The evolving IT landscape

The evolving IT landscape, driven by cloud computing and increase in data, is forcing CIOs in Asia-Pacific to reevaluate their roles and be skilled in areas beyond research, just as knowledge in compliance and data protection regulations, according to a new study.

Commissioned by CA Technologies and conducted by Vanson Bourne in June last year, the 270 CIOs polled--spanning retail, telecommunications, financial services and manufacturing sectors--were from Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

The need for such skills is cloud computing

Driving the need for such skills is cloud computing and the increasing adoption among companies to backup their data in other sites, often overseas, the study showed.

"The CIO's role is now being challenged and redefined. They need to optimize innovation planning in the context of the business goals," said Lionel Lim, Asia-Pacific president of CA Technologies, in the press statement.

Emergence of 'cloud CIOs' The study as well showed 87 percent of respondents indicating that those proficient in cloud computing, described as "cloud CIOs", are more adept to use IT to grow the business to the extent that it should. By comparison, only 55 percent of CIOs who are not investing in cloud said the same, it said.

"As IT becomes more integrated with other business functions, 'cloud CIOs' can better leverage the capabilities of these new technologies and optimize IT's value to the business," Lim said.