From Code to Culture: Technology Leaders Drive New Levels of Organizational Transformation

Technology leaders today are the architects of enterprise-wide transformation. Their influence now extends from digital improvements and innovation to business strategy, shaping how organizations compete and grow in the age of AI.

Egon Zehnder’s global study of more than 150 technology leaders confirms just how dramatically the tech leader’s mandate has expanded. The findings show that they now spend over two-thirds of their time:

• driving innovation 
• championing emerging tools across functions
• embedding tech into core business strategy

As the AI revolution accelerates, it will markedly extend these leaders’ responsibilities and influence across their organizations. They will envision and manage all stages and aspects of deployment and integration—from software implementation to talent upskilling, to driving the cultural cross-functional business transformations expected. 

Tech leaders are quick to point out that they cannot bring about these developments alone: Transformation will require active support from the board and the executive committee, especially from the CEO, who they foresee as a crucial partner in the work ahead.

This report distills what we learned from today’s tech leaders about their priorities, their shifting role, and what specific goals have risen to the fore for both the short and long term.