Today there is a growing emphasis on outcome-based selling and prioritizing customers’ needs and goals. But to succeed with this approach, partners must be in tune with the complex and evolving personas that shape technology strategy – with one of the most important being chief information officers (CIO) who oversee IT budgeting, leadership and management. Technology leaders have long joked that CIO means “career is over,” for its reputation as a thankless position with limited influence outside of IT. But times are changing, with technology transforming all aspects of business operations. Instead of just keeping the lights on, CIOs are increasingly assuming greater strategic importance and being asked to spearhead business transformation. According to Foundry’s State of the CIO Survey, almost half (49 percent) of IT leaders said they expect to play a greater strategic role in their organization, while 36 percent anticipate gaining transformational responsibilities. And in a Deloitte study, 54 percent of CIOs said they identify as change agents, while 59 percent see themselves as enablers of transformation. Notably, Deloitte revealed that 63 percent of technology leaders now report directly to the CEO – a departure from the days when CIOs had to fight for a seat at the table in the C-suite. That said, not all technology leaders buy into this evolution. As Deloitte pointed out, “When asked to rank the defining characteristics of a leading CIO, respondents were split between the conventional (those viewed by themselves and others as running IT) and contemporary (those embracing the opportunity and reinventing the CIO role), saying the traditional, more IT-centric qualities are just as important as the strategic and more customer-focused ones.” Deloitte also indicated that company size seems to influence CIO characteristics. Technology leaders at large companies are more likely to be tasked with taking on organizational risks. Leaders at small By Gerald Baldino The role of the CIO is evolving, creating new opportunities for partners to deliver guidance and support The CIO Connection BUYERS SIDE 24 CHANNELVISION | JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2025
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