The Evolving Role of IT Leadership

The IT Leadership role is transforming.

Organizations have become increasingly digital, requiring more involvement from IT. Technology has become deeply embedded in the business functions. The strategic importance of harnessing data and information has increased board and C-level involvement in technology decisions, providing IT executives with an opportunity to expand their leadership roles. Traditional IT is evolving from a “keep the lights on” role into a strategic business unit. It is now critical that IT has a seat at the executive table.

The power and capabilities of cloud technologies can empower CIOs with tools to meet these new requirements, helping their organizations maintain competitive business models and potentially increasing market share. CIO roles are further expanding to include digital educator, advisor, strategist and broker of services. This service oriented approach enhances existing infrastructure, virtualization and automation by adding cloud infrastructure, self-service, and instant access to cloud services.

According to CIO Insight, nearly one-half of senior IT executives say better alignment with business needs is a top priority, which is more than double compared to a year ago. The study also found that 63% of IT pros are confident in their ability to respond to the needs of business.

In a recent Accenture Survey of 250 global executives, 85% said the board of directors was a primary or strong influencer of Big Data analytics adoption strategy within their companies. The CEO was seen as a key driver among 86% of respondents, while 72% saw the CIO as a strong or primary influence.

Now more than ever, key stakeholders need guidance from IT leadership to identify and deploy emerging technologies that will provide a competitive advantage, directly impacting the bottom line.