Paul Coby, CIO of British Airways, is the BA Director responsible for technology, IT-enabled business change and financial shared services across the airline. Paul's business principle is - 'there are no IT projects, only business projects',

Paul joined the Civil Service in 1978 and held several senior civil service positions, including Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Transport. Paul was asked to join British Airways in 1997. He masterminded the move of BA's Reservations, Inventory and Departure Control systems to Amadeus, as "Community" functions and in September 2001 joined Rod Eddington's Leadership team as CIO, responsible for all BA Group IT.

Over the last seven years he has reduced the cost of running BA's IT operation by 45%, enabling the Airline's investment in industry revolutionising 'customer and employee enabled' systems to increase by 50%. BA's successful IT investments include the award winning ba.com with on-line check-in; and Employee Self Service, which has made the internet the principal way of doing business for both BA customers and employees.

In January 2009, he took over responsibility for financial shared services functions, including financial accounting, transactional procurement and properties, as well as all IT services. In the new BA organisation, he also has responsibility for business metrics and the application of Lean process improvements across the airline.

In 2003, Paul became Chairman of the SITA Board. SITA is owned by the Air Transport Community and provides network services and IT solutions in 220 countries across the world. SITA has an annual turnover of US$1.5 billion. Paul sits on the Board of On-Air, the SITA/Airbus Joint Venture, which provides the leading on-board voice and data connectivity services for passengers using mobile phones and devices.

In 2006, Paul became Chairman of the eSkills UK CIO Board. eSkills UK is working with employees, educators and government to transform IT skills at all levels and ages in the UK economy and society.

Outside work Paul's primary interest is his family, but he also tries to make time for skiing, world music, the development of a database of Roman forts and military units in the first Century AD, and his interest in pre-1914 railways in Britain and Germany.