After moderating countless roundtable discussions, TRIBES sessions, and community events over the past three years, I see the CIO as nothing less than a "digital tightrope walker." The array of dilemmas these modern acrobats face is astonishing: balancing security and accessibility, innovation and stability, cost control and technological advancement. Let’s take a look at some of these high-wire acts and the strategic agility required to manage them.
Let’s start with cybersecurity versus accessibility. Cyber threats lurk everywhere, ready to exploit any security lapse. Meanwhile, employees and customers just want to get their work done. Implementing stringent security measures without turning the business into Fort Knox requires technical skill and a good understanding of human behaviour. It’s up to you, CIO, to find the right balance.
Then there’s the dance between stability and innovation, legacy systems versus modernisation. Maintaining old systems can be like patching up the family home – familiar and reliable. However, there comes a time when building something new becomes essential for future growth. Yet, a drastic or principled transformation brings risks and potential disruptions. The CIO must create a roadmap that respects the valuable insights embedded in the old systems while paving the way for the future. Legacy systems can still be efficient. It’s up to the CIO to ensure that valuable assets aren't discarded unnecessarily. At the latest CIONET event, "The new KISS principle: Keep It Simple and Smart," Caroline Van Cromphaut (Proximus) referenced Elon Musk’s adage: "Before any major transformation or modernisation, ask if each component still has its 'raison d'être' before investing time in reengineering it." As a CIO you are expected to carefully evaluate, select, and invest with precision.
Cost management is indeed a perpetual headache for the CIO. You need the latest technology to stay competitive, but you also need to keep the CFO happy. The constant pressure to prove that every shiny new tool will pay off requires not only a keen eye for detail but also a talent for storytelling – convincing the purse–string holders that it’s worth the investment.
Data privacy versus data utilisation is another tricky issue. Data is the new oil, but extracting it without violating privacy laws is a precision task. You must ensure data is used responsibly and ethically while maximising its value.
Retaining talent in the face of AI and automation is another challenge. Automation promises efficiency and cost savings but can also spark fears of job loss. As a CIO, you must foster a culture of continuous learning and development, ensuring your team feels valued and secure in their roles. Additionally, you must guard against over-reliance on AI, which could lead to the loss of basic development skills, crucial for resilience. This was a key takeaway from the roundtable "
Will AI kill Dev," where the keynote also emphasised asking the 'why' question before launching any AI project. “If there’s no clear business goal, don’t do it”.
In all these dilemmas, the role of the CIO is one of constant evaluation and adaptation. It requires a mix of technical insights, strategic vision, inspiration, and a good dose of humour to stay sane. As technology evolves, so too will the challenges and opportunities, demanding ever more creativity and resilience from those at the helm. Fortunately, we live in a country where the context–the authorities, the infrastructure, the technical know-how, and especially the entrepreneurial spirit – not only makes this possible but also encourages it. At the CIONET "Summer Festival" on August 29, we will showcase and celebrate this. To all CIO tightrope walkers, it’s a tough job, but if you find the right balance, the view from the top is unbeatable.