C-suite needs to become more digitally aware and 'invest, innovate and automate'

“With the pandemic accelerating the rate at which companies have invested in and deployed digital solutions, IDC predicts that in 2022 more than half of the global economy will be based on or influenced by digital solutions,” said Sammy Zoghlami, SVP EMEA at Nutanix. "Digital-first not only requires a system rethink, but it also requires a corporate mindset where all C-suite executives see their digital technologies as the catalyst for business growth. The survey clearly states that organisations must consider potential challenges and costs when running multiple cloud instances, highlighting the ongoing need for better multi-cloud management and streamlined deployment to avoid cloud sprawl.”

The survey shows that translating digital investments into new revenue streams is a top priority for EMEA organisations, as is data and innovation. Yet respondents believe the onus can no longer rest solely on the shoulders of the IT department and need to be embraced by the C-suite as globally we come to terms with what a digital culture, digital infrastructure and digital-first means to an organisation. 

Key findings from the survey revealed: 

Turning investments into revenue - Over 64% of EMEA organisations say they have a digital strategy in place. Still, only 3% say they have an enterprise-wide digital strategy that has led to new revenue streams. There is, however, a disconnect between business, of which 32% state they are in a proof-of-concept pilot stage for their digital projects and IT, of whom only 5% say their companies are developing digital strategies to support new revenue streams. 

From IT to C-suite - Respondents are clear that for a digital strategy to have an impact, it is essential to bid farewell to hierarchical structures and move to more fluid and orchestrated approaches between IT and leadership teams. Out of the respondents questioned, at least 47% say that the sign-off belongs to a CXO different from a tech lead for their DX initiatives. 

Shaping digital culture - When asked what measures DX leaders are considering to transform the organisation’s culture effectively, the following three were ranked the highest: promoting change in management awareness, redefining the missions and evaluations of existing businesses and new businesses, and promoting behavioural change in individuals by renewing the company’s purpose and action guidelines.

Key pillars for shaping digital culture - According to the survey, three key pillars stand out in how C-suites must cooperate to create the digital culture, using the cloud as the enabler for all three digital culture streams. These are value economics, data-driven innovation and the future workplace. The numbers to support this show that 50% of EMEA organisations think that additional investments in managed infrastructure will help deliver better digital value, and 30% say they are co-creating new products with customers and partners. In terms of the workplace, 35% of organisations think that ensuring equal access to information and digital tools to all staff regardless of location will challenge the future workplace.

Managing cloud sprawl remains a crucial challenge for businesses starting their digital journey. As a result, finance departments are stepping up to put measures in place to curb expenditure and manage cloud usage. In support of this, 77% have redesigned purchasing processes to enable pay-as-you-use and consumption models, 58% have rationalised business and developer expenditure in external cloud resources, and over 55% have actively reduced costs on legacy on-premises systems.

"Customers no longer just want infrastructure solutions that help them reduce costs today. They want solutions that offer them the flexibility to traverse multiple hybrid cloud environments while cutting operating costs in the long term. As much as embracing digital-first systems requires a culture shift, it still requires a technology makeover so that a business can innovate, partner and explore new revenue streams," commented Andrea Siviero, Associate Research Director, IDC. "Looking ahead, those that invest in people, innovate on data and automate processes, will have built the business resilience needed by the modern enterprise."