Charlotte CIO Inner Circle

Rapid innovation and widespread AI implementation in the past 18 months is presenting unmapped opportunities and hitherto unseen challenges for organizations across industry and geography. Determining digital priorities to drive the business forward is complex, and the pressure on technology leaders to maximize their digital investments is higher than ever.

Gartner's 2025 survey of CIOs and executive leaders outside of IT reveals that so-called "digital vanguards" drive growth by co-owning digital initiatives to deliver better outcomes across the organization. This approach maximizes the value of digital investments, gives direction to digital priorities and enhances organizational effectiveness. Security leaders play a pivotal role in balancing and communicating risk associated with the digital initiatives to enable the business.

Join this conversation to discuss strategic approaches for leveraging partnerships to ensure the best ROI on technology and security investments.

1. Do you consider yourself a “digital vanguard?” How can CIOs and CISOs create inclusive, user-friendly platforms that encourage IT and non-IT collaboration for secure solutions?
2. What challenges do you face in getting the rest of the organization to understand the technology roadmap, especially when it comes to setting realistic expectations around AI use cases?
3. How do you envision capturing the maximum value from your AI strategy? What role will other stakeholders play in making sure you are successful?
4. How are you approaching developing business and IT skills, ensuring accurate tech skills forecasting?
5. Based on tonight’s conversation, how well equipped do you feel your department and you, as a leader, are to act on these insights?