Gartner Insights Abstract

Executive Strategies to Support IT When the CIO Position Is Vacant

Published: 03 June 2024

Summary

When the CIO position is vacant, enterprises may face strategic project delays, staff retention issues and increased costs. This document provides executive leaders with strategies to manage the vacancy period.

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Overview

Key Findings
  • Many enterprises underestimate the consequences of a four- to six-month lag in CIO leadership. Managing the vacant CIO situation is critical, and if not managed properly, can end up in strategic/transformative project delays, lack of engagement, staff retention issues and the corresponding impacts on costs.

  • Enterprises often jump to hire a new CIO as a clone (or anticlone) of the predecessor without first determining the profile that is a best fit for the enterprise to move forward.

Recommendations

Executive leaders responsible for filling the CIO position should:

  • Appoint an acting CIO: Ensure the IT organization can continue to deliver, make progress

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