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This contribution was originally published in the Management section of Forbes magazine (April 2025).
What do the 2020 pandemic and the geopolitical situation in 2025 have in common? Just as with COVID a few years ago, cyber risk—now amplified by the rise of AI—has emerged as a major concern for businesses, one that is rightly highlighted by the media. Cybersecurity challenges highlight the vital role of IT in the resilience and sustainability of economic actors. In this context, the role of the CIO within the company is rapidly evolving. In organizations that are well advanced in their Digital transformation, the CIO now sits on the executive committee. The CIO’s understanding of information flows and cross-functional perspective are essential to the company’s strategy and success.
In 2020, Covid demonstrated the vital role of IT in business adaptability and resilience. In 2025, the news is no less anxious and the challenges no less complex. Faced with cyber risks, the emergence of new uses for AI and technologies such as blockchain, weakened by the geopolitical context and threats linked to dependence on Big Tech, managers need to surround themselves. To make the right decisions and take advantage of the opportunities created by IT, it’s vital to understand these issues correctly.
That is why CIOs have been increasingly represented on executive committees in recent years, particularly in the services sector. Their role is strategic. Because they are driving the digital transformation of their companies, their role has changed: they are no longer the IT managers of the past, but rather business partners who are influential and actively involved in creating value and profits. Today, their inclusion in governance is a given.
Within the Executive Committee, the CIO, as a key role, brings very specific expertise and insight: a deep understanding and knowledge of business processes and information flows throughout the entire company. This cross-functional approach, which is often more operational in nature, usefully complements that of the CEO and the CFO, enriching long-term strategic thinking and contributing to the organization’s resilience. This “unique position” will influence the CIO’s interactions with peers from other business units. His technological expertise and his ability to explain and break down these complex topics will also inform the Executive Committee’s strategic decisions.
Within the governance structure, he will thus be able to assume the role of “special advisor,” supporting the business units and senior management in their strategic decisions and ensuring the consistency and sustainability of their choices.
A CIO we spoke with recently summed up this specific mindset: “The company’s digital transformation is disruptive. With it, we’ve shifted to a new paradigm. That’s why the CIO’s presence on the Executive Committee is essential.” At Comex, we don’t come with problems—we come with questions and solutions. As an IT expert in urban planning and as someone with a deep understanding of business processes, the CIO is able to look beyond the scope of their expertise and support business units with a broader strategic perspective. They are capable of increasing the company’s results and profits. “.
His personality also helps enrich discussions and debates: neutral and pragmatic, more detached from the business side than a sales director, or from finance than a CFO, the CIO brings the necessary perspective to challenge the topics at hand with a long-term mindset, taking into account all aspects of a project. His “tech-savvy yet level-headed” temperament and his ability to connect the dots and anticipate the impacts of decisions will make all the difference… In a debate, he can serve as the balancing force.
The CIO as a Business Partner
By joining the Executive Committee, the CIO supports his or her company’s business. Technology in general—and AI in particular—serves as a driver of differentiation and value creation in many fields. IT governance structures that embrace their IT experts will be able to leverage these opportunities and gain a competitive edge in their industry through agility and innovation. By fostering seamless alignment between IT and the company’s business units, the potential for project success is maximized. The benefits are guaranteed. The cultural shift inherent in digital transformation—and the transformation itself—are fostered. It will be more firmly rooted and deeper.
Take AI, for example: the various company departments represented on the Executive Committee are currently tempted to launch ad hoc initiatives in this area. When the topic is brought before the Executive Committee, informed by the CIO’s expertise, the discussion takes on a strategic dimension, leading to a better understanding of the challenges and risks, fewer mistakes, greater consistency, and better results.
In the service of its own marketing
The CIO, too, reaps the benefits of being on the Executive Committee. By gaining access to the governance level, he rises within the company and lends weight to his role. To do so, he is sometimes forced to question himself and reinvent himself. After all, the CIO isn’t naturally inclined to promote his role. Being on the Executive Committee lends him legitimacy and strengthens his internal collaborations. His reputation is enhanced as a result—provided, of course, that he is willing to make this shift in mindset and approach.
Trust is one of the keys to advancing one’s position and gaining a broader perspective. Before joining the Executive Committee, there may be a journey ahead—for both the company’s CEO and its CIO. Managers must recognize the challenges associated with IT, the value and business contributions made by the CIO, and the strategic nature of the CIO’s role—and place their trust in the CIO.
The CIO will need to understand the expectations of an Executive Committee and may gain confidence by receiving training to help with the company’s overall strategy and development.
A win-win situation for both parties, though there is one caveat depending on the size of the company. In small and medium-sized businesses, the CIO can quickly find themselves confined to a highly operational role. If they aspire to take on a more cross-functional and strategic role, they’ll need to find time to step back from day-to-day operations and prepare for this new position. In this regard, the executive committee can serve as a launching pad to test the trust of their peers and their own aspiration to take on a new role that points toward the future.
Because, as of tomorrow, having a CIO on the executive committee will likely no longer be the exclusive domain of large companies.
Samuel Revenu
– CEO, Abraxio