1. IT spending set to fall by 4.1% in 2020 due to COVID-19 effects
A global survey of more than 1,000 CIOs by Enterprise Technology Research (ETR) shows that IT spending is likely to be down by 4.1 per cent in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. Gartner: Three short-term actions for CIOs in the face of COVID-19 crisis
Analyst Gartner highlights three areas for immediate action and says the situation is “a wake-up call to organisations that focus on daily operational needs at the expense of investing in digital business and long-term resilience”.
3. Majority of CIOs don’t yet have a policy for ethical AI use
As artificial intelligence (AI) use grows, 83 per cent of tech leaders acknowledge they don’t have a policy in place to make sure the technology is used ethically, according to a TechRepublic CIO Jury poll.
4. Average age of CIOs rises as organisations seek experienced hands
The average age for CIOs was 55 in 2019, making tech chiefs the oldest C-suite officers behind CEOs. The study claims the change is due to the growing strategic role of IT and the need for more experienced executives.
5. Retail CIOs to focus on automation, employees and data in 2020
In its 2020 forecast, analyst Forrester says retail industry CIOs will automate 10 per cent of their IT tasks and look to upskill employees; they will also be taking data collection and analysis more seriously.
6. 15 essential tips for new CIOs
Among the insights from the CIOs and CTOs revealed to the Forbes Technology Council are for new CIOs to find their niche but also be a generalist; to get better at recruiting and not just rely on HR; to stamp out the “us-versus-them” mentality between IT and cybersecurity; and to not overlook culture.
7. How is IT automation changing the traditional entry-level tech career path?
As automation takes over many menial IT tasks, CIOs are being forced to rethink the traditional IT career path that typically saw new entrants paying their dues doing IT grunt work before climbing up the ladder. [Free registration required]
8. Bad data and cloud lock-in among top CIO concerns
The lack of good quality data is the top concern for 39 per cent of CIOs in Flexera’s 2020 CIO Priorities report. The study also shows more than a third of CIOs (36 per cent) are worried about public cloud vendor lock-in.
9. Women still massively unrepresented in IT organisations<
A survey of CIOs by Adobe and Fortune found that female team members represent a minority of direct reports, at just over 25 per cent – although the survey shows a better gender balance at smaller firms and healthcare organisations.
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