Nearly 90% of large companies are in the process of digital transformation and artificial intelligence initiatives — with varying degrees of success. An IT executive search can be the difference between a profitable future and an expensive mess.
An IT executive search today is much different than in the past. There is a broader depth of skills that digital leadership needs in today’s evolving environment.
Digital business transformation goes way beyond technology management. IT leaders of the past needed to build and maintain systems. Today’s IT executives need to find ways to use technology to derive new revenue streams from products and services. Instead of just implementing technology, it is about harnessing it to integrate new cash flows through IT innovation.
IT executives must bridge the gap between IT and business, working as advisors on how technology can enable key business objectives. CTOs, CDOs, and CIOs will be core members of the company’s leadership team, helping shape overall strategy and direction. Without this level of expertise and guidance, organizations face falling behind competitors.
The role of IT leaders has shifted from operations to strategy, from just being technologists to architecting change and IT innovation. This requires business acumen, communication capabilities, and people skills to lead transformation.
Though an impressive track record indicates ability, you also need to assess the individual's emotional intelligence (EQ) — which is critical for driving change. There are five pillars of EQ and effective change agents exhibit strength in each area:
These are the intangibles that drive success in executive positions and they are increasingly crucial in driving digital business transformation throughout an organization. Such skills are also more challenging to define. IT executive search recruiters are adept at probing and uncovering these traits.
IT executives also must have the ability to understand and deploy global IT strategies. Businesses are increasingly working across borders. More companies are employing remote and international workers. Data is being collected, stored, and shared amid an ever-growing privacy and regulatory landscape. Modern supply chains and talent acquisition also tend to include an international focus.
IT leaders need global IT strategies to navigate these challenges and ensure organizations can thrive. This is another area where EQ and people skills are essential, bridging geographical divides, cultures and diversity, and language barriers.
Here’s an example of a recent client we worked with. A $500 million manufacturing company contacted us to recruit a Vice President of Information Technology position. They were embarking on a significant optimization process to prepare their manufacturing operations for Industry 4.0 strategies and needed strong IT executive leadership to spearhead the initiative.
During our discussions, we quickly noticed they were running an AS 400 mainframe. At this point in their evolution, they needed someone who could evolve their technology to modern enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems before they were ready for a dramatic shift. This changed the search to find someone with the right skill set to manage that portion of their transformation before taking on the broader initiatives.
That is a value we provide to clients, by taking a deep dive into their business, taking the time to understand their challenges, and building a profile to find the perfect fit for the role.
Finding the right person for your digital leadership is challenging. Despite recent layoffs in the tech sector, a severe labor shortage of IT leadership continues. A Gartner study expects demand to outpace supply until at least 2026.
A key executive recruitment trend is finding international IT leadership talent. Digital business transformation is hard work and requires the right fit. To overcome labor shortages, recruiting on an international stage has become essential.
When candidates are identified, organizations also need to ensure they put together competitive compensation packages to attract top candidates. Working with an experienced executive search firm with industry expertise can benchmark industry standards and help you create a comp package that will improve your odds of landing your top choice.
Just as it’s harder to find qualified executives, it’s also become more difficult to retain them. One study found that less than 30% of those working in IT planned to stay in their current jobs. While this may provide a larger pool of talent to draw from, it also emphasizes the importance of getting the right fit and an environment that fosters retention. Having an IT leader who is driving your digital transformation leave in the middle of the process is a significant — and costly — setback.
In nearly every industry, digital business transformation is at or near the top of the list for organizations. Managing this change requires IT executives who balance technology expertise, business strategy, and leadership in today’s global landscape.
How has digital transformation reshaped the role of IT executives?
Digital transformation has expanded the IT executive's role from just managing technology to being a strategic driver of innovation and change. They are now embedded in business functions and part of the core leadership team, guiding strategy and digital reinvention.
What skills are increasingly important for IT executives in the digital era?
Leading digital transformation requires a diverse blend of technical knowledge, business acumen, change management skills, leadership capabilities, communication skills, cultural awareness, and emotional intelligence.
How do international dynamics influence IT leadership and executive search strategies?
Globalization requires IT executives to coordinate across regions and cultures. Cultural awareness, empathy, language skills, and the ability to collaborate globally are crucial IT leadership attributes. For an IT executive search, you need to work with a search firm that has international networks and connections to find the best candidates for your job.
In this article, we will provide an objective overview of the SHREK firms and discuss the key characteristics that set them apart.
CFR Global Executive Search is an alliance of independent executive search companies that combine to create one of the world’s most robust recruiting networks — helping members serve clients globally.
The manufacturing and engineering sectors are facing unprecedented hurdles in securing top-tier talent, creating significant executive management recruitment challenges.