New York State CIO Dru Rai Has Resigned
The departure shifts IT leadership as the state continues its transition to a centralized cloud service model.
Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in People
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New York State CIO Dru Rai resigned his position on September 21, 2026, after serving for three years. Executive Deputy CIO Jenson Jacob has been appointed to serve as the acting state CIO.
Why it matters
Rai oversaw significant shifts in the state's technology infrastructure, including the 2025 establishment of the Enterprise Cloud Services Agreement and a transition to a dedicated-agency service model. His departure brings leadership turnover during the implementation of these high-level IT consolidation efforts.
Dru Rai led the Office of Information Technology Services for 3 years, while his successor Jenson Jacob brings 15 years of tenure as a state staffer to the acting role.
The players
Dru Rai
The former New York State CIO who oversaw IT consolidation and agency-specific service models.
Jenson Jacob
A 15-year state staffer and former executive deputy CIO who is now the acting state CIO.
Kathy Hochul
The Governor of New York who originally appointed Dru Rai to the state CIO position.
Google Public Sector
A division of the technology conglomerate providing enterprise cloud infrastructure to state government entities.
The details
Under Rai, the New York State ITS shifted to a service model that embedded senior IT staff directly into various state agencies. The office also entered a major cloud agreement with Google Public Sector in 2025 to facilitate enterprise-wide consolidation. Jacob, who has served as executive deputy CIO since September 2025, now takes over these operational initiatives.
Timeline
September 2023: Dru Rai was appointed state CIO.
September 2025: Jenson Jacob became executive deputy CIO.
2025: New York State signed a pact with Google Public Sector.
September 21, 2026: Dru Rai resigned from his position.
Market Landscape
This leadership transition follows the state's move to consolidate digital infrastructure through the Enterprise Cloud Services Agreement. The move reflects a broader trend of state agencies shifting away from fragmented IT services toward centralized, vendor-backed cloud models.
Operators in the government contracting space should monitor for potential shifts in IT procurement priorities or project timelines during this transition. Businesses working with New York State ITS should track whether current service agreements remain unchanged under the new acting leadership.
The takeaway
The appointment of Jenson Jacob provides a degree of continuity for the IT department given his 15-year history as a state staffer. Stakeholders should track any adjustments to the Google Public Sector agreement, as such changes often signal shifts in the state's broader cloud strategy.
Further reading
For more on shifts in state technology leadership, see People.
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