickly initiated a strategy that required IT to integrate with the business units, enabling a more directed approach to innovation and new opportunities for revenue.

This strategy involved:

• Confronting market challenges
• Evolving metrics to understand true ROI
• Moving to business-driven IT management

Trebino's IT focus was put to the test in 2009 when HFA had to modify all of its key systems for a new complex rate structure to comply with government regulations. This case provides lessons learned from this experience and the enormous benefits of now being an integral part of HRA's ongoing business proposition.

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