CIO OPINION

Neil How , Co-Founder and Co-CEO at ten80 Group

A CIO ’ s role has drastically changed due to the part technology plays in the digitisation of businesses today . Technology is now so intertwined with wider business goals and objectives that a shift in focus from traditional technology management to responsibilities that drive the business forward is required from the position . Neil How , Co-Founder and Co- CEO at ten80 Group , explains how CIOs can upskill to become more effective leaders .

According to Gartner , 100 % of IT roles in 2020 will require an intermediate level of proficiency in business acumen in order to drive business effectiveness , value creation and growth . This means having an in-depth understanding of a business and its objectives , interacting with company visionaries and driving a smart digital agenda . While technology will always be the foundation of any digital strategy , CIOs need to put the goals of the business at the top of their agenda .

But in order to achieve a business-focused mindset , CIOs will need to pivot and start helping the organisation to find a competitive advantage – especially with the continuous threat from challenger brands and start-ups entering the market . This requires that the CIO of the future develops a wider skill set that extends further than just running successful IT operations – they need to drive revenue and contribute to bottom-line goals and company growth .

Here are the four key areas where a CIO needs to upskill to become a more effective leader – combining technology and business leadership to drive strategic corporate growth plans and increase market opportunities .

Build strategic partnerships

While it might seem obvious that building strategic partnerships across the business

46 INTELLIGENTCIO www . intelligentcio . com