Global academic publisher, CABI, has integrated IT and Publishing to create a new Knowledge Business. The strategic focus on delivering knowledge solutions into all CABI's markets will help the organisation achieve greater scale and impact. CABI will bring the benefits of modern, flexible technology to all areas of its programme – in publishing and international development – taking it beyond the traditional face-to-face model of agricultural extension. CABI will also strengthen its library-facing offerings to take advantage of knowledge generated across the organisation, bringing even more valuable content to the global researcher community.
Andrea Powell, who has headed CABI's Publishing team for 10 years, has been appointed head of Knowledge Business in the newly created role of Chief Information Officer.
The new structure is already helping CABI to play a more prominent role in the world of information, having been recently selected to host the secretariat for Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN). The ongoing globalisation of CABI's IT function will maximize the skills in regional centres and nascent mobile centre of excellence in India, where CABI already focuses on the delivery of agro-advisory services to smallholder farmers using mobile phones.
In terms of its activities and strategic vision, CABI will increasingly focus on subjects and themes that cut across its functions, and continue looking for linkages between teams.
