When the first Swiss CIOAWARD was presented 15 years ago, the agenda of most CIOs looked very different from today.
Infrastructure, standardisation, operational stability and efficiency dominated many discussions. Digitalisation was often treated as a project. Cloud adoption was still in its early stages. Artificial Intelligence was not yet part of everyday business conversations.
At the time, many CIOs were primarily measured by reliability, cost control and operational excellence.
Those responsibilities have not disappeared. But they no longer define the role on their own.
15 Years – what happened?
Over the past fifteen years, the expectations placed on CIOs have expanded continuously. Technology has moved closer to the core of business models. Data has become a strategic asset. Cybersecurity has become a board-level concern. AI is reshaping entire industries. At the same time, organisations are facing growing geopolitical uncertainty, increasing regulatory requirements and unprecedented speed of change.
The evolution of the Swiss CIOAWARD mirrors this transformation.
Every year, the award has recognised leaders who helped shape the next chapter of the CIO role. Looking back at the perspectives of former winners reveals a remarkably consistent story.
Frederic Wohlwend, Swiss CIOAWARD winner 2013, describes the shift as a consequence of a fundamentally changing business environment.
“Ten years ago, CIOs were largely internal service providers focused on uptime and cost control. Today, CIOs have become true business partners.”
The programme of the Confare CIOSUMMIT Zürich 2026 reflects exactly this development.
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What is the community saying?
When Markus Schaal speaks about the journey “From IT Leader to Entrepreneur”, the topic is no longer technology management alone. It is about value creation, innovation and business responsibility. When Marcus Frantz shares a board-level perspective on transformation, the discussion moves even further beyond the boundaries of traditional IT leadership.
Many organisations now expect their CIOs to contribute directly to growth, competitiveness and strategic development.
Enrico Lardelli, Swiss CIOAWARD winner 2012, has observed this shift throughout his career.
“The CIO is no longer measured only by efficiency or cost reduction. Today, the role contributes directly to revenue, profitability and the development of new business opportunities.”
As expectations have expanded, the role itself has become more diverse.
Fifteen years ago, many CIOs faced broadly similar responsibilities. Today, the role often looks different from one organisation to another. Data platforms, cybersecurity, AI, customer experience, digital products, governance and transformation have all created new areas of focus.
Christoph Kleinsorg, Swiss CIOAWARD winner 2017, summarises this development succinctly.
“The classic CIO role that existed fifteen years ago hardly exists anymore.”
This diversity becomes visible throughout the programme of the Confare CIOSUMMIT Zürich.
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Our greatest strength
Anna Maria Blengino shares her experience building an enterprise-wide data platform at Sunrise. Raymond Schnidrig and Benedikt Schmid discuss digital value creation and the shared responsibility between IT and business. Former NATO CIO Manfred Boudreaux-Dehmer brings perspectives on resilience, geopolitical risks and digital defence. Other sessions focus on AI, operating models and organisational transformation.
Yet despite these different perspectives, a common theme emerges.
Technology remains important, but increasingly it is discussed through the lens of business outcomes.
Daniel Fiechter, Swiss CIOAWARD winner 2024, describes this change clearly.
“Today, the focus is on business strategy, processes, integration and transformation. Technology remains important, but it has become a means to an end.”
This shift is particularly visible in discussions around AI.
Only a few years ago, conversations focused largely on implementation and adoption. Today, organisations are increasingly discussing governance, organisational structures, decision-making processes and the impact of AI on the way companies operate.
The question is no longer simply which technologies should be implemented.
The more important question is how organisations need to evolve in order to create sustainable value from them.
Ursula Soritsch-Renier, Swiss CIOAWARD winner 2014, illustrates this perspective through her experience leading large-scale integration and transformation initiatives.
“The goal is to integrate processes, data and systems in a way that creates measurable business value.”
The closer technology moves towards the centre of business operations, the more the CIO role becomes connected to organisational development itself.
The faster the better
Another theme appears repeatedly in conversations with former Swiss CIOAWARD winners: speed.
Technology has always evolved. What has changed dramatically is the pace at which organisations must respond.
Ralf Luchsinger, Swiss CIOAWARD winner 2015, describes the current wave of AI as a:
“Hypersonic Tsunami.”
The expression resonates because it captures a reality many leaders currently experience. The challenge is no longer simply understanding new technologies. Organisations must adapt while the technologies themselves continue to evolve.
This is one reason why the Confare CIOSUMMIT Zürich does not focus solely on AI itself, but also on its implications for leadership, governance, organisational design and decision-making.
As complexity increases, leadership becomes even more important.
Alec Joannou explores this topic in his keynote, arguing that leadership matters more than technical expertise in becoming an exceptional CIO. Alexander Wörndl-Aichriedler examines mental resilience and performance in leadership roles. The EY keynote explores the organisational and people impact of AI.
Trust, Empowerment, delegation
At the same time, the Confare Female IT Mentoring programme and the new Female IT Exchange Zones focus on developing the next generation of IT leaders.
Anna Maria Blengino, Swiss CIOAWARD winner 2025, highlights a capability that appears frequently in discussions with successful CIOs.
“I focus on trust, empowerment and delegation.”
The statement reflects a broader reality.
As the scope of responsibility grows, success increasingly depends on the ability to build strong teams, develop talent and create organisations that can adapt continuously.
This year’s Confare CIOSUMMIT Zürich also marks the 15th anniversary of the Swiss CIOAWARD.
The anniversary offers an opportunity to celebrate outstanding achievements, recognise the leaders who have shaped the Swiss CIO community and welcome a new generation of CIOs into the Hall of Fame.
More importantly, it offers an opportunity to observe how the role itself continues to evolve.
The programme of the Confare CIOSUMMIT Zürich tells that story.
From entrepreneurship to resilience. From data platforms to digital sovereignty. From AI to leadership. From operational excellence to business transformation.
The role is still changing.
The conversations taking place in Zürich offer a glimpse into what comes next.
Eager for more insights on this milestone? Check out our feature article on how visibility drives impact for IT leaders:
