U of G’s New Chief Architect

The U of G IT community has always been a strong partner for the University, enabling and supporting solutions to meet business needs. Today, like many other organizations, U of G has a keen appetite and increasing demand for cloud-based digital transformation to keep the University on the cutting edge, ensure we remain a coveted institution and provide the best possible experience for our students, staff and faculty. With so many different areas within U of G eager to make this shift, it is important to move forward in a unified, strategic and collaborative way. The Chief Architect role is critical in this respect, to lead this University-wide transformation and provide the appropriate governance, oversight and strategic vision required for success.

What will the Chief Architect do?

The Chief Architect is a technology leader, strategist, change agent and innovator. Reporting to the Chief Information Officer, this role will establish a flexible, integrated and sustainable IT environment that can adapt to the rapid technology shifts impacting higher education. The main objectives are to:

• Optimize IT investments and establish a clear technology roadmap for the University
• Based on the established IT Strategy, guide the organization through a digital transformation to improve and simplify business processes
• Implement a new U of G Cloud Centre of Excellence to support adoption of cloud solutions across the institution
• Drive innovation across the University.

Meet Giri Satyanarayana, U of G’s New Chief Architect

Giri Satyanarayana joined the University in May 2022 and brings extensive knowledge to the U of G IT community. Giri holds a Master of Business Administration from Queen’s University and Master of Engineering Management from the University of Kansas. He has 20+ years of IT experience across both public and private sectors with more than 12 years of specific experience in enterprise architecture. He is passionate about technology and its purpose to improve the quality of life for all stakeholders. Join me in welcoming Giri to U of G!

“My vision is to position the University of Guelph among the leaders in higher education. By embracing emerging digital technologies, we will drive innovation and deliver solutions that are best in class, highly available, flexible and secure.” - Giri Satyanarayana, Chief Architect