The CIO Mindset, Decoded: How to Build, Scale and Stay Resilient ft. Andrea Bergamini, Orbia

“Technology shouldn’t support the business. It should be the business.”

As technology becomes inseparable from how companies operate, the role of the CIO is being fundamentally redefined. Today’s leaders are navigating growing complexity, diverse business models, rapid AI adoption, rising cyber risk, and globally distributed teams, while still being expected to deliver speed, resilience, and measurable outcomes.

In this episode, Andrea Bergamini, CIO, Orbia, joins Karthik Padmanabhan, Managing Partner, Zinnov, for a candid conversation on what it truly takes to lead technology in a purpose-driven, multi-business global enterprise.

Andrea shares his unconventional journey across GE, Heineken, Cargill, and Orbia, and how building cybersecurity from scratch as a Greenfield CISO shaped his philosophy of owning mission-critical capabilities. He explains how Orbia structures technology around a strong core foundation while embedding IT deeply into each business, moving beyond “alignment” toward operating technology as the business itself.

The conversation also explores Orbia’s pragmatic approach to AI, balancing productivity enablement, citizen development, and advanced use cases—along with the role of Global Capability Centers in building long-term innovation and talent strength. Andrea reflects on leading through uncertainty, the growing democratization of technology, and why resilience and adaptability are now defining leadership traits.

This episode offers a grounded perspective on modern technology leadership, where transformation is continuous, experimentation is essential, and success is measured not by tools adopted, but by outcomes delivered.

Tune in to hear:

• Why IT must evolve from a support function to a core operating engine
• How to modernize technology foundations without disrupting the business
• A realistic, staged approach to AI adoption in large enterprises
• The future role of GCCs as global innovation hubs
• Leadership lessons on resilience, reinvention, and lifelong learning