The evolving role of the CIO

As my colleague Shishir Lohmror mentioned in his blog post last month, the role of the CIO in the life sciences industry is at a crucial juncture. But this is not the result of a technology hype cycle. The industry has seen many generations of technical breakthroughs over the years. So, what makes this different? Well, this time around, the digital modernization we’re experiencing is changing the core of the industry. Take for example, what we are experiencing via in-silico and AI-driven drug development. These technological developments go far beyond ‘enabling’ existing business processes for clinical research. They change what the work is, how the work gets done, the skills required to do the work, the potential for success (PTRS) and the time to get there. This shift allows CIOs to transition from enabling business functions to spearheading the path toward new performance frontiers, and shaping the future of their organizations.

As we begin 2025, let's delve deeper into how the strategic approach of IT leaders is likely to evolve throughout the year.

Embrace and encourage the democratization of technology

One of the biggest opportunities with modern technology is the speed with which the business can access and realize results. This is a new challenge for traditional CIO organizations. They may see this as a threat and try to take back control, slow down progress and frustrate business leaders. Successful CIO organizations are changing their partnership and governance models to accept the speed of partnerships. They are building enterprise-grade capabilities through business initiatives instead of large, complex IT programs. This lets a modern digital core be part of how the work is done, with clear business impact, while improving the relationship with the business.

Enable step-level change

Traditionally, the enterprise digital core served as the backbone for operating software and analytics tools that support or automate existing business processes. These systems, while essential for business operations, often exist in silos that make it difficult to quickly adapt or incorporate new innovations. Today, with advancements in cloud platforms, generative AI and composable integration, there is an opportunity to move beyond these limitations. Modern data and agentic architectures can use legacy data repositories and digital applications to change business processes and provide the best decision support. Take for example, patient and physician engagement. These technologies are fundamentally changing not only the content supply chain, but the full scope of omni-channel potential.

Embracing a new mindset

As mentioned in Shishir’s blog post, one of the key challenges for CIOs is fostering a mindset that views technology as a catalyst for strategic business change. This shift requires CIOs to engage deeply with business strategy and innovation, moving beyond traditional IT roles. But it also requires a healthy reassessment of the talent available in the IT organization to support the future of the organization.

CIOs need to look at the talent and work composition of today and chart the course for how this is likely to evolve. For example, data stewards and managers may shift to data strategists as traditional data management work shifts to agent-based. Software engineers in many areas may evolve to digital solution architects, as traditional programming becomes increasingly automated.

To enable these shifts in what IT brings to the table, CIOs must create a culture of continuous learning and adaptability. Investing in training and development programs will be an increasingly crucial step in fostering this new mindset. Both in terms of technical skills and new ways of working. Creating ways to grow as an employee and recognizing contributions can make people feel more motivated and aid retention. To this end, we are seeing leading organizations starting to make significant commitments to improving the AI IQ for their entire IT organization.

At the same time, it will be critical to have the courage to bring in new talent in areas where existing resources are not likely to adapt sufficiently. We are already seeing leading universities provide dedicated degrees in areas like AI, which shows the game-changing nature of these technologies. But to move at pace, building these new skills will often be through a combination of strategic partnership, internal development and talent recruitment. Regardless, getting this right will mean new skill profiles, compensation models and career paths to attract and retain top talent.

A new year’s resolution: The future of the CIO in life sciences

Some have projected the role of the CIO organization to diminish. Without question, those who do not adapt may be marginalized. However, for visionary leaders, the modernization of the digital core presents an unprecedented opportunity to be at the heart of revolutionizing how our industry delivers break-through medicines to more patients at a pace unlike anything we have seen before. As we embark on this new year, challenge your organization to lead with a compelling vision, promote transformative change and elevate your strategic impact. Together, we can redefine the boundaries of what's possible in the life sciences industry.