{"id":147040,"date":"2026-09-02T12:42:07","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T16:42:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.n2growth.com\/?p=147040"},"modified":"2026-09-03T13:42:55","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T17:42:55","slug":"how-to-become-a-cio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.n2growth.com\/pt\/how-to-become-a-cio\/","title":{"rendered":"Como se tornar um CIO, com base na experi\u00eancia de 246 CIOs."},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_medium\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_grid cols_1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container us_custom_e2b30b73\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><h2 style=\"text-align: left\" class=\"vc_custom_heading vc_do_custom_heading us_custom_c10eb9c9\" ><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_takeaways\"><\/span>Key takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div class=\"w-separator size_custom\" style=\"height:15px\"><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column orgnul1\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CIO credentialing has shifted toward technical degrees, with computer science degrees now held by 49.3% of S&amp;P 500 CIOs compared with 33.9% holding an MBA, a gap that has widened since 2023.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The strongest CIO candidates build a T-shaped skill set, pairing deep technical fluency with the business range to put it to work.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among currently sitting CIOs, median appointment age has climbed from 48 before 2023 to 50 since, and the share appointed under 40 has dropped from 13.3% to 3.8% over the same period.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_auto\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_grid cols_1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Boards today are choosing Chief Information Officers who keep the enterprise ahead of artificial intelligence, agentic systems, and the early risks of quantum computing. Before 2023, the same title carried a narrower mandate, and the answer to how to become a CIO looked different than it does now.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We analyzed every sitting CIO in the S&amp;P 500 (n=246) and more than 5,000 data points across 21 dimensions to map the credential bar for the CIO seat as it stands today. No single path leads to the chair, and the findings reflect trends across a varied population rather than a formula to follow. CIOs who hold the seat today most often pair technical depth with business range, and that combination shows up consistently across the data. In what follows, we trace that pattern by degree, by industry, and by the balance of skills most common among today&#8217;s sitting CIOs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_the_CIO_credential_mix_breaks_down\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How the CIO credential mix breaks down<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The CIO credential mix splits primarily between computer science and MBA degrees, with computer science now the more common path. S&amp;P 500 CIOs are more likely to hold a computer science degree than an MBA, and that gap has grown since 2023. Computer science degree holders outnumbered MBA holders by about 10 points before 2023, 48.2% to 38.0%. Since then, the gap has widened to more than 20 points, with computer science credentialing climbing to 50.5% and MBA credentialing settling at 29.4%.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Across the full population, computer science degrees outnumber MBAs by about 15 points, 49.3% to 33.9%, and more than half of all sitting CIOs hold a master&#8217;s degree or higher.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"g-cols wpb_row via_grid cols_1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\" style=\"--columns-gap:0rem;\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container us_custom_31780e0c\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"w-separator us_custom_fea32ba2 size_custom with_line style_solid color_primary width_default align_center\" style=\"--line-thickness:4px;height:5px\"><div class=\"w-separator-h\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_custom\" style=\"height:10px\"><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><strong>CS and MBA share, before 2023 vs. 2023 and after<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div id=\"impreza-frm-chart-1\" class=\"impreza-frm-chart-container\" data-chart-type=\"slope-2\" data-title=\"Slope Chart\" data-frm-chart-labels=\"% with a CS degree; % with MBA\" data-frm-chart-groups=\"Before 2023; 2023 and after\" data-frm-chart-series=\"[48.2, 38],[50.5, 29.4]\" style=\"width:100%;height:360px;min-height:50px;\" data-frm-chart-legends=\"Before 2023; 2023 and after\" data-frm-chart-colors=\"#742c38; #f2853d\" data-frm-chart-extra=\"[]\">Chart would be displayed here<\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The full credential picture includes more than the computer science and MBA comparison. Bachelor&#8217;s degrees remain the single largest credential category, held by 44.4% of CIOs. A JD marks the highest credential for 0.8% of CIOs, a doctorate for 1.6%, and a non-MBA master&#8217;s degree for 21.4%. Combined with MBA credentialing, those figures put a majority of CIOs at a master&#8217;s degree or higher, even as bachelor&#8217;s degrees remain the largest single category on their own.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"g-cols wpb_row via_grid cols_1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\" style=\"--columns-gap:0rem;\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container us_custom_31780e0c\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"w-separator us_custom_fea32ba2 size_custom with_line style_solid color_primary width_default align_center\" style=\"--line-thickness:4px;height:5px\"><div class=\"w-separator-h\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_custom\" style=\"height:10px\"><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><strong>Distribution by highest degree earned<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"w-image align_none\"><div class=\"w-image-h\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1936\" height=\"189\" src=\"https:\/\/www.n2growth.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/distribution-by-highest-degree-earned1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.n2growth.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/distribution-by-highest-degree-earned1.png 1936w, https:\/\/www.n2growth.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/distribution-by-highest-degree-earned1-300x29.png 300w, https:\/\/www.n2growth.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/distribution-by-highest-degree-earned1-1024x100.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.n2growth.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/distribution-by-highest-degree-earned1-18x2.png 18w, https:\/\/www.n2growth.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/distribution-by-highest-degree-earned1-150x15.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1936px) 100vw, 1936px\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p>A third of CIOs, 33.2%, spent part of their career at a technology vendor or services provider before reaching the chair, a share that has climbed to 34.5% among recent appointments. Among CIOs with vendor experience, 44.4% reached the C-suite at that vendor before stepping into the CIO seat, a path that blends technical grounding with commercial experience.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_the_CIO_credential_mix_shifts_by_industry\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How the CIO credential mix shifts by industry<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The credential mix shifts meaningfully by industry, with some industries rewarding heavy technical and business credentialing together and others leaning more toward one or the other. Agriculture, Energy, and Natural Resources CIOs carry the highest combined credentialing of any industry, with 66.7% holding a computer science degree and 58.3% holding an MBA. That pattern fits a technical, regulated field, though the small sample size in this industry calls for some caution.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Healthcare and Life Sciences follows a similar technical lean, with the second-highest share of computer science degrees at 54.5%. Consumer sits at the opposite end of that range, with the second-highest share of MBAs at 47.4%. Financial Services CIOs lean more technical than commercial, at 51.9% computer science and 29.6% MBA, and Industrials CIOs carry the most modest combined credentialing of any industry, at 40.0% computer science and 36.0% MBA.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"g-cols wpb_row via_grid cols_1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\" style=\"--columns-gap:0rem;\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container us_custom_31780e0c\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"w-separator us_custom_fea32ba2 size_custom with_line style_solid color_primary width_default align_center\" style=\"--line-thickness:4px;height:5px\"><div class=\"w-separator-h\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_custom\" style=\"height:10px\"><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><strong>CS and MBA share, by industry<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div id=\"impreza-frm-chart-2\" class=\"impreza-frm-chart-container\" data-chart-type=\"dotplot\" data-title=\"Across Industries\" data-frm-chart-labels=\"Agriculture, Energy, and Natural Resources; Business and Professional Services; Consumer; Financial Services; Healthcare and Life Sciences; Industrials; Technology, Media, and Telecommunications\" data-frm-chart-groups=\"\" data-frm-chart-series=\"[58.3, 28.6, 47.4, 29.6, 33.3, 36, 30.5],[66.7, 45, 50, 51.9, 54.5, 40, 48.5]\" style=\"width:100%;height:500px;min-height:50px;\" data-frm-chart-legends=\"% with MBA; % with CS Degree\" data-frm-chart-colors=\"#f2853d;#742c38\" data-frm-chart-extra=\"[]\">Chart would be displayed here<\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No industry requires a single degree to reach the CIO chair. Agriculture, Energy, and Natural Resources CIOs combine the heaviest technical and business credentialing of any industry, and Industrials CIOs reach the seat with the lightest combined credentialing of any industry. The right mix shifts with the industry a candidate serves.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_become_a_CIO_todays_boards_want\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to become a CIO today\u2019s boards want<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today&#8217;s boards want a T-shaped leader for the CIO seat, someone who pairs deep technical fluency with the range to put it to work across the organization. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.n2growth.com\/interviews\/madhuri-andrews-on-people-first-technology-leadership\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Madhuri Andrews<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, EVP and CIO at MKS Inc. and a board director at Applied Industrial Technologies, has sat on both sides of that evaluation, as a sitting CIO and as a director helping select one.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;The frame I keep coming back to is the T-shaped leader. The vertical is your technical discipline, and yes, the CIO needs real depth there. But for a CIO, the horizontal, the ability to work across the organization and connect technology to enterprise value, is the larger and more demanding part of the role. If you only have the vertical, you are going to struggle to be effective at the level this role demands. You have to be bilingual. Technical and business. And if you do not have both, I think it is going to be very hard to have the impact the role calls for.&#8221; <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Madhuri Andrews, EVP and CIO at MKS Inc.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Candidates who build both halves separate themselves from those who lean on just one.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Positioning for the seat starts well before the interview. The backgrounds feeding the CIO chair have widened past traditional IT leadership roles, with cross-functional experience across operations, applications, and product work now represented among candidates for the seat. Timing has shifted too, at least among the CIOs currently in the seat. Median appointment age moved from 48 to 50 since 2023, and the share of CIOs appointed under 40 dropped from 13.3% to 3.8% over the same period, with the 45 to 54 range now accounting for the large majority of appointments, though candidates outside that range continue to reach the seat. Fluency in AI, agentic systems, and quantum computing has become part of the picture as well, with boards increasingly looking for CIOs who can operate as credible advisors on where the technology is headed from the start.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_the_data_says_about_becoming_a_CIO\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What the data says about becoming a CIO<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The credential bar for the CIO seat has moved in a specific direction. Computer science credentialing has held steady across the population, and MBA credentialing now represents a narrower slice of that same population. The industry a candidate serves shapes how that balance plays out. Whether a candidate can operate as a T-shaped leader, with the technical depth to earn credibility and the business range to put it to work across the organization, carries just as much weight as the degree itself. Candidates who build both sides of that T position themselves for the seat, regardless of which specific background or timeline brought them there.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The credentials boards are hiring for are only one part of what&#8217;s shifting in the CIO seat. N2Growth&#8217;s research on every sitting S&amp;P 500 CIO also tracks how long CIOs hold the role, how often they move across industries, and what boards are already planning for next. Explore the complete findings in N2Growth&#8217;s white paper on the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.n2growth.com\/white-papers\/chief-information-officer-hiring-and-profile-research\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chief Information Officer<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_custom\" style=\"height:10px\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_medium\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_grid cols_1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container us_custom_3825ac04\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-post-elm post_author sqimg vcard author color_link_inherit with_ava avapos_left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.n2growth.com\/pt\/author\/phillip-webster\/\" class=\"fn\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><div class=\"post-author-ava\" style=\"font-size:110px;\"><img alt='Avatar photo' src='https:\/\/www.n2growth.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Phillip-Webster-110x110.png' srcset='https:\/\/www.n2growth.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Phillip-Webster-220x220.png 2x' class='avatar avatar-110 photo' height='110' width='110' \/><\/div><\/a><div class=\"post-author-meta\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.n2growth.com\/pt\/author\/phillip-webster\/\" class=\"post-author-name fn\">Phillip Webster<\/a><div class=\"post-author-info\">Phillip Webster, PhD, is Senior Fellow, Leadership Insights at N2Growth, where he leads the firm\u2019s thought leadership. Leveraging deep research expertise, he delivers data-driven insights that illuminate emerging trendlines and business shifts, helping boards and executives define the leadership capabilities required to navigate and excel in evolving business landscapes.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_small\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_grid cols_1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\" style=\"--columns-gap:1rem;\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container us_custom_e7f5d98a\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><h3 style=\"text-align: left\" class=\"vc_custom_heading vc_do_custom_heading us_custom_c0aaaf4b\" >FAQs on how to become a CIO<\/h3><div class=\"w-separator us_custom_dd0d88e3 titlehr size_custom with_line style_solid color_primary width_default align_left\" style=\"--line-thickness:2px;height:5px\"><div class=\"w-separator-h\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_custom\" style=\"height:10px\"><\/div><div class=\"w-tabs us_custom_8be72b76 n2hmacdn accordion toggle_style_1 remove_indents\" style=\"--sections-title-size:18px;--sections-gap:0.5rem;\"><div class=\"w-tabs-sections titles-align_none icon_plus cpos_right\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section\" id=\"c13e\" itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"w-tabs-section-header\" aria-controls=\"content-c13e\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><h2 class=\"w-tabs-section-title\" itemprop=\"name\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_an_MBA_required_to_become_a_CIO\"><\/span>Is an MBA required to become a CIO?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div class=\"w-tabs-section-control\"><\/div><\/button><div  class=\"w-tabs-section-content\" id=\"content-c13e\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section-content-h i-cf\" itemprop=\"text\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column text-lead\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No single degree, including an MBA, is required to become a CIO. Computer science credentialing has held steady near half of the population, while MBA credentialing has settled at 29.4% for CIOs appointed during the same period, down from 38.0% for CIOs appointed before. More than half of all CIOs hold a master&#8217;s degree or higher, and the specific degree varies by industry and by individual career path, with no single credential dominating the field.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-tabs-section\" id=\"a21a\" itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"w-tabs-section-header\" aria-controls=\"content-a21a\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><h2 class=\"w-tabs-section-title\" itemprop=\"name\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_does_a_T-shaped_CIO_look_like\"><\/span>What does a T-shaped CIO look like?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div class=\"w-tabs-section-control\"><\/div><\/button><div  class=\"w-tabs-section-content\" id=\"content-a21a\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section-content-h i-cf\" itemprop=\"text\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A T-shaped CIO pairs deep technical fluency with the range to act on it across the organization. The vertical stroke of the T represents fluency in cybersecurity, data architecture, and platform strategy. The horizontal stroke represents the ability to work across the organization, translate technical decisions into business terms, and earn influence in the boardroom. Madhuri Andrews describes the horizontal stroke as the larger and more demanding half of the role, since technical fluency alone rarely earns a CIO the standing the seat now calls for.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-tabs-section\" id=\"b301\" itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"w-tabs-section-header\" aria-controls=\"content-b301\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><h2 class=\"w-tabs-section-title\" itemprop=\"name\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Does_the_CIO_credential_mix_vary_by_industry\"><\/span>Does the CIO credential mix vary by industry?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div class=\"w-tabs-section-control\"><\/div><\/button><div  class=\"w-tabs-section-content\" id=\"content-b301\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section-content-h i-cf\" itemprop=\"text\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column text-lead\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The CIO credential mix shifts meaningfully by industry. Agriculture, Energy, and Natural Resources CIOs carry the highest combined credentialing, with 66.7% holding a computer science degree and 58.3% holding an MBA, while Industrials CIOs carry the most modest, at 40.0% computer science and 36.0% MBA. Healthcare and Life Sciences lean technical, and Consumer leans toward MBA credentialing, showing no single mix applies across industries.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-tabs-section\" id=\"p3b2\" itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"w-tabs-section-header\" aria-controls=\"content-p3b2\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><h2 class=\"w-tabs-section-title\" itemprop=\"name\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_long_does_it_take_to_become_a_CIO\"><\/span>How long does it take to become a CIO?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div class=\"w-tabs-section-control\"><\/div><\/button><div  class=\"w-tabs-section-content\" id=\"content-p3b2\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section-content-h i-cf\" itemprop=\"text\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most CIOs reach the seat in their late 40s or early 50s, and the timeline has lengthened since 2023, at least among CIOs currently holding the seat. Median appointment age moved from 48 to 50 over that period, and the share of CIOs appointed under 40 fell from 13.3% to 3.8%. The 45 to 54 age range now accounts for the large majority of appointments. Candidates across a range of timelines are still represented in the data.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-tabs-section\" id=\"j466\" itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"w-tabs-section-header\" aria-controls=\"content-j466\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><h2 class=\"w-tabs-section-title\" itemprop=\"name\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_CIOs_need_more_technical_skills_or_business_skills\"><\/span>Do CIOs need more technical skills or business skills?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div class=\"w-tabs-section-control\"><\/div><\/button><div  class=\"w-tabs-section-content\" id=\"content-j466\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section-content-h i-cf\" itemprop=\"text\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">N2Growth&#8217;s research on every sitting S&amp;P 500 CIO points to both skill sets carrying comparable weight, rather than one outweighing the other. Technical fluency in areas like cybersecurity and data architecture earns a candidate credibility, while the ability to connect that fluency to enterprise strategy earns influence once in the seat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Key takeaways CIO credentialing has shifted toward technical degrees, with computer science degrees now held by 49.3% of S&amp;P 500 CIOs compared with 33.9% holding an MBA, a gap that has widened since 2023. The strongest CIO candidates build a T-shaped skill set, pairing deep technical fluency with the business range to put it to...","protected":false},"author":54,"featured_media":147041,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11336],"tags":[],"services":[],"content_types":[],"pubs":[],"class_list":["post-147040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology-and-digital"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.4 (Yoast SEO v28.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Become a CIO, Based on 246 CIOs<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How to become a CIO takes more than one path. 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