CIO OPINION
Nine-in-10 CIOs report that their roles and responsibilities have expanded greatly beyond managing technology .
Arthur Hu , SVP and Global CIO at Lenovo
Mission control : The evolution of the CIO role
The transformation of the CIO role is undeniable as we continue to witness a shift in the responsibilities that have been thrust upon them , especially since the pandemic . Arthur Hu , SVP and Global CIO at Lenovo , discusses the changing role of the CIO as it evolves into an ever more complex one , and why partnering with tech vendors that offer flexible solutions will be crucial to their success .
The role of the CIO has changed dramatically over the last few years . Today ’ s CIOs are often key decision-makers in the C-suite and central to driving strategy within their organisation . It is a role that has become increasingly complex and significant .
As a result , CIOs are being pulled in multiple directions . CEOs want them to generate new revenue streams with technology . Customer-servicing teams depend on them to come up with the next groundbreaking AI chatbot . Procurement teams want to know how fast they can shift data from legacy infrastructure to new cloud systems . All while cybercrime is growing more sophisticated as hackers learn to circumvent network security .
Becoming mission control
Lenovo ’ s recent global CIO study confirmed this ; ninein-10 CIOs report that their roles and responsibilities have expanded greatly beyond managing technology . Their influence today extends to areas such as ESG , diversity , equity and inclusion , HR and talent acquisition , and even sales and marketing .
Today , many CIOs find themselves in the ‘ mission control ’ seat of their organisations . The majority ( 88 %) believe their role is the most critical component of their company ’ s continued operation and 77 % believe their performance is more important to the success of their organisation than the work of other C-suite roles .
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