CISOs: Change your mindset or lose your job

Capgemini commissioned IDC to produce a new piece of research, which reveals the increasing pressure on the Chief Information Security Officer to drive forward digital transformation – or risk losing their seat at the table when it comes to key business decisions.

Whilst CISOs are now involved in 90% of significant business decisions, the research found that just 25% of business executives perceive CISOs as proactively enabling digital transformation – which is a key goal for 89% of organizations.

Information security is a business differentiator

Business executives think the number one reason for information security is competitive advantage and differentiation, followed by business efficiency. Just 15% of business executives think information security is a blocker of innovation – indicating that information security is no longer the ‘department of no’.

CISOs are now boardroom players

80% of business executives and CISOs think their personal influence has improved in the last three years. CISOs are now involved in 90% of medium or high influence boardroom decisions.

CISOs must lead digital transformation efforts

At present, less than 25% of business executives think CISOs proactively enable digital transformation. To stay relevant, CISOs must become business enablers. They need to adopt business mindsets and push digital transformation forward, not react to it. CISOs that fail to adopt a business mindset will be replaced by more forward-thinking players.