The CIO role is safe and sound
CIOs get stronger by continually having to prove themselves, as Mark Samuels discovers...


An IT leader mentioned to me recently that CIOs are more obsessed with the future of their role then any other business leader.
It's a good point. Chief executives lose little sleep worrying about the relevance of their position to the organisation. Likewise finance directors, who similarly to their CEO counterparts are as much a part of the boardroom furniture as the office fixtures and fittings.
Compared to the CEO and CFO roles, the IT director position still feels new and unfamiliar. In its short lifespan, the requirements of CIO role have transformed in-line with the increased role of computing in modern business.
Long-term IT directors will regale you with tales of the early days of business computing, when big data amounted to a few kilobytes and the cloud was something in the sky. Today, technology is the foundation for modern operations.
Such firm footing should mean the CIO's role is safe and secure. However, the previously dark art of business IT now feels a lot less unsettling to outsiders. In an age of consumer technology, the wide scale democratisation of IT knowledge has worked to undermine the technology chief's position.
Everyone in the business has an opinion on technology. For the most part, that opinion is that enterprise IT stinks users have better access to technology at home, they want to use their own devices for work, and they can't understand why most systems are locked down.
Get the ITPro daily newsletter
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2025 report - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives

Mark Samuels is a freelance writer specializing in business and technology. For the past two decades, he has produced extensive work on subjects such as the adoption of technology by C-suite executives.
At ITPro, Mark has provided long-form content on C-suite strategy, particularly relating to chief information officers (CIOs), as well as digital transformation case studies, and explainers on cloud computing architecture.
Mark has written for publications including Computing, The Guardian, ZDNet, TechRepublic, Times Higher Education, and CIONET.
Before his career in journalism, Mark achieved a BA in geography and MSc in World Space Economy at the University of Birmingham, as well as a PhD in economic geography at the University of Sheffield.
-
Outgoing Kaseya CEO teases "this is just the beginning" for the company
Opinion We spoke to Fred Voccola who remains a key figurehead at the firm as it enters its next chapter...
-
Why Microsoft thinks diversity will keep security workers relevant in the age of agentic AI
News Improved AI skills and a greater focus on ensuring agents are secure at point of deployment will be key for staying ahead of attackers
-
Protecting CIOs' IT budgets is "paramount" in maintaining business growth
News If CIOs are forced to make emergency budget cuts, they should also explain the risks to high level stakeholders so the responsibility is shared
-
The IT Pro Podcast: Accelerating digital transformation
IT Pro Podcast Implementation is just as important as the value of change
-
Podcast transcript: Accelerating digital transformation
IT Pro Podcast Read the full transcript for this episode of the IT Pro Podcast
-
Fit-for-purpose IT infrastructure for digitally determined organisations
Whitepaper Your innovation engine: Guiding organisations through change in the new digital economy
-
IT Pro News in Review: CIOs face a challenge, Ofcom's telecom fines, Apple expands Xcode
Video Catch up on the biggest headlines of the week in just two minutes
-
CIO role has 'drastically changed' over last 24 months, says Lenovo
News Globally survey suggests chief information officers have greater influence over their company now the role has expanded beyond technology
-
How can CIOs help to close the tech skills gap?
In-depth The most well-equipped IT leaders can take a number of practical steps to close the divide within their organisations
-
What is a virtual CIO (vCIO) and does your business need one?
In-depth With tech skills in short supply, organisations are turning to temporary expertise to see through critical digital transformation projects