PARTNERS ’ PERSPECTIVE
Part of the Lynchpin Media team , Manda Banda has more than 20 years of experience working for channel publications . He shares the knowledge he has learnt during that time in this monthly column for Intelligent Tech Channels .
Speaking the CIO language
Manda Banda , Managing Editor , Intelligent Tech Channels
Manda Banda is also Lynchpin Media ’ s Managing Editor of Intelligent CIO Middle East and Intelligent CIO Africa magazines .
Fresh off the pandemic wave of digital innovation and elevated status , CIOs are swinging back to the fundamentals , with a heightened focus on security and improving IT operations . Now , CIOs across the Middle East and Africa ( MEA ) are not only rebalancing the act done over the last challenging two years , but they want to operationalise pandemic-era innovation made during this period . For solution providers and systems integrators , now is the right time to be speaking the CIO ’ s language .
CIOs are once again walking a tightrope between innovation and operational excellence – this time , propped up by strong line of business ( LOB ) alliances and a lingering pandemic glow .
Now , however one looks at it , staying razor-focused on business benefits and communicating in a language everyone understands is central and paramount to successful IT initiatives , whether the project involves state-of-the-art technology like robotic process automation ( RPA ), Digital Transformation or is a bit more mundane , like upgrading an aging data centre or storage infrastructure . Now , fresh off a pandemic-fuelled cycle of accelerated innovation , CIOs are being encouraged to channel their vaunted sales skills to drive an upcoming IT agenda centred on foundational areas like optimisation , security , agility and enterprise resiliency . This is where solution providers and systems integrators come in .
Over the years , I found that the CIO ’ s influence on business strategy and operations has grown rapidly as technology pervades enterprises across every sector of the MEA economy . In particular , the value of AI-driven and cloud-delivered applications and services has continued to swell . All this is opening up opportunities for savvy channel partners .
And as these technologies now power critical business processes , the role of the CIO has never been more vital to breaking down internal silos and spurring innovation in every part of an organisation . Even during uncertainty , CIOs are driving transformation and business value at an astonishing pace . It is perhaps no surprise that when reflecting on their increasingly strategic role , 52 % of the CIOs in the recent IBM Institute for Business Value ’ s report The CIO Revolution reported engaging with their CEOs more than they do with any other C-suite leader . So , what does this interaction between CIO and CEO entail for the solution provider or systems
Today , CIOs are expected to drive innovation and business growth . But they are also serving as a bridge across other business functions , connecting the dots to balance and rearrange technology resources and capabilities to achieve efficiency . integrator partner ? What are the implications for channel partners that are not speaking the language of the CIO when they pitch solutions and brands they represent to CIOs and other C-level executives ?
Today , CIOs are expected to drive innovation and business growth . But they are also serving as a bridge across other business functions , connecting the dots to balance and rearrange technology resources and capabilities to achieve efficiency . Channel partners who help CIOs achieve this with the support of others in the C-suite by orchestrating these activities across a corporate culture , processes and tools will more likely land deals and build long term trusted business relationships . As just one example , only 45 % of CTOs indicate frequent interaction with their CIO counterparts , according to the latest IBM Institute for Business Value ’ s report The CIO Revolution . The result is a CIO that may lack a crosscompany view and ability to govern critical data properly .
With Digital Transformation and technological innovation a priority for many organisations in MEA , some CIOs are still not spending a lot of effort to this .
As a systems integrator , solution provider or value-added reseller ( VAR ), you have to be at the forefront of aiding your many customers through their Digital Transformation journey . Having understood the importance of cloud migration as well as cybersecurity , your company must invest heavily in building your own cloud offerings . While Digital Transformation has been happening for years , but the Coronavirus
24 www . intelligenttechchannels . com