Why Some Companies Are Replacing Their CIO

General dissatisfaction with tech leadership and IT support—as well as significant changes in company direction—are the most likely reasons that an organization will look to change its CIO, according to a recent survey from Deloitte. The accompanying report, "Taking Charge: The Essential Guide to CIO Transitions," indicates that stakeholders most frequently look for leadership and credibility in executive job candidates. They're also interested in whether a potential CIO demonstrates proven strategic thinking skills and the ability to align with the business. In addition, given the perceived issues with tech support, they want a CIO who's willing to revamp the existing IT culture and talent base. "CIOs will likely face many challenges and difficult decisions as they navigate the triangle of time, talent and relationships," according to the report. "This means creating a vision for prioritizing key business initiatives, developing talent and culture, and enhancing governance and operating models to build deeper business relationships. Increasingly, this also means crafting a digital strategy and stepping up as the digital leader of the organization by building multifunctional, agile, empowered teams that are accountable to deliver business impact; developing real-time information systems to support decision making; and encouraging staff to … experiment and adapt." More than 600 CIOs, C-suite executives and business leaders took part in the research.