Technological progress is widely visible across Europe. From burgeoning technology start-up hubs in diverse locations to Smart Cities and innovations that are helping to drive sustainability, it’s a region which is at the forefront of Digital Transformation – and will continue to be.
This digitalisation is driving remarkable progress across the continent but, with such great strides, comes additional responsibility and pressure for those leading the charge.
Technology leaders across all industries are now managing a complex environment, balancing innovation with risk management and a level of uncertainty about what’s next.
According to recent research conducted by CXO Priorities, in collaboration with Palo Alto Networks, CIOs and their colleagues are particularly concerned about governance and compliance, alongside reporting and demonstrating ROI.
This is little surprise, given international directives such as the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) and NIS2 Directive – as well as local regulations – which require attention to avoid potential penalties.
Additionally, anecdotal evidence suggests that IT teams are being asked to do more, with less, and this research suggests that this is a concern for many CIOs who are being pushed to justify and demonstrate ROI.
Both ROI and compliance were raised as key components of the success metrics used for evaluation of security posture and demonstrating value to the board too, further supporting these two concerns as chief among technology leaders.
CIOs that took part in the survey assert that they’ll continue to be at the forefront of change for their organisations – 33% stated they anticipate their role will be seen as an enabler of business transformation over the next five years – while 21% expect increased personal liability, perhaps in the wake of high-profile incidents observed in North America.
Central to any cohesive technology and security strategy is effective communication and, while almost 40% of survey respondents stated communication between their own role and the wider C-suite was ‘excellent’, 58% perceived this as ‘fair’, suggesting room for improvement.
Looking ahead, with AI and other emerging technologies set to continue to make an impact for organisations across this region, effective communication and collaboration will be crucial for conveying risks and enabling buy-in from colleagues.
Indeed, automation is firmly on the agenda of many respondents, with just shy of 30% placing expansion in this area as a top IT priority for the next 12 months. This was followed by ‘cybersecurity focus and improvements’ for 21% of respondents, and AI adoption for 20% – indicating a concerted effort towards bolstering cybersecurity resilience while harnessing automation and AI for enhanced operational efficiency and threat mitigation.
When it comes to cyber-specific priorities for respondents, cloud security, Zero Trust and cyber-resilience top the list. However, complexity and tool overload are a key concern for 25% of respondents, along with compliance and regulatory pressures (25%).
In an exciting, yet complex, technology landscape which is continuing to transform, CIOs and CISOs have a myriad of challenges to navigate. From compliance with industry regulations to managing an increasing cloud environment, exploring emerging technologies while creating an effective strategy for their secure implementation, technology leaders will benefit from expert partnerships with industry leaders that offer comprehensive yet simple solutions to overcoming tool sprawl and diverse technology requirements.
To dive deeper into the findings of the CXO Priorities and Palo Alto Networks report 2024 Europe Cxo Priorities Report: Key cybersecurity trends, challenges and priorities for CIOs in Europe, click here.
