Intelligent CIO Europe Issue 56 | Page 28

TRENDING
Tech decision-makers in EMEA were less ambitious in terms of expansion plans .
Russell Poole , Managing Director for Equinix in the UK the changes made under duress in a time of need were sound decisions that will remain in place at a time when many businesses pan-industry are reconsidering hastily implemented systems .
“ It remains an exciting time in the rapidly evolving tech sector , as all regions reported growth and increased investment and planning around new technologies from 5G to Web 3.0 , the IoT and XaaS . Equinix remains committed to support our digital partners in their evolutionary journeys through the utilisation of the multiple problem-solving platforms we offer ,” concluded Poole .
There remain , however , significant concerns around cybersecurity . Ensuring expansions are supported by resilient digital models is business-critical , particularly at a time of increasing volatility and emerging global threats . As part of their digital-first strategies , 85 % of respondents confirmed a key priority is improving cybersecurity . A large proportion ( 84 %) said complying with local market data regulations is critical , while 83 % highlighted the need to futureproof their businesses . According to IT specialists , the most feared threats were cyberattacks , security breaches and data leaks ( all 70 %).
In addition , the survey revealed :
• Customer and employee experience prioritised : Recognising digital adoption affects end-users , 86 % of UK digital leaders ( 83 % globally ) said enhancing customer experience was a priority . Companies also acknowledged improving employee experience is critical to their transformation journey and retention of talent , with 92 % ( 81 % globally ) citing this .
• Cloud migration continues : 82 % of UK IT leaders ( 71 % globally ) said they plan to move more business functions to the cloud . Of those respondents , 49 % of UK respondents ( 50 % globally ) plan to move more of their business-critical applications to the cloud and almost half ( 46 %; 49 % globally ) intend to move security functions to the cloud .
• Hybrid cloud dominates : Hybrid cloud models
were the preferred approach for 36 % of UK leaders ( 38 % globally ), but 20 % ( 22 % globally ) of digital leaders globally still rely on a single cloud provider or none at all . Interconnection may step in to help here , with 35 % ( globally and in the UK ) of respondents believing it increases flexibility of connectivity and 35 % ( 30 % globally ) reporting they use it to enable hybrid multi-cloud .
• Investing in innovation : Many IT leaders are looking to future-proof their businesses and take full advantage of evolving technologies , such as 5G , the Internet of Things ( IoT ) and Web 3.0 . A total of 68 % of digital leaders in the UK ( 71 % globally ) said they are moving to an Everything-as-a-Service ( XaaS ) model , citing the simplification of IT infrastructure ( 71 % in the UK ; 65 % globally ), improved user experience ( 59 % in the UK ; ( 54 % globally ); and flexibility ( 53 % UK ; 56 % globally ) as the key reasons for doing so .
• Focusing on sustainability : While innovating , digital leaders are keeping a close eye on the sustainability of their IT infrastructure . A large number ( 77 %) of UK respondents ( 67 % globally ) say they are measuring and actively trying to limit the environmental impact of their IT equipment and 78 % ( 65 % globally ) will only work with IT partners who can meet key carbon reduction targets . Indeed , 82 % ( 69 % globally ) report sustainability is now one of their organisation ’ s most important drivers with commitments made to science-based targets . p
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