FICO's Evolution From Scores To Scalable Software Intelligence

Forbes

3 days ago

FICO headquarters in San Jose, California
Mike Trkay, Chief Information Officer of FICO, plays a pivotal role in the company's transformation from a credit score provider to a $2 billion analytics software powerhouse. 'We have a number of products in our portfolio that are embedded with data modeling, machine learning and analytics,' he said. From fraud detection systems used by banks to software powering TSA security and logistics operations, FICO has evolved well beyond its origins.
With over 60 years of legacy, FICO now operates across two primary strategic business units: the widely known FICO scores and its analytics software division. Throughout the company's history, it has differentiated through data analytics deeply embedded in software, and as capabilities related to data analytics have grown, FICO has continued to invest in the state-of-the-art. As such, Trkay's role is unusually broad, and his influence is just as broad.
Redefining the CIO Role for Customer-Facing Innovation
Trkay's responsibilities extend far beyond traditional CIO role. '[Traditional responsibilities are]The shift also brought Trkay into closer proximity with customers. 'It started with them wanting confidence that they weren't getting more of the same,' he said, describing early interactions with customers. That engagement matured over time, making operations not just a backend function but a key differentiator in FICO's go-to-market approach.
Becoming a Strategic Partner Through Operational Excellence
Unlike many CIOs whose customer interactions remain limited, Trkay and his team are now integral to FICO's client strategy. 'Our operations have actually grown into one of our sales strengths,' he noted. Clients not only evaluate software functionality but also look closely at the reliability of service delivery. 'World-class operations become a market differentiator.'
FICO CIO Mike Trkay
Trkay views operations as essential to revenue retention and long-term client success, and he thinks about his team's fit with other customer-facing functions within FICO with the analogy of personal relationships. 'The sales team gets to date the customer, professional services are the engagement, and operations is the marriage,' he quipped. His organization measures success through KPIs tied directly to customer satisfaction and risk mitigation. 'Are we creating risk for divorce?' he asked in keeping with the analogy. 'That's a key question we ask ourselves.'
Building a Team Fit for Performance and Scale
FICO's operating model demands a uniquely structured team. The corporate IT function is led by a dedicated executive, Matt Dixon, who Trkay says would be what you'd call the CIO in most companies. Supporting him are customer-facing groups like technical operations, customer support and engineering.
'We cover apps, infrastructure and customers,' Trkay said. His team includes system administrators, DevOps engineers and software professionals who deploy, manage and scale production environments. Customer support roles also require soft skills to complement technical acumen. 'These are the people answering the phone, interfacing with the client and resolving complex issues,' he added.
AI-Driven Operations and a Passion for AIOps
A self-proclaimed advocate for AIOps, Trkay is leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to transform FICO's internal operations. 'We're an AI and analytics company,' he emphasized. 'It's in our DNA.' The exponential growth of data from observability and monitoring has made human analysis nearly impossible.
Trkay emphasized the transition from rules-based systems to model-based solutions. 'Models have been trained to recognize signals, correlate root causes and even recommend or implement fixes,' he explained. 'It's one of my true passions. I probably get more involved than I should, but the impact is too important to ignore.'
Leading Through Experience and Enabling Customer Success
The transformations FICO has undergone, from on-prem to cloud and from cloud to platform, mirror those of its clients. Trkay sees this not as a coincidence but as a strength. 'We've gone on the journey ourselves,' he said. 'We're not talking about theory or potential. We're talking about lived experience.'
He noted how this evolution has changed customer conversations. 'Platforms bring business and technology back together,' he noted. 'We're no longer just speaking with CROs. We're now seeing CTOs reenter the dialogue, because platforms demand that level of integration and extensibility.'
Innovation to Stay Ahead of Unprecedented Growth
Since Trkay joined FICO, the company's stock has risen roughly 3,600%. Managing ahead of that growth has required constant innovation. 'The 'I' in CIO needs to stand for innovation,' he underscored. 'We have to flip the IT stereotype on its head. Our job is to innovate to stay stable.'
Whether enabling real-time fraud detection at scale or ensuring ultra-low latency across tens of thousands of transactions per second, Trkay's team has had to be forward-thinking and agile. 'We're not just keeping up with growth,' he said, adding 'We're staying ahead of it.'
Focused Language Models
Looking forward, Trkay is enthusiastic about the rise of focused language models. 'Everyone knows about large language models like ChatGPT,' he said, 'but when you're an enterprise, you need models with specificity.'
These smaller, industry- or use-case-specific models promise better accuracy and reduced hallucination. 'There's a very specific language around network data and technology incidents,' Trkay explained. 'Focus language models will be key to transforming how we apply AI to operations, financial services and beyond.'
Trkay's impact at FICO reflects a broader shift in the role of technology leadership, one that fuses innovation, operational excellence and direct customer engagement. By driving AI-powered infrastructure, embedding himself in client-facing functions and preparing the company for sustained hypergrowth, Trkay has helped position FICO not only as a leader in analytics software but also as a model for modern, platform-driven enterprise transformation.
Peter High is President of Metis Strategy, a business and IT advisory firm. He has written three bestselling books, including his latest Getting to Nimble. He also moderates the Technovation podcast series and speaks at conferences around the world. Follow him on Twitter @PeterAHigh.