City Manager David White has tapped Feroz Merchhiya, an IT professional with a lengthy public- and private-sector resume, to serve as the city’s new chief information officer. He officially starts in the role July 15.
Image courtesy of the city of Santa Monica
“Technology is the cornerstone of city services and operations,” White said in a press release. “With Feroz’s wealth of experience in enterprise technology and information security, I’m confident he will build on our Information Services Department’s great work towards even more improvements for our residents and businesses.”
Late last year, the city announced that former Long Beach Utilities Information Services Manager Paula Crowell was set to take the position. Crowell withdrew from the hiring process, citing “the substantial need for my contributions to the Long Beach Utilities Department” in the wake of a cybersecurity incident. Sarkis Metspakyan served as the acting CIO while the search for another candidate was underway, a city spokesperson confirmed.
As CIO, Merchhiya will be responsible for the “strategic use of technology and cybersecurity to enhance community experience, leverage data, provide insights and improve services.”
“I am thrilled to join the team of dedicated civic leaders at Santa Monica,” Merchhiya said in the release. “I look forward to leveraging my skills and experience to serve the community, and collaborating with key partners and stakeholders to ensure we embrace the latest technological advancements to deliver streamlined services for all.”
Merchhiya holds a master’s degree in business administration from National University and a bachelor of science degree from Karachi University.
