The role of the CIO has evolved into a “360° CIO,” where chiefs are accountable for broad enterprise outcomes across AI, cybersecurity, digital platforms, and more, yet often possess only partial authority over these areas. This mismatch between expanded expectations and outdated operating models—characterized by fragmented governance and distributed decision rights—creates challenges in integrating and scaling technology initiatives. To address this, organizations must realign structures to support the CIO as an enterprise integrator, fostering earlier involvement in decisions, cross-functional alignment, and clear trade-offs to ensure successful digital transformation.
