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The Chief Information Officer - from service provider to strategic enabler
- CIOs can step up as creators of value
Co-own value with the business to drive outcomes
Communicate tech impact in language the C-suite understand
AI: driving core business strategies
PwC’s 28th Annual Global CEO Survey – Australian insights.
Reinvention on the edge of tomorrow
Fund what matters
Real transformation takes investment. CIOs can’t wait for budget increases – they need to earn them. That means actively identifying efficiencies and reinvesting in high-impact strategic capabilities, and taking calculated risks where ROI confidence is high.
Lead with outcomes, not outputs
The final piece of the puzzle lies in how CIOs communicate their achievements to the C-suite. Influential CIOs don't just track project timelines – they tell a business story. They move the conversation from deliverables to impact. Rather than saying "we deployed an AI tool," they say "we increased revenue by improving customer experience."
Every interaction with the C-suite is a chance to reinforce that narrative. It’s not about dashboards – it’s about outcomes. Value realised. Advantage gained. Future made.
Co-own value with the business
Strategic CIOs don’t wait to be invited into business planning – they’re co-shaping it. They work shoulder-to-shoulder with leaders across the organisation to identify, design and deliver high-impact solutions
That collaboration leads to smarter sequencing of initiatives, better enterprise architecture decisions and faster execution. And often, it’s the CIO – not HR – who drives digital and AI upskilling across the organisation.
Co-ownership of value realisation creates mutual accountability and understanding.
Earn trust through emotional intelligence
Technical know-how is just the start. Influence comes from trust. The most effective CIOs understand what their peers care about and connect technology to those goals.
CEOs care about competitive advantage and growth. CIOs need to show how tech investments can unlock new business models and open new markets.
CFOs want confidence in ROI – clear financial outcomes, not just technical benefits. The CIO’s job is to bridge that gap with data and clarity. Show how initiatives drive sales productivity, reduce acquisition costs and generate tangible financial improvements. The CIO can help CFOs think beyond short-term cost reduction to feeling more comfortable with larger, more long-term investments.
Get the innovation and risk balance right
Boards want innovation, but they fear risk – especially cyber risk. Strategic CIOs frame security investments not as constraints, but as enablers. They translate technical threats into business risks and position security as the foundation for trust, continuity and competitive resilience.
Real-world examples, industry benchmarks and business language help make the case. Technology becomes a critical partner in organisational success.
The opportunity is now
CIOs bring unique insight into the power of technology to create competitive advantage and reinvent business models. By effectively communicating this value and building strong executive partnerships, CIOs can actively shape their organisation's strategic direction and future success. Unfortunately, research shows 9 out of 10 CIOs are not yet fulfilling this aspiration.1
Every CIO has a decision to make: continue maintaining systems, or step up as a creator of value.
CIOs who lead with confidence, communicate with clarity and collaborate with purpose are helping shape the future of their organisations. Most CIOs haven’t made that leap yet. But for those ready to act, the opportunity is clear – and it’s big.
If you’d like to explore how to elevate the strategic impact of your technology leadership, we’re here to help. Contact Matt Benwell, Claire Mckenna-Blake, Hester Bax or Laura Mills.
Contact the authors
Matt Benwell
Partner, Digital Strategy and Transformation, PwC Australia
Claire McKenna-Blake
Partner, PwC Australia
Hester Bax
Senior Manager, Modern Digital Enterprise Tech Advisory, PwC Australia
Laura Mills
Director, PwC Australia
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