The European tech leader’s breakthrough moment
Confidence amongst Europe’s technology leaders is at an all-time high. After years of quiet, diligent digital transformation, pivoting investments and plans in the face of ever-changing demands, a breakthrough moment has finally arrived.
Breakthrough 1: European tech confidence at an all-time high
Breakthrough 2: Transformative intent: with great opportunity comes great responsibility
Breakthrough 3: Old tech, new tech…balancing past, present and future technologies
Breakthrough 4: The new dynamics of innovation and partnership: playing to strengths
Conclusion
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Technology is now more democratized, enabling lines of business to experiment with their own digital initiatives. This has changed the game for IT leaders, who now need to empower their businesses by establishing the guardrails – standards, security, resilience, financial predictability and compliance – while providing a pragmatic model for innovation.
And then there are the constant challenges of AI and cyber threats, which are sparking conversations and visibility at the highest levels, catapulting the CIO into the spotlight and creating intense demands for front-footed leadership.
How do we know this? Fujitsu and Interbrand surveyed 1,750 technology leaders from eight European markets across public and private sectors to understand their stance towards disruption, technology and leadership.
In parallel, we interviewed prominent CIOs from large enterprises across Europe to understand what characterizes the European IT leader of today, and what will fuel their continued success in the period ahead.
This report showcases the transformative role Europe’s technology leaders are playing today. But more than this, it identifies the ways they are turning major shifts into opportunities; we call these ‘breakthrough moments’.
By exploring these four breakthroughs, we offer insight and guidance for any European technology leader looking to seize this moment.
Emma Chatwin FCIMVP, Marketing Europe, Fujitsu
In our research of CIOs across Europe, we explored the impact of near-constant disruption, emerging technologies and evolving leadership styles – all converging at speed.
We identified four breakthroughs that reflect tech leaders' increasing profile within the business, providing inspiration and insights for others on their transformation journey:
European technology leaders’ confidence is at an all-time high. This is the end of IT leadership as we have known it in the past, and the new era of business leadership, powered by technology. The CIO is the go-to expert for some of the hottest topics on the boardroom agenda.
Breakthrough 2: Transformative intent – with great opportunity comes great responsibility
Thanks to success in delivering digital transformation over recent years, the scope of the CIO’s role is expanding, with more technology leaders taking responsibility for Operational Technologies (OT) and cybersecurity, as well as IT. This comes with an extended ecosystem to manage, both internally and externally.
While the technology narrative is dominated by AI and other emerging technologies and there is more pressure than ever to accelerate adoption, CIOs still need to manage – and often modernize – legacy technology. Finding the right balance and creating space for innovation is a breakthrough yet to be achieved for most.
Breakthrough 4: The new dynamics of innovation and partnership – playing to strengths
CIOs recognize the value of impartial advice, particularly when it comes to transformation and innovation. Working with partners who can provide technology-agnostic advice combined with hands-on delivery will plug skills gaps and create the impetus for further transformation into new areas.
