Robin Dargue CIO50 2009

Robin Dargue topped the CIO50 in 2008, less than a year after joining Royal Mail as CIO and technology director, where he continues to lead a £2bn IT-based transformation programme.

He has recently overseen the introduction of 27,000 PDAs across the company, the implementation of the UK's largest wi-fi network, and the introduction of a number of new customer services such as Mailshots Online which allows SMEs to create and distribute direct marketing material.

Increased efficiency continues to be a major objective for Royal Mail with initiatives such as letter sorting automation and the optimisation of delivery routes and collections playing a major role.

Dargue has a history of taking on challenges having become CIO of global drinks company Diageo at the age of 36. He revamped the company's global IT function, including the implementation of a global SAP platform and common business processes.

Dargue started out at Logica Financial Systems in the late 1980s before joining Mars as an IT analyst in 1989 and rising to the position of systems manager for UK and Ireland by 1995.

He moved on to become IS director at UDV, which later became part of Guinness and then Diageo where his final position was CIO and business process director.

When not transforming businesses Dargue enjoys piloting light aircraft along with cycling and diving.