The CIOs of enterprises in Europe are feeling increasingly vulnerable, according to Colt, and trusted suppliers can help to take the strain.
The former UK-based telco, which has redefined itself as a tech services provider, based the comments on a survey of senior IT leaders it has undertaken in the UK, France and Germany.
Because of IT’s increasingly central role in business, 76 percent of CIOs feel more personal risk when making decisions than they did five years ago.
Trust is “very important” when dealing with external partners as 85 percent believe technology issues are sometimes “inevitable”.
A partner proves its value when things go wrong, they understand the impact of service interruption and act accordingly, according to the survey.
Carl Grivner, EVP at Colt said: “The advent of digitalisation and changing role of IT are clearly having an effect on the personal risk IT leaders experience.
“Playing such a pivotal role in the overall success of the company, IT leaders know that the boardroom has eyes on the key moments that will determine their success.
“But this increased responsibility also means CIOs feel more vulnerable than five years ago.
“They are facing a new set of challenges – their ability to drive change and innovate will determine the success of the business and ultimately make or break their career.
“Building a team with the right skills and working with trusted suppliers that know the business inside out, will allow the CIO to take this weight off their shoulders and make the decisions that matter most to their careers.”