Guest Lecture by Teekanne: Reframing the CIO Role in the Age of AI

From Tradition to Transformation: The CIO as a Strategic Force

Real-world insights from industry are a central element of the study concept at CBS. Through the CBS Guest Lecture Series, executives and experts regularly share insights into current developments in business and markets.

As part of this series, CBS welcomed Harald Liedtke, Chief Information Officer at Teekanne, to campus in Cologne. His lecture, titled "From Run to Transform: Reframing the CIO Role in the Age of AI", offered students of the CBS NXT GEN programme a compelling look into the strategic repositioning of IT leadership.

Teekanne is an independent, family-owned company headquartered in Dusseldorf, founded in 1882 and active for more than 140 years. As a market leader in herbal and fruit teas, the company is one of the most significant innovators in the global tea industry, maintaining its leading position through continuous product development and international reach.

From Field to Cup: Quality Across the Entire Value Chain

A central theme of the lecture was understanding Teekanne's business model as the foundation for digital strategy. Harald Liedtke explained how Teekanne controls the entire value chain: from sourcing raw materials through processing, blending, filling, packaging, and distribution. This vertical integration ensures quality and consistency at every step.

For students, particularly insightful was how tightly operational processes and IT infrastructure are intertwined. Every step in such a complex supply chain generates data that can inform well-founded decisions — but only if the underlying IT architecture is robust and well-structured.

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Redefining the CIO Role: From Run to Transform

At the heart of the lecture was the question of what it means to lead a modern company as a CIO. Harald Liedtke outlined two fundamental dimensions of CIO responsibility: running stable and reliable systems on one hand, and actively driving digital transformation on the other.

•       Delivering: ensuring stability, protecting processes and keeping them manageable

•       Protecting: translating complex technology into tangible business value

•       Transferring: driving IT modernisation and generating new business momentum

•       Transforming: creating genuine value through strategically aligned IT

The central message was clear: the CIO role today is broader and more strategically significant than ever. To be effective, a CIO must combine technical excellence with entrepreneurial thinking.

AI Readiness: Solid IT Architecture as the Foundation for Innovation

In the final part of his lecture, Harald Liedtke examined how Teekanne is preparing for the integration of AI. His core argument: artificial intelligence only delivers value when the underlying IT architecture is sound. Business modelling, system alignment, and confirmation of a viable target architecture are not prerequisites — they are the foundation on which AI initiatives are built.

For students, this behind-the-scenes perspective was especially valuable: AI transformation is not simply a matter of technical investment, but a strategic decision that requires holistic IT management. The right architecture is not the outcome of digital transformation — it is its precondition.

Academic Supervision and Close Collaboration

The guest lecture was organised and moderated by Prof. Dr. Ulrich Anders, whose continuous work bridging academia and industry contributes greatly to the quality of the CBS Guest Lecture Series. He was supported by visiting lecturer Robert Crammond.

A heartfelt thank you to Harald Liedtke for this inspiring and forward-looking session, and for sharing such valuable insights with the CBS community.

Real-World Business Experience Embedded in the Curriculum

The guest lecture by Teekanne exemplifies the concept of practice-oriented learning at CBS.

Across our business programmes, the integration of real-world business practice is systematically embedded through:

• Business Projects addressing real strategic and operational challenges from partner companies
• Regular guest lectures by executives and industry experts
• Conventions providing space for interdisciplinary learning and practice-oriented leadership experiences
• Case studies and simulation games addressing typical business challenges
• Mandatory internships for applying academic knowledge in a corporate context
• Dual study formats with continuous integration into company structures
• A network of more than 1,300 partner companies across various industries

This structured integration enables students not only to analyse business challenges analytically, but to develop well-founded decisions under real market conditions.

Anyone who chooses to study at CBS not only receives a scientifically grounded education but also gains the opportunity to build confidence in a professional environment at an early stage — working in teams, engaging with genuine decision-makers, and operating under real business conditions.

With events like this, CBS underlines its commitment to systematically embedding practice-oriented learning in its programmes and preparing students for leadership and expert roles in the digital economy.

Conclusion: Digital Transformation Starts with the Right Architecture

The guest lecture by Harald Liedtke illustrated how profoundly the CIO role has evolved in a digitalised economy: from a technical operator to a strategic architect who aligns IT systems with business strategy and lays the groundwork for AI-driven innovation.

The event offered students valuable insights into the intersection of IT leadership and corporate transformation, and a realistic picture of working in the FMCG environment of a long-established, internationally active family business.