CIO OPINION
CIO
opinion
CIO OPINION
“
CIOS AND
THEIR TEAMS MUST
INCREASE EMPHASIS
ON THE CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE AND BUILD
IT AROUND USER NEEDS.
//////////////////
Phil Richards, CSO at Ivanti
Why today’s CIO will be
tomorrow’s CEO
CIOs are earning the
trust of CEOs and board
members by combining
their technical expertise
with business awareness
and strategic thinking. Phil
Richards, CSO at Ivanti,
argues that CIOs have
established themselves
as trusted advisors to
CEOs and are helping to
shape their organisations’
growth strategies.
44
INTELLIGENTCIO
D
igital transformation is no longer
optional – it’s an absolute
necessity for companies who want
to implement a sound business strategy
that promotes innovation and growth.
Consequently, organisations globally
are rushing to revise their old-school
processes and IT legacy systems and
implement modern technologies to
support success. However, completing this
transition is no easy task.
According to research, 57% of global
executives admitted that they struggle
to keep up with the pace of digital
change. This is because, aside from
being an incredibly lengthy process
which affects all aspects of a company,
it also requires highly skilled employees
with technical experience and an in-
depth understanding of the impact that
technology has on driving successful
business outcomes.
Historically, IT was seen as a service
function which existed to facilitate other
departments’ needs and priorities;
businesses would think of IT as a fix-and-
replace tool, merely used to get by and
simplify everyday tasks.
However, times have changed, and
with technology firmly in the driver’s
seat of business evolution, IT is now
recognised as a core component within
an organisation that has the capability
to drastically improve the way employees
do their jobs, bring about customer
satisfaction and provide significant
competitive edge.
This change in mindset is leading
companies to turn to IT to not just solve
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