Priorities CIOs Must Address in 2025, According to Gartner’s CIO Survey

According to the 2025 Gartner CIO and Technology Executive Survey, only 48% of digital initiatives meet or exceed their business outcome targets. This statistic highlights a significant challenge for organisations aiming to achieve their digital transformation goals. 

However, there is a silver lining: a select group of CIOs and CxOs, which we call ‘the digital vanguard’, achieves a significantly higher success rate of 71%. This stark contrast underscores the importance of adopting the strategies and practices that set these digital vanguard leaders apart.

The digital vanguard distinguishes themselves from the rest of CIOs and CxOs because they co-own digital delivery end-to-end. These CIOs and CxOs are equally responsible, accountable and involved in delivering the digital solutions their enterprises need. 

This is a radical departure from the traditional paradigm of IT delivery and business ‘project sponsorship’ that predominates in most enterprises. CxOs in the digital vanguard dedicate 35% of their business area staff to technology work (compared to 21% in the case of other CxOs) and meet with their CIOs four times more often. This close collaboration and shared accountability result in a higher success rate for their digital initiatives.

Behind every digital vanguard CxO, a digital vanguard CIO guides and empowers them. These CIOs understand that their own success is inextricably entwined with the success of their peers at digital: one cannot succeed without the other. 

Digital vanguard CIOs focus on several key imperatives to enable other CxOs to lead digital initiatives with them and for business area staff to build digital solutions together with IT:

1. Provide compelling, easy-to-use platforms: These platforms should be accessible to and usable not only by IT staff but also for potential or actual technologists outside IT. 
2. Instil architectural awareness: By educating employees on enterprise architecture, vendor management, total cost of ownership, and cybersecurity, CIOs can ensure that digital solutions are built securely and sustainably. 
3. Co-create innovation with business areas: CIOs should support business areas in identifying and developing innovative solutions. 
4. Develop business and IT technologists: Expanding tech skill development efforts to include business leaders and technologists across the enterprise is crucial.

Developing digital and technology leadership skills beyond IT is crucial for the success of digital initiatives. Digital vanguard CIOs expand their skill development efforts to include business leaders and technologists across the enterprise. The CIO at CF Industries, a global manufacturer of fertilisers, for example, helps business leaders become digital product managers by building on their existing skills and providing targeted training. By showing how digital product management skills are an extension of existing business skills, CF Industries encourages business leaders to take on these roles more readily, leading to a significant increase in go-live frequency and usage of their B2B portal.

Digital vanguard CIOs achieve better returns from digital investments. Interestingly, we also found that they are more satisfied and optimistic about their roles compared to the CIOs who seek to retain digital delivery within IT. They build strong executive partnerships and help their peers view business through a technology lens. By making it easier for others to lead and build digital solutions together with IT, they position their companies for greater success. This co-leadership approach not only enhances the CIO’s role but also drives better business outcomes and fosters a culture of innovation across the enterprise.