The modern CIO's role has evolved significantly in recent years.

It has become increasingly

difficult to strike a balance between managing traditional IT operations and driving strategic
initiatives, especially with transformational change at the forefront of the agenda. The CIO are
facing many challenges in digital transformation. Firstly, Data Protection Management. Effective
data governance remains a major source of concern. With the EU's General Data Protection
Regulation (GDPR) taking effect in 2018, CIOs are well aware of the critical nature of
meticulous data management. However, with the added burden of ensuring ongoing compliance
and the prospect of a slew of new regulations, companies cannot afford to rest on their laurels.
Secondly, Success in Digital Transformation. According to a survey conducted by Nominet, 93%
of CIOs and CTOs believe that "their organization was either currently engaged in, or planning
to engage in, a digital transformation program," with only 6% of businesses claiming to have
completed their transformation. While some discussion whether digital transformation can ever
be truly complete, there are also indications that many organizations are struggling. According to
new McKinsey research, there is a 45 percent chance that an average digital transformation
project will generate less profit than anticipated. Finally, bridging the information technology
skills gap. The failure of the supply of talent to keep up with demand has been a side effect of
mass digital transformation, and the problem appears to be continuing. KPMG paints a similarly
bleak picture, confirming that skills shortages have reached their highest level since 2008 and
asserting that "these shortages cannot help but act as a bottleneck to growth." The shortages are
being fueled by investments in technology such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, and
cybersecurity.