Intelligent CIO Europe Issue 34 | Page 42

FEATURE : STATE OF THE CIO
Recent events have thrown things up in the air for CIOs , forcing them to reevaluate their operations and take a more mindful business approach . Richard Blanford , Chief Executive , Fordway , discusses where
CIOs should invest to ensure profitability and success , while keeping their organisations working effectively in highly challenging circumstances .

Six months after implementing home

working for all staff at short notice ,
CIOs find themselves managing IT in a very different world . COVID-19 opened the digital floodgates and technology roadmaps that previously spanned several years were compressed into weeks or even days . Many employees are keen to continue working remotely , so systems need to be refined and strengthened to ensure digital working is productive and secure in the long term .
However , we can also expect a deep recession in the coming months . Although IT is fundamental to business operations , it is unlikely to be immune from budget cuts .
To tackle these two issues , CIOs need detailed knowledge in two areas : a clear understanding of the risks digital working brings in order to manage them effectively without restricting innovation and collaboration ; and a comprehensive picture of their organisation ’ s infrastructure and usage so they can reduce costs proactively without cutting services .

Why knowledge is power for CIOs tackling post- COVID IT challenges

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