The executive team consists of the senior leaders of the enterprise, such as the CEO, CFO, COO, etc. They are responsible for setting the vision, mission, goals, and strategy of the enterprise, andfor overseeing its performance and governance. The CIO is part of the executive team and should align the IT strategic plan with the enterprise business objectives. Therefore, the CIO would be most effective by starting the interview process with the executive team, as they can provide the most relevant and authoritative input on the enterprise’s direction, priorities, challenges, and expectations. The executive team can also help the CIO gain support and approval for the IT strategic plan from other stakeholders, such as the internal auditors, senior IT managers, and business process owners. References: ISACA, Reporting Cybersecurity Risk to the Board of Directors, page 81. ISACA, Performance Measurement Metrics for IT Governance, page 1