Making better use of data in business decision making is the top priority for chief information officers (CIOs), according to a global survey from IBM.

Making better use of data in business decision making is the top priority for chief information officers (CIOs), according to a global survey from IBM.

Some 83 per cent of the survey’s 2,500 respondents identify business intelligence (BI) and analytics as the way they will enhance their organisation’s competitiveness.

Pat Toole, CIO of IBM, says, ‘CIOs understand that analytics can be key to new growth markets, whether it’s new ways to manage a utility grid or smarter healthcare systems.’

Other goals for tech chiefs include lowering energy costs through virtualisation (76 per cent) and centralising IT infrastructure within the next five years (also 76 per cent).

The CIOs surveyed report that they are able to focus 55 per cent of their time on activities driving business growth and innovation, while traditional IT tasks like infrastructure and operations management now make up 45 per cent.

‘Clearly the role of the CIO is changing dramatically,’ Toole states.