CIOs have always been a worried lot ever since the global recession was announced late last year. Faced with the challenge of doing more with less, they have been forced to abandon earlier best practices, think innovatively and come up with ideas that will help them ride the recession wave.

CIO Klub, brainchild of Shirish Gariba, CIO, Elbee Express, and some of his CIO colleagues, is just the platform that IT managers across the country need at this moment. The CIO Klub launched its Delhi chapter on Friday, June 19, at the InterContinental Eros. This association is one of a kind, which is managed by CIOs and promises to offer a platform to ideate, collaborate and communicate for 'decision-making technology executives'.

The CIO Klub's sole mission is to facilitate experience sharing, enhance knowledge and explore business solutions. The KLUB, in association with the media, will also organise sessions by industry experts and vendors, who have a clear understanding of the business obstacles inherent in controlling large technology departments and how the same can be managed and resolved.

Kicking off the event, Mehul Rajparia, managing director, IDS Scheer, a solutions provider in the BPM space (and a promoter of the CIO Klub) addressed the gathering. This was followed by a keynote delivery by Vilas Pujari, CIO, ACG Worldwide, which informed members about the association, its objectives and its plans for the future. Joining him on the dias, Shirish Gariba, who also serves as secretary for the CIO Klub, sifted through some of the initiatives that the Klub has already taken.

One of the innovative initiatives is promotion and induction of women members in the club as decision-making tech executives. As is the case with the industry, there is a dearth of women in this field and their induction is only going to add a newer perspective in dealing with IT challenges.

The CIO Klub doesn’t aim to be an 'all work and no play' kind of organisation. In the past, with their annual event called InspirIT they have organised gatherings where CIOs along with their family (including kids) have been invited, and everyone has participated whole-heartedly.

The joint presentation by Pujari and Gariba was followed by a traditional lamp lighting ceremony to formally announce the Delhi chapter of the CIO Klub.

The gathering was opened for questions soon after and one of the queries raised was on the uniqueness this association offers. Gariba said, "The CIO Klub is unique in the sense that it is organised and managed by CIOs themselves. Secondly, while we do require sponsorships from premier IT vendors to promote the Klub, this is not going to be another platform where they can perform a sales pitch. Technical consultants from the sponsors’ side would be invited to suggest best practices to overcome IT challenges and if they have a product/ offering, which may be best suited for the challenge, they may be allowed to put it forward."

With plans to add more members by inviting CIOs from other cities in the country and to go overseas as well, the CIO Klub promises to be an association with a difference.