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2021 CIO Study: The CIO Revolution Breaking barriers, creating value

From digital to virtual, overnight

The pressure on technology leaders has never been more intense. Technology was already at the center of modern society, but in 2020, the pandemic thrust digital capabilities into the forefront. COVID-19 accelerated the adoption of new tools and practices in ways previously unanticipated but now accepted as the norm. For many individuals, organizations, and communities, technology was more than a solution. It was the lifeline by which they sustained themselves.

Rapid adaptation has continued to accelerate during 2021. A “Virtual Enterprise” model is emerging, fueled by a new post-digital approach to business opportunity. This model is based on the speed and scale of cloud technologies—notably the flexibility and interoperability of hybrid cloud, and the rapid results generated by combining artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. Together, these technologies create synergies and unlock new value streams that are orders of magnitude greater than what each can enable individually.

IBM’s Institute for Business Value (IBV) surveyed 5,000 C-suite technology leaders, including both Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and Chief Technology Officers (CTOs). A select group of executives were contacted for in-depth qualitative interviews, revealing insights about their on-the-ground experience leading technology organizations throughout a period of exceptional disruption. Spanning 29 industries and 45 locations worldwide, this study is our most exhaustive examination of this critical cohort in more than 15 years of research.

Read the full study to learn what CIOs across the globe shared about their experiences during an incredibly challenging era.

For any questions or requests contact your IBM Representative today.

About IBM

In business for more than 100 years, International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is a widely held, publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Originally called the Computing Tabulating Recording Company, it was incorporated in the State of New York in 1911 and manufactured products ranging from commercial scale and industrial time recording equipment to tabulators and punched cards. It was renamed International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) in 1924.

IBM is one of the world's largest information technology companies, operating in over 175 countries with over 264,300 full-time employees. The company creates value for clients by providing integrated solutions and products that help them transform their businesses and engage with their customers and employees in new ways. These solutions draw from an industry-leading portfolio of consulting and IT implementation services, cloud, digital, and cognitive offerings, and enterprise systems and software, all bolstered by one of the world's leading research organizations.

IBM Technology is addressing the hybrid cloud and AI opportunity with a platform-centric approach, focused on providing client value through a combination of technology and business expertise. We provide integrated solutions and products that leverage data, information technology, deep expertise in industries and business processes, with trust and security and a broad ecosystem of partners and alliances. Our hybrid cloud platform and AI technology and services capabilities support clients' digital transformations and help them engage with their customers and employees in new ways. These solutions draw from an industry-leading portfolio of capabilities in software, consulting services, and a deep incumbency in mission-critical systems, all bolstered by one of the world's leading research organizations.

IBM Consulting delivers business transformation, technology consulting, and application operations by leveraging hybrid cloud and AI technologies from IBM, along with our ecosystem partners. To support our hybrid cloud strategy, we built up the Red Hat business to over $2.5 billion. We are pursuing a similar approach for our AI strategy with over 16,000 accredited consultants. We have also scaled our focus on the ecosystem to create multi-billion-dollar partnerships with AWS, Microsoft, and SAP. Our consulting capabilities help clients to realize value from their digital transformations, for example, a global provider of business decisioning data and analytics is leveraging watsonx for a procurement solution to improve savings, reduce time, and mitigate risk.

For more information, please visit our website at http://www.ibm.com.