Are CIOs the new CEOs in the making?

We’ve already seen people like Tim Buckley, former Vanguard CEO, and Thaddeus Arroyo, former chief executive of AT&T’s business and consumer arms, ascend to the top from their CIO posts. But that trajectory may no longer be exceptional, with some experts positioning the CIO as the new CEO-in-waiting.

“I don’t think it’s ever been a better time to be a CIO,” said Anjali Shaikh, Deloitte’s US tech C-suite programs leader, who’s been analyzing this space since 2009. “Technology fits a big part of how organizations are thinking about their revenue streams. CIOs today influence revenue, workforce strategy, operating models, and AI. Most importantly, they think about risk, which has really strong parallels to other C-suite members.”

Already, two-thirds of CIOs see themselves as future CEOs, according to Deloitte research. This potential goes beyond ambition, with CIOs being exposed to far-reaching responsibility. “CIOs are now expected to sit at the intersection of all of these areas, including execution, strategy, and culture,” said Shaikh. She adds that CIOs are now reporting directly to CEOs more than they did a decade ago, suggesting boards and CEOs increasingly view tech as a part of their core mandate.

Mudit Garg, CEO and founder of AI-powered hospital automation company Qventus, isn’t threatened by this notion. Instead, he recognizes that successful CIOs need to design strategy, make big, bold bets, and execute to success, much like successful CEOs. “CIOs are now expected to solve business problems, not just implement technology solutions,” he says.

And Jay Upchurch, CIO of data and AI solutions company SAS, is witnessing the role evolve in real time as organizational AI matures. “In the past, CIOs were involved just to see how things worked so we could automate the business,” he says. “Now, we’re being asked to learn how things work, and change the way the work is done.”

When a CIO takes the driver’s seat

A CEO with a CIO background provides their organization with a significant competitive advantage because they understand that operational excellence and technology strategy are inseparable, says Garg. “The real differentiator would be their approach to AI implementation, focusing on high-impact use cases that solve real operational problems while avoiding pilot purgatory,” he adds.

Despite the controversy around MIT’s 2025 report citing that 95% of AI pilots fail, there’s evidence that organizations have some trouble getting real value out of their pilots. And only a quarter of businesses have advanced at least 40% of their AI pilots into production, says recent Deloitte research. So CIOs at the helm could create a sea change for entrenched tech innovation, says Garg.

While Shaikh says CIOs don’t necessarily pose any unique risks when propelled to chief executives, organizations should bear in mind overloading any one leader with too much responsibility. C-suites shouldn’t forget that organizational tech is complex and should be treated as such.

What it takes to scale the heights

“Excelling as a CIO doesn’t automatically prepare someone for the CEO role,” says Dusanka Delovska-Trajkova, CIO at DC-based retirement community and assisted living company Ingleside. “CEOs shape culture, build external trust and set direction with incomplete data. They craft and communicate a compelling narrative to employees, customers, investors and the board.”

Delovska-Trajkova adds that CIOs who aspire to the CEO position must reposition themselves to be visible and credible candidates in CEO searches. “This shift rarely happens in isolation and often requires deliberate support, particularly from boards,” she says. “It’s a leap that few make alone.”

CIO may already be an esteemed title, but for those looking to ascend further, Shaikh suggests thinking a little bit differently. “It’s about how to delegate effectively, how to partner, story tell, and translate those technology decisions into business outcomes,” she says. “What we’re seeing is CIOs and all their experience being the proving ground for enterprise leadership.”

This is true, she adds, even for companies outside the tech sector. “We’ve been slow to see that, over the years, CIOs are taking that leadership position in other sectors,” she says. “I see it now more and more.”

While others in the C-suite, like COOs who’ve embraced digital transformation, might also be in a good place to lead, Garg says the CIOs who successfully transition to CEO roles are those who’ve proven they can drive measurable business outcomes with clear ROI. “That discipline around accountability and results is exactly what boards are looking for,” he says.

For Upchurch, Shaikh’s point about partnership is key. He says effective CIOs lean on their fellow C-suites, asking questions like what your CTO can teach you about how customers are succeeding, and what you can learn from your CMO to inspire how you market incoming changes. This moment, he says, is an opportunity to enact real AI-savvy leadership.

All that said, Upchurch thinks it’s important to remember where you come from. Evolving as a CIO, he says, requires bold new approaches. “You may not sleep a lot, but it’s a gift to participate,” he says.