Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) are the most in-demand hire in 2023 (37%), according to ECI Partners’ Growth Characteristics report. Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) (36%) and Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) (31%) are also the top roles companies are looking to fill in the next five years – while over 1 in 4 (28%) leaders are looking for a Chief Sustainability Officer.
“The pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine – as well as the increased vulnerability of hybrid working models – have raised the cyber security threat level for businesses. It is not surprising that hiring a good CISO is on most leaders’ to do lists for 2023. The right CISO will be expected to bridge the gap between the overall business strategy and cyber security risk management.”
Additionally, the Growth Characteristics report has revealed that delivering digital transformation is one of the biggest strategic challenges UK leaders are facing (17%).
The report also reveals that company size plays a key role in terms of the type of roles needed. Smaller businesses are more likely to need more finance-focused senior roles – 43% want a CFO and 39% want to hire a Chief Revenue Officer to support their growth strategies. By contrast, the largest businesses are prioritising roles such as Chief Revenue Officers (42%), CISOs (40%), Chief Data Officers (33%) and CTOs (30%).
“High-profile cyber breaches this year have made it clear that security threats are becoming ever-more sophisticated – and as a result, more challenging for businesses to tackle. All companies are recognising the need for appropriate procedures and policies to protect the business from both internal and external threats. It is an area that investors are enhancing their capability in as well, with private equity firms hiring Heads of Cyber to support their portfolios with their cyber resilience.”
