Nine in ten CIOs say their responsibilities have grown beyond technology

Nine out of ten chief information officers (CIOs) have said their roles and responsibilities have expanded beyond technology, according to a recent study from Beijing consumer electronics firm Lenovo.

The study, which was taken from a total of 525 global CIOs at companies with a minimum of 250 employees, stresses that today’s CIO is responsible for the whole technology value chain which has been made tougher to oversee by the obstacles that come with expanding digital capabilities.

“From navigating complex tech ecosystems to keep up with the speed of digital transformation, to upskilling employees and managing a global shortage of IT talent, today’s CIO is responsible for the entire technology value chain and beyond,” says Ken Wong, president, Lenovo Solutions and Services Group, a role that has “changed drastically” over the last two years.

Almost all CIO’s said their model needed redirection due to the shift to remote working during Covid-19. Data privacy (66%) cyber security (66%) and keeping up with new technology (65%) were noted the most difficult challenges to solve.

In overcoming these obstacles, the survey notes that technology investments are gaining traction, with 52% of CIOs placing “major” tech investments in their vision of the company, compared to the organisation’s overall vision – an area of particular focus being automation for its ability to make processes “more efficient”, according to the report.

CIOs express how crucial technology investments are, with 61% arguing their business would feel the repercussions in “no more than a few weeks” if spending was cut on digital transformation initiatives. 57% also vote to replace over half of their company’s current tech to “provide new, reliable streams of revenue”.

More and more business leaders are understanding the need to drive digital transformation. Earlier this year, iResearch Services CEO Yogesh Shah outlined a pathway that CIO’s can take to “sharpen the edge” in terms of utilising what technology has to offer, including providing a more customer-centric approach and embracing data collection.

In digital transformation, “CIOs need to face the core business and build or enhance his influence across the enterprise. The most effective way [to do this] is to stand out and participate directly in product development, and closely link the contribution of IT to the company’s profitability,” says CIO, China, finance, $1-10 billion.