Role Discussion: Examining the Composition of contemporary Chief Information Officers
Michael Ringman, as CIO at TELUS Digital (previously TELUS International), plays a pivotal role in crafting digital-first, AI-infused customer experiences. The CIO's portfolio has been drastically transformed due to the emergence of new technologies. While in the past, CIOs primarily managed IT systems and infrastructure, their roles have since evolved to become influential players in business strategy, resilience, and growth.
In light of accelerated digital transformation, companies are planning to prioritize investments in emerging technologies such as generative AI (GenAI) by 2025, as suggested by the 2025 PwC Pulse Survey on business reinvention. As agents of change, the modern CIO adopts a blend of technical and strategic approaches, including responsible AI adoption, integrating ESG principles into IT infrastructure, and forging strategic technology partnerships to streamline processes and bolster defenses against cyber threats.
The 21st-century CIO's responsibilities involve overseeing the organization's transformation into a tech-driven powerhouse that remains competitive in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
From Tech Troubleshooter to Strategic Trailblazer
As tech advancements redefined the business landscape, the CIO's role deviated from solely focusing on back-end operations and systems. The emergence of internet and email in the '90s sparked the adoption of ERP systems, and CIOs shifted to integrator roles. The dot-com era birthed the rise of cybersecurity and e-commerce, turning the CIO's focus to digital strategy and cybersecurity.
The 2007-2009 financial crisis further expanded the CIO's responsibilities to encompass digital transformation and IT budget optimization. The subsequent introduction of cloud platforms, big data, AI, and IoT in the 2010s introduced new dimensions to the CIO's roles.
Today, the CIO is an indispensable figurehead responsible for shaping tech leadership across industries—a role that demands strategic leadership and decisive action to adapt to emerging trends and challenges.
Sustainable Tech and Sustainable Growth
As CIOs stand at the junction of technology and sustainability, they are tasked with contributing to their companies' energy efficiency and carbon neutrality objectives amidst rising energy costs, increased scrutiny, and evolving regulatory standards.
According to the 2024 PwC Pulse survey, 33% of Fortune 1000 CIOs have fully integrated AI's power consumption and IT's overall carbon footprint into their sustainability strategy. Furthermore, 42% are transitioning data centers to renewable energy sources, a trend that must be embraced and exemplified in companies like TELUS Digital.
Moreover, CIOs aid organizations in preparing responsible AI frameworks, mitigating algorithmic biases, and ensuring compliance with global regulations. They also invest in attracting and retaining diverse, cross-functional talent to achieve cutting-edge projects.
Collaborative Partnerships and Future-proofing
Considering the dynamic nature of modern tech architectures, organizations rely heavily on strong partner ecosystems. As architects of robust partner ecosystems, CIOs source the right solutions, lead tech trends, and know when to buy, build, or partner. One-third of IT leaders trusts their CIOs to proactively identify business opportunities and make technology recommendations, according to the 2024 State of the CIO survey.
As cybersecurity threats escalate, CIOs are crucial in safeguarding confidential data and assets. Nearly half of IT leaders concur that enhancing cybersecurity protection was the top targeted business initiative of this year. CIOs work collaboratively with the C-suite to adopt emerging technologies, weigh the risks, and invest in contact centers as a service solutions.
The Continuing Evolution of the CIO
The ongoing CIO role evolution—to become an increasingly strategic, cross-functional advisor and an advocate for innovation, agility, and organizational resilience—will continue into 2025 and beyond. Emerging trends in artificial general intelligence will bring new challenges and opportunities, requiring CIOs to navigate the delicate balance between human teams, AI copilots, and digital workforces.
Moreover, CIOs will be instrumental in evaluating AI's returns on investments, optimizing existing solutions, and implementing multicloud strategies to future-proof their organizations against emerging challenges.
Through all its iterations, the CIO's fundamental mission remains constant: guide the organization towards resilience and adaptability while executing on business strategy in our tech-dependent world.
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- Michael Ringman, in his role as TELUS Digital's CTO, is prioritizing the integration of generative AI (GenAI) into the company's operations, following the recommendations from the 2025 PwC Pulse Survey on business reinvention.
- As a trailblazer in tech leadership, Ringman is responsible for forging strategic technology partnerships to streamline processes, adopt responsible AI, and strengthen cybersecurity defenses, in line with the evolving role of CTOs.
- Ringman's commitment to innovation and sustainability is reflected in TELUS Digital's transition towards energy efficiency and the adoption of AI and IT solutions that minimize the company's carbon footprint.