The Evolving Role of CIOs & Its Impact on PR: Key Learnings from the GDS Group CIO North America Summit
In today’s fast-paced digital era, the role of the CIO has transformed dramatically. No longer limited to managing IT infrastructure, CIOs are now strategic leaders shaping the future of business through digital transformation, AI and innovation. At the GDS Group CIO North America Summit in September 2024, top leaders like Eric Firer, CIO North America for Kellanova, and Jean Olive, CIO for John Hancock, gathered to discuss this seismic shift and its implications for business strategy. Understanding this evolution offers PR professionals a significant opportunity to enhance how we communicate and create value for tech-forward clients. As PR professionals, our role is to not only understand this evolution but also to effectively communicate it to our clients and help them navigate the changing landscape.
Here are the key takeaways from the summit that PR professionals should keep in mind when working with CIOs or in the innovation space:
CIOs Are No Longer Confined to IT: They’re Strategic Business Leaders
One of the summit’s dominant themes was CIOs’ evolving role in shaping overall business strategy. Today’s CIOs are not just tech managers, but central decision-makers involved in digital transformation, cybersecurity, data governance and customer experience. PR professionals must reflect this evolution in messaging, positioning CIOs as thought leaders who influence both their companies’ operational and innovation-driven goals. When crafting narratives, consider how technology initiatives align with business outcomes. For instance, when discussing a cybersecurity initiative, focus on how it protects the company’s reputation and customer trust. When talking about a data governance project, highlight how it improves decision-making and operational efficiency. When crafting narratives, ensure that technology initiatives are tied to business outcomes—helping to drive ROI, efficiency and growth.
Innovation Is About Problem-Solving, Not Technology
CIOs at the summit emphasized that innovation is no longer just about adopting the latest technologies—it’s about solving real-world business challenges. PR teams should focus on this shift in messaging. When discussing a company’s tech solutions, concentrate on how CIOs leverage innovation to streamline operations, improve customer experiences and mitigate risks. Stories illustrating real-world problem-solving will resonate more with target audiences than generic tech updates.
CIOs Seek Partners, Not Vendors
The summit also highlighted that CIOs seek strategic partners, not just vendors. This presents an opportunity for PR professionals to position clients as collaborators who help CIOs achieve long-term success. Emphasize shared goals, partnerships and value-driven relationships, particularly when discussing transformative initiatives such as cloud migrations, AI integrations or cybersecurity improvements. Messaging should reflect the mutual benefits and long-term impact of these collaborations.
CIOs Are the New Go-To Voices in Media
With technology driving the future of business, CIOs are increasingly becoming the media’s go-to experts for commentary on innovation, cybersecurity and the digital landscape. As companies rely more heavily on technology to remain competitive, journalists turn to CIOs for their insights on how these shifts play out in real time across industries. This trend presents an invaluable opportunity for PR professionals to position CIOs as thought leaders. Whether it’s contributing to an industry publication or offering expert commentary on emerging trends, CIOs are now a voice the media wants to hear from. PR teams should actively seek out opportunities to get their clients’ voices into the conversation, positioning them as authoritative sources on technology’s role in shaping the future of business.
Data-Driven Storytelling: A Must for CIOs
CIOs make data-based decisions, and PR professionals must do the same when crafting stories. Data-driven storytelling is the practice of using data to inform and shape the narrative. Incorporating metrics, case studies and real-world results into your messaging will help to build credibility. Whether discussing the ROI of a new technology or showcasing the impact of a digital transformation project, always back up your narrative with concrete data that demonstrates value. This approach not only makes your story more compelling but also resonates with CIOs who are accustomed to making decisions based on data.
Final Thoughts: Evolving PR Strategies for the Modern CIO
The GDS Group CIO North America Summit 2024 underscored CIOs taking on more strategic roles in shaping business outcomes. For PR professionals, the lessons are clear: we need to adapt our approaches to align with how CIOs think, operate and innovate. By emphasizing partnership, leveraging data-driven storytelling and understanding the business impact of innovation, we can become trusted allies in the CIO’s journey.
Moreover, with CIOs becoming the new front-runners in conversations around technology and business transformation, they need to be part of media discussions. PR teams have a pivotal role in amplifying these voices, ensuring that CIOs drive internal business decisions and lead public discourse on the future of business.
This isn’t just about telling better stories—it’s about positioning clients as key players in the future of business transformation. As CIOs continue to take charge of innovation, PR professionals must be there to amplify their vision, articulate their strategy and demonstrate how they are driving real change across industries.
