Featuring:

Brian Hopkins, VP, Principal Analyst and Matt Guarini, VP, Research Director

Show Notes:

CIOs and IT and technology leaders could never have predicted the dramatic shifts and changes they saw in 2020. But those who responded quickly and decisively assumed a more elevated role in their company’s strategy. In 2021, they can expect more risk and change that will require a strong strategy to respond effectively. In this episode, Vice Presidents Brian Hopkins and Matt Guarini review Forrester’s top CIO predictions for 2021, adding their own insights and real-world examples to the predictions.

To start, they discuss the prediction that as many as 20% of the Fortune 500 may not survive the coming year. The difference between thriving and failure for many firms will be the ability to apply technology to adapt to new changes, says Guarini. As an example, Hopkins points to food delivery firms that have stopped thinking of themselves as physical firms and started viewing their business as digital-first.

The analysts also discuss the prediction that more CIOs will leverage hyperlocal tech instead of multinational technology platforms and another stating that CIOs who enable “work from anywhere” for their firms will help attract and retain talent. “About 30% of an EX [employee experience] score is rooted in technology,” says Guarini, “and how that technology enables and empowers the employees.”

For more information about all of our 2021 CIO predictions, be sure to read the blog and full report linked below.