Spotlight on Chris Crist

Chris Crist serves as Senior Deputy General Manager and Chief Information Officer for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), where he leads technology strategy, cybersecurity, data, digital experience, and innovation for the world's busiest airport. He is passionate about building strong organizational foundations that enable people, technology, and operations to perform at their highest level.

Before joining ATL, Chris spent more than two decades leading technology and mission-critical operations across the military, healthcare, and government sectors. Fun fact: Chris is a first-generation high school graduate who began his career as an enlisted Air Force medic before becoming a CIO.

Learn more about the Atlanta CIO community here.
 

Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.

I've had the privilege of leading technology across several very different industries, including the military, healthcare, government, and aviation. While each environment presented unique challenges, they all taught me that successful technology leadership starts with listening, understanding the business, and building the right foundation before driving change. Those experiences prepared me to lead technology strategy and innovation at the world's busiest airport.
 

What is one of your guiding leadership principles?

I believe lasting innovation is built on a strong foundation of trust. That's why I intentionally lead through six core principles: honesty, listening, responsiveness, respect, disagreeing with respect, and support. When people know they're heard, challenged respectfully, and supported, they become far more willing to innovate, collaborate, and own outcomes.
 

What is the greatest challenge CIOs face today, and how are you addressing it?

I feel the greatest challenge isn't adopting new technology; it's helping organizations absorb change without overwhelming the business. New capabilities like AI create incredible opportunities, but only when supported by strong governance, high-quality data, modern infrastructure, and organizational alignment. My approach is to strengthen those foundational capabilities first so innovation can scale responsibly, securely, and with measurable business outcomes.
 

What is the key to success for someone just starting out as a CIO?

Resist the temptation to make immediate decisions. Spend your first months listening, learning, and understanding the organization before prescribing solutions. Build relationships across the business, identify recurring themes, establish clear priorities, and earn trust. Once you understand the foundation you're building upon, decisions become much clearer.
 

How do you measure success as a leader?

Ultimately, I measure success through the outcomes we create for the organization and the people we serve. My approach is to start with people, build a strong foundation through governance, processes, relationships, and operational clarity, then use technology to solve the right problems. Success isn't measured by how much technology we've deployed. It's measured by whether passengers have a better experience, employees are more effective, operations are stronger, and the organization is better positioned for the future.
 

What is the value of being a member of Gartner C-level Communities?

Technology leadership can sometimes feel isolating because many of the decisions we make have no clear playbook. Gartner C-level Communities creates a trusted environment where executives can openly exchange ideas, challenge assumptions, and learn from one another's experiences. Those conversations ultimately help us become better leaders for our own organizations.

Governing Body members share their insights and leadership perspectives to shape the agendas and topics that address the top priorities impacting business leaders today.