From technical expert to ICC digital leader

What do you get when you combine technical expertise with a business-first mindset? At ICC, it's Cyrille Bernard. Since joining ICC in 2008 as Chief Information Security and Production Officer, Cyrille has built a career around connecting technology with the needs of the organisation. Today, as ICC's Head of IT Governance and Projects, he helps teams turn business challenges into practical digital solutions that support ICC's mission.

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Pioneering ICC's digital revolution

"Upgrading ICC's network and information systems service was a big project when I first started at ICC," Cyrille says. "Digitising the day-to-day work flows, streamlining processes and even small things like placing switches, wires and access points for the Wi-Fi at our office, a lot of work was put in to improve the work environment for staff and we were given a lot of freedom to explore what works best for ICC."

More than 15 years later, the challenges look very different. Today, artificial intelligence and rapidly evolving digital tools are reshaping the way organisations work, meaning Cyrille's role has evolved too.

"Just because there is new tech doesn't mean we have to use it immediately. We have specific frameworks and processes when we adopt a new technology, where the business needs are addressed and evaluated according to our readiness as an organisation."

Connecting business and technology

Cyrille's role extends far beyond keeping ICC's digital infrastructure running. As the architect behind ICC's digital ecosystem, he also leads the development of digital products that support ICC's global mission to make business work for everyone, every day, everywhere.

This means acting as the bridge between business and technology. While a digital project may appear straightforward on the surface, bringing it to life requires aligning technical requirements with business objectives.

"Product owners, developers, steering committees, service providers-every project brings together people with different priorities," he explains. "My role is to help the business understand the technical considerations while ensuring our technical teams fully understand the business need."

That ability to connect people and ideas was put to the test when Cyrille was appointed project lead for the digitisation of the ATA Carnet system, an internationally recognised trade document that had remained paper-based for more than 60 years.

For Cyrille, the project's success wasn't just about technology.

"Collaborating with international stakeholders was what made this possible," he says. "The relationships we built enabled us to turn ideas into real-world solutions. That's what our mission is, and that's who we are as ICC."

The power of collaboration

Cyrille is quick to challenge the stereotype of an in-house IT team waiting for problems to arise. Instead, he sees technology teams as proactive partners, anticipating challenges and change before they happen through continuous dialogue and collaboration with colleagues across ICC.

Working with experts from different disciplines is one of the aspects of ICC he enjoys most. Every project brings together colleagues, businesses and organisations from around the world, each with their own perspectives and expertise.

"It's a truly diverse environment, which means a lot of ideas and opinions," he says. "Being able to use my knowledge and experience to turn those voices into reality is what I enjoy the most."