EY Study: C-suite steps up technology investment drive

• 53% of senior executives identify data and analytics as their top investment priority over the next two years
• Cloud, internet of things and artificial intelligence complete technology investment mix
• High costs and skills shortages seen as top challenges that can hinder plans

Business leaders are preparing to enter a new era where their organizations’ operations, decision-making and interactions with customers and employees will be driven by data. This is according to EY Tech Horizon 2022, a global survey of more than 1,600 senior executives across seven industries, on the role of technology in their transformation plans.

More than half or respondents (53%) identified data and analytics as their top investment priority to build their transformation strategy over the next two years, an increase from 35% compared with the 2020 survey results. Combined with a new technology infrastructure of cloud (49%), internet of things (IoT) (42%) and artificial intelligence (AI) (35%), business leaders are laying the digital foundation to help them realize maximum value from their technology investment.

Businesses are planning to extract value from these investments by predicting trends and needs of customers (44%), creating new products (42%) and improving existing products and operations (34%). At the same time, business leaders report significant data and technology barriers to executing their transformation plans. More than a third of the executives surveyed (35%) cited the high cost of technology as their number one challenge, followed by complex security and privacy requirements (27%) and the complexity of integrating multiple systems (25%).

Humans remain at the center of technology-enabled change

According to EY Tech Horizon 2022, skills shortages are a constraint on businesses looking to make the leap toward becoming a data-centric enterprise, with 71% of respondents saying that their companies are increasing spend to develop technology skills.

At the same time, respondents pointed out the challenges of successfully upskilling (30%), the struggle to retain existing skilled talent (29%) and high compensation requirements (25%) as leading barriers to acquiring digital skills. Given the structural talent shortage, upskilling and retention take center stage with 70% of respondents saying that they are focusing on re-skilling rather than hiring.

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EY30 for Romania

In order to mark the anniversary of 30 years of uninterrupted activity in Romania, EY Romania launched its EY: 30 for Romania campaign, which shall unfold throughout 2022. The campaign shall turn the spotlight on projects, figures and occasions that marked Romania’s progress over the last 30 years and shall include collaborative community engagement initiatives alongside EY partners and associates.

About EY Romania

EY is one of the world's leading professional services firms with 312,250 employees in more than 700 offices across 150 countries, and revenues of approx. $40 billion in the financial year that ended on 30 June 2021. Our network is the most integrated worldwide, and its resources help us provide our clients with services allowing them to take advantage of opportunities anywhere in the world.

With a presence in Romania ever since 1992, EY is the leading company on the market of professional services. Our more than 800 employees in Romania and Moldova provide integrated services in assurance, tax, strategy and transactions, and consulting to clients ranging from multinationals to local companies.

Our offices are based in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timisoara, Iasi and Chisinau. In 2014, EY Romania joined the only global competition dedicated to entrepreneurship, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year. The winner of the national award represents Romania at the world final taking place every year in June, at Monte Carlo. The title of World Entrepreneur Of The Year is awarded in the world final. For more information, please visit: www.ey.com

About the EY Tech Horizon 2022

Tech Horizon is the bi-annual EY report on the state and evolution of technology strategy in the enterprise.

In Q4 of 2021, the EY team conducted a global survey of 1,668 senior executives on the role of technology in transformation. More than half of the respondents were from the C-suite, and all were ranked director or above. The panel represented 12 countries and seven industries, and all respondents were from companies with US$1 billion or more in revenues.

In addition, we shared the research findings with 10 senior technology and data executives for their insights.