Prasenjit Mukherjee, CIO & CDO, JWIL Infrastructure Ltd.
CIOs at the Core of Business Transformation
In today’s digital-first landscape, the Chief Information Officer (CIO) is no longer confined to managing IT operations or generating reports. Modern CIOs play a pivotal role across all business functions, shaping strategies for business agility, growth, stability, integrity, and insights. Their core responsibility now includes enabling great customer experiences and aligning technology with organizational goals. Digitalisation has become essential to business survival—akin to oxygen—making CIOs key figures in driving transformation through technology.
Integration, Cybersecurity & Automation
As businesses advance in digital maturity, process integration and cybersecurity become top priorities. However, increased digitalisation also amplifies the risk of cyber threats. CIOs must deploy a holistic security strategy comprising structured frameworks, regular posture and compliance audits, robust policies, and employee awareness programs. Ensuring a strong cybersecurity culture is as important as deploying technological tools.
In terms of automation and IT-OT architecture, organizations must clearly differentiate and define frameworks for handling operational and informational technology. Implementing Zero Trust models, although widely discussed, remains complex and requires cross-functional collaboration to prevent disruption in business operations.
Moreover, the rise of AI-driven automation adds new layers of complexity, especially in terms of data security and leakage risks. Public AI engines are often chosen due to cost constraints, but CIOs must ensure watertight agreements with service providers to mitigate risks and protect critical business data.
The Expanding Role of Tech Leaders
In today’s fast-evolving business landscape, organizations are under constant pressure to reduce operational costs, scale efficiently, and launch products faster. Achieving these goals increasingly depends on the strategic leadership of CIOs, CTOs, and CDOs, who are now expected to build agile, automated, and data-driven technology platforms that align closely with business objectives.
With technologies like Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Machine Learning (ML) becoming central to growth strategies, the CIO’s role has transformed from a support function into a critical business enabler.
Meanwhile, Data Protection Officers (DPOs) oversee compliance and data privacy, but in many cases, CIOs are expected to wear multiple hats, often managing CISO and DPO responsibilities. This shift underlines the growing need for flexible leadership structures and clear role demarcations in today’s digital organizations.
