IT in the Boardroom: From Support Function to Strategic Driver

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, technology is no longer just an enabler—it is a core business driver. Yet, in many boardrooms, in 2025, IT is still viewed as a cost center rather than a strategic asset. This outdated perspective limits the ability of organizations to innovate, compete, and scale effectively.

For companies to thrive in the digital era, the board must fully integrate IT into strategic decision-making, ensuring that technology and business objectives are seamlessly aligned.

The Evolving Role of IT in Leadership

Traditionally, IT has been positioned as a support function, responsible for keeping systems operational, ensuring cybersecurity, and managing costs. While these aspects remain critical, modern IT leadership extends far beyond infrastructure and compliance. Today’s IT leaders - CIOs, CTOs, and Chief Digital Officers (CDOs) - play a pivotal role in:

• Business Growth & Innovation – Leveraging technology to unlock new revenue streams and enhance customer experiences.

• Operational Resilience – Driving efficiency, automation, and scalability through digital transformation.

• Risk & Compliance – Managing cybersecurity threats, data privacy, and regulatory frameworks.

• Workforce & Culture Transformation – Enabling hybrid work models, digital collaboration, and AI-driven decision-making.

  
  

Despite this, many boards lack the necessary technological expertise to effectively oversee digital strategy and risk. This gap in IT literacy can lead to missed opportunities, underinvestment in digital capabilities, or misalignment between IT and business priorities.

Bridging the IT-Business Gap in the Boardroom

To maximize the impact of technology on business strategy, organizations must ensure that IT leadership is fully embedded in boardroom discussions. Here’s how I see it:

• CIOs & CTOs need a seat at the table: IT leaders should be active participants in strategic discussions, not just technical advisors. This requires fluent communication in both business and technology, translating complex IT initiatives into clear business value.

• Boards must strengthen their IT & digital literacy: Executives should invest in ongoing education to stay informed on emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and blockchain, ensuring they can assess opportunities and risks effectively.

• Business & IT must align on KPIs & success metrics: IT performance should not be measured solely by uptime or cost savings. Instead, also IT KPIs should reflect business impact - such as customer retention, revenue growth, operational efficiency, and risk mitigation.

• Cybersecurity & Risk management must be a top priority: With increasing cyber threats, board-level oversight of cybersecurity is critical. Regular risk assessments, incident response planning, and compliance alignment should be core agenda items.

  
  

Final Thoughts

In the digital age, I strongly believe IT is not just a business function - it is the business. Companies that embrace technology-driven leadership will outperform, out-innovate, and outlast those that don’t.

The question is no longer “Should IT be in the boardroom?”—but rather “How can we fully leverage technology to drive business success?”

What’s your take? How is IT represented in your boardroom? Let’s discuss in the comments!