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Future CIOs face a number of new challenges that will require significantly more than just keeping up to date with technology, according to a recent whitepaper, published by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT. The paper, entitledThe CIO of the Future, examines the shift in the role of CIOs at three key levels - focusing on customers, embracing new disruptive technologies and developing a new mix of capabilities in the IT department.

Jon Buttriss, CEO of BCS L&D Ltd, part of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said: “The future CIO, and their team, will require a set of skills which reach far beyond technology. It is vital that the focus centres on customers, as well as managing business needs. Capabilities around business expertise and relationship management will become increasingly important as future IT digital leaders address their organisational objectives.”

The whitepaper highlighted that:

• Alignment of technology to business and customer needs is of primary importance, but putting focus onto customers is an important shift required from CIOs who are more used to focusing directly on business needs.
• Disruptive new technologies need to be embraced, but effective technology management needs to provide governance to protect business and customer assets and data.
• Some technology skills need to be developed within the IT department - for example around data science and architecture. But capabilities around business expertise, relationship management and emotional intelligence and influence are likely to become more important as core technology delivery becomes increasingly commoditised.

Jon continues: “It’s essential that future CIOs roadmap the required skills to transform their organisation to address the significant shifts in the worlds of business and technology. For the IT leaders that don’t shy away from the challenges, the future has never been brighter for them to lead against their competitors.”

For further information on Leaders for Change and to download the full whitepaper, please visit:

The CIO of the future

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