Patricio Colombo is a Digital Changemaker for Hire.

Sometimes it takes an outsider's perspective to breath through fear and indecision. Patricio Colombo has made a career out of it as industries struggle through different stages of digital transformation. Recognized as one of the top CIOs in the world, the Buenos Aires native earned that reputation entirely as a freelancer. 

Enabled by the shift to the gig economy several years ago, Colombo offers his skills on a contract basis, advising enterprise level organizations as a consultant. 

"I benefit from learning about different environments, and my clients benefit from my experience," he said. "At the end of the day, my recommendation is not a political one. I'm there to solve a problem."

The recommendations that he makes to his clients depend on how far down the digital transformation road they have gone. In many cases, he said, the infrastructure is not there, nor are the processes to enable them to access the cloud. Sometimes the problem is ridiculously simple. 

"I'm constantly trying to make sure systems integrate, that different platforms talk to each other," he said. 

Learn how the freelance CIO helps companies modernize legacy IT in this article on The Forecast.