The emergence of the global digital economy-and the creative use of technology to support it-has upended traditional business models.

It has also transformed the chief information officer (CIO) role beyond the primary responsibility of maintaining hardware, software, applications, security, and compliance. CIOs now also drive the modernisation of platforms to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), voice, data, and cloud solutions-helping to drive the business forward and make possible innovative customer experiences.

As a result, CIOs need to be more creative than ever to reflect this shift, said Vishy Narayanan, chief digital and information officer at accounting giant PwC ANZ.