Senior Client Partner
January 29, 2025
AI is evolving fast—and so is the Chief Information Officer (CIO).
Gone are the days when CIOs were solely responsible for maintaining IT infrastructure and ensuring systems ran smoothly. With the explosive growth of artificial intelligence and cloud technology, the CIO role is experiencing a profound transformation. Now, they are at the forefront of innovation, tasked with using technology to unlock new sources of value and drive strategic growth. This shift has placed CIOs in a unique position where to remain competitive, they must combine technology with a deep understanding of business outcomes.
This transformation is not just about adopting new technology; it’s about aligning IT strategy with broader business objectives to create value. In this context, the CIO’s role is becoming more multifaceted, evolving through five key priorities. These priorities represent the CIO’s journey from a focus on foundational IT responsibilities to a broader, more strategic leadership role that integrates technology with every facet of business operations.
1. From Cost Center to Value Driver: Elevating IT to Drive Business Growth
The role of IT has changed from being a cost center to a strategic value driver. CIOs are now key players in driving innovation and business growth, not just keeping things running. To succeed, they need to make sure technology supports the company’s goals, focusing on growth through better customer experiences, new products, and improved processes.
2. From Technology Expert to Business Strategist: The Rise of the Bilingual CIO
With data now a critical business asset, CIOs are becoming its stewards, responsible for making it accessible, usable, and valuable across the entire organization. Yet, to make this transformation successful, CIOs need to bridge the gap between technical expertise and business strategy. Today’s CIOs are becoming fluent in the languages of technology and business, understanding not only the technical requirements of projects but also their broader business implications.
3. From Control to Enablement: Driving Organizational Change and Building a Data-Driven Culture
As the CIO role evolves, its focus has expanded from managing technology to driving organizational change. CIOs help facilitate cultural change by enabling the workforce to embrace digital transformation. CIOs must now prioritize building a data-driven culture, equipping employees with the skills they need to thrive in an AI-powered environment. By doing so, they ensure that technology adoption is not just top-down but integrated throughout the organization.
4. From Siloed Operator to Cross-Functional Collaborator: Technology as a Team Sport
With this AI boom, CIOs must work across departments to ensure that technology is embedded into every aspect of the business in ways such as embedding IT team members within departments like marketing, finance, and operations. This can lead to faster implementation, more innovative solutions, and greater acceptance of technological changes. Successful cross-functional collaboration underpins the importance of breaking down silos and positioning IT as a key partner in business transformation.
5. From Risk-Averse to Innovation Catalyst: Balancing Innovation with Security
The CIO must balance the need for innovation with the responsibility to safeguard sensitive data. This can include regular security audits, multi-factor authentication, and comprehensive training for employees to mitigate risks while driving innovation. As organizations push the boundaries of AI and digital transformation, CIOs must balance data privacy, security, and compliance with creating an environment conducive to experimentation and growth.
Navigating the Transformation
Modern CIOs are no longer just technical experts; they are strategic business leaders, data custodians, and architects of cultural change. Successfully navigating this transformation requires expertise in aligning people, culture, and strategy with technology.
Organizations seeking to empower CIOs benefit from adopting a people-centered approach, recognizing that effective AI implementation goes beyond technology. Now more than ever, the CIO is critical to the success of digital transformation. By focusing on these five priorities, CIOs can drive growth while managing innovation, data, change, and security. And with the right support and strategy, CIOs can unlock the full potential of AI and build the organizations of the future—resilient, adaptive, and ready for the challenges ahead.
Click the image to download the full report. To find out how Korn Ferry is helping clients embrace AI, learn more about our Technology and Digital capabilities.
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