The changing roles of CIOs and what this means for the future of business

Tech Strategy and AI survey

Insight
8 minute read
December 12, 2024

When faced with ever changing technology and an increasingly digital world, organisations are developing strategies to remain competitive and drive growth. But the faster technology advances, the more challenging it is to translate technological opportunities into strategic priorities that make a difference in the market.

Based on the responses of companies in Belgium, PwC’s Tech Strategy & AI report dives into the role of CIOs and Technology Leaders in Belgium, examining the challenges they face and how they plan to adapt.

The challenges faced by CIOs

The past decade has seen a significant change in the role of CIOs, taking them from being an IT manager focused on operational costs to a key member of the C-suite, helping to shape the future of the business by aligning technology with the organisation’s strategic objectives.

Strategic priorities

In their expanded role, CIOs are balancing business needs. On one hand, they need to manage legacy systems, but on the other they are adopting AI and other emerging technologies, supporting data-driven decision making and helping to upskill employees. Each technology strategy they introduce needs to be evaluated to ensure innovation, operational efficiency and security – without exceeding budget constraints or falling short of high stakeholder expectations. It’s a difficult balance to find, but done correctly, it empowers organisations to benefit from the full potential of technology.

Artificial intelligence (AI)

AI and (generative) AI (GenAI) is transforming the business landscape. Strategic implementation is empowering organisations to foster business growth, redefine business models and unlock new growth opportunities by driving innovation, enhancing decision-making and optimising operations. However, there are challenges related to ethics, data management, governance, scalability, workforce readiness, sustainability and bridging the skills gap. Navigating these complexities while ensuring responsible AI implementation is a key priority for CIOs.

Environment, social and governance (ESG)

Additionally, more and more organisations (will) need to report on sustainability and ESG initiatives, including compliance with directives like the corporate sustainability reporting directive (CSRD) and the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM). While the CIO is best positioned to support this reporting by implementing a robust data foundation and supporting ESG technologies, their involvement and the level of organisational investment in technology tends to remain limited.

Video

Tech Strategy and AI survey

The role of CIOs has never been more complex. Balancing the adoption of emerging technology and existing legacy systems. Complying with increasingly stringent ESG reporting regulations. Ensuring responsible AI implementation. And more. What are the main challenges facing Belgian CIOs? How do they plan to adapt? And what does the future hold for them?

Insights

71%

of CIOs prioritize operational efficiency in the next 3 to 5 years.

61%

CIOs believe AI will have a significant impact on their company’s business model, revenue or growth generation.

21%

of companies report extensive AI adoption, while the majority remain in early or pilot phases.

37%

of companies focus on upskilling employees on AI.

12%

of companies invest in technology to monitor and steer ESG performance in the short term.

18%

of CIOs are actively involved in sustainability discussions and initiatives within their organisations.

Discover how CIOs are supporting the future of business

Download the report

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Contact us

Xavier Verhaeghe

Partner Technology Consulting & Innovation, PwC Belgium

Tel: +32 495 59 08 40

Matthias Goorden

Manager, PwC Belgium

Tel: +32 494 17 69 80

Alexis Driesen

Senior Associate, PwC Belgium

Tel: +32 476 09 27 14

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