By Jason Wornham – General Manager, FUJIFILM IT Services
This year at ADAPT CIO Edge, we hosted a roundtable with a group of Australian IT leaders “Evolving your Technology Roadmap: Leveraging Managed IT Services to Unlock Growth and Security”. The conversation delved into digital transformation, IT roadmaps and the unique challenges shaping IT strategies in 2025.
As FUJIFILM Business Innovation Australia continues to diversify with process automation and managed IT services, we wanted to understand the driving forces behind IT roadmaps this year. We asked the group “What makes your 2025 roadmap different from previous years?” The responses revealed several key challenges and considerations impacting their strategies.
Navigating Data Governance and Privacy
The discussion quickly turned to data governance as a top priority for many organisations, particularly in industries like healthcare where privacy and compliance are paramount. Leaders shared their concerns about the expanding implications of GDPR and the evolving landscape of data privacy regulations, which continue to pose challenges for managing sensitive data.
With data breaches making headlines—“cyber scare makes you data aware” was a sentiment shared at the table—IT leaders are increasingly focusing on metadata management as a crucial element of their governance strategy. One participant noted that privacy commissioner oversight is intensifying, especially in healthcare where patients’ understanding of how their data is used is becoming more critical. The ability to ensure data is handled securely, in the right place, and with the right access controls is essential.
For organisations grappling with changing regulations and government policies, particularly within Australia's federated political structure, creating a unified approach to data retention, storage, and cyber compliance is an ongoing challenge. Local laws and regulations often vary from state to state, making it difficult to align national policies across the board.
This holistic approach ensures IT initiatives are aligned with broader business objectives.
Ethics and AI: Balancing Innovation and Responsibility
AI adoption was another hot topic at the roundtable. It’s no longer just about data access or residency; organisations are now wrestling with core business ethics questions. For example, in medical organisations, the question of whether AI should be used to analyse embryo research sparked a thought-provoking conversation about the ethical implications of AI in sensitive areas.
One CIO pointed out that AI can make up answers based on incomplete or inaccurate data, underscoring the importance of getting the foundations right before deploying AI. Leaders also discussed the need for an AI lifecycle framework—including Proof of Concept (POC) phases, operational support, and new ways of working to ensure AI technologies are deployed responsibly and effectively.
While AI remains a broad term, leaders agreed that adoption should be broken down and assessed by characteristics, such as Machine Learning (ML), Generative AI, Data Science, and the integration of AI into Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) applications. The conversation also highlighted the need for organisations to clearly define their strategy for AI adoption, including whether to buy, build, or borrow technology to support their initiatives.
The Shifting Role of the CIO: From Cost Centre to Business-Critical
Perhaps one of the most significant shifts discussed was the evolving role of the CIO. Once considered a functional cost centre, IT is now seen as business-critical, with technology becoming integral to day-to-day operations. As one CIO noted, in-depth business knowledge is now a core requirement for CIO teams, and the ability to present and influence the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and the Board has become a key expectation.
Leaders discussed how IT has moved beyond a supporting function to a strategic driver of business decisions. With multiple teams across the organisation now having their own digital transformation plans, the role of the CIO is shifting to create guardrails for technology sourcing. This includes ensuring proper service management for non-IT departments buying SaaS solutions and aligning technology investments with the company’s overall strategy.
Additionally, organisations must consider their in-house capability, application and infrastructure architecture frameworks, and risk appetite when building their IT roadmaps. Finance and budgetary requirements, along with a clear end-user experience and end-customer outcomes, are all factors that shape the direction of IT initiatives in 2025.
Collaboration with Competitors: Sharing Knowledge for Common Challenges
In an era where government regulations and data governance are increasingly complex, the roundtable highlighted an emerging trend of collaboration among competitors. One participant shared how industry peers are starting to actively engage with each other to share knowledge on a range of topics, including technology, processes, and policies. This willingness to collaborate on common challenges underscores the need for a collective approach to interpreting government regulations and other industry-wide issues.
Balancing Internal and External Influences
With increasing external influences, such as policy changes and competitor data breaches, IT leaders are under constant pressure to adapt their roadmaps. This sparked debate on how to balance external demands with internal strategic priorities.
“If you’re constantly reacting to the latest data scare, you risk losing the ability to critically think through decisions,” one leader pointed out. The challenge is to balance urgency versus importance without compromising long-term strategic thinking.
However, external events can also have positive effects. For example, widely publicised data breaches serve as a wake-up call, catalysing broader organisational conversations about security.
Conclusion: Charting the Course for 2025
In 2025, IT leaders are facing an increasingly complex landscape shaped by regulations, data governance challenges, and the rapid adoption of AI technologies. At FUJIFILM Business Innovation Australia, we understand the importance of staying ahead of these trends to help organisations unlock the full potential of their IT roadmaps.
With Managed IT services and process automation at the core of our offerings, we’re here to help businesses navigate the evolving landscape of data security, AI ethics, and compliance. Whether it’s providing the right governance frameworks or ensuring IT investments align with business objectives, FUJIFILM is committed to helping you achieve growth and security in 2025 and beyond.
If you’re interested in discussing how we can support your IT roadmap, get in touch with us today.