Faced with geopolitical uncertainty, a fast-evolving cyber landscape, AI exploding at an unprecedented pace, and businesses demanding the tools to innovate, the CIO must operate in an increasingly complex and challenging environment. With an expectation to influence corporate strategy, the CIO’s role has evolved from simply being the ‘techie’ in the room, to having a wide-ranging portfolio of influence and understanding across the organisation. Still, they must balance technological aspects such as data management, infrastructure requirements and cost implications, with business stakeholders clamouring to have their own generative AI solution, and the ethical and regulatory concerns about introducing AI into the business. A rapid pace of change is also inherent in the cybersecurity landscape, where AI is fuelling increased sophistication and variation of attack vectors. While some organisations have installed a CISO, not all have, and even where they have, chances are the CISO reports to the CIO (as per the findings of Brainstorm’s 2025 CISO Survey). The CIO’s challenges are further exacerbated by the geopolitical uncertainty and its impact on data and technology sovereignty, supply chains and the wider economy and business environment. And, of course, the digital transformation journey continues for many CIOs, who are helping transition their organisations into a digital world, where cloud and apps become as important as warehouses and offices.