The role of the CTO is continuing to increase. A recent survey of 5,000 CTOs and CIOs by the IBM Institute for Business Value stated that “the CTO has become one of the most strategic roles within an organization.” Top CTO responsibilities cited in the survey include C-suite and board advisory (88%), software development lifecycle (72%), cybersecurity (69%), innovation strategy (61%), and business continuity (59%). CTOs also add data to their list of significant responsibilities. 79% of CTO respondents report a leadership role in their organization’s data strategy— and 70% state that their colleagues look to them for data governance and stewardship.
The value of the CTO is where the smart money is. C-suite and board advisory translate to owner advisory services within the SMB. The stack rank of priorities shouldn’t look different, just the scale and particulars. This should be the roadmap of services, which is why we care. Customers are telling us what they want.