Read full reportThe CTO Wave of Change May 2025 offers a compelling snapshot of how Australia’s technology leaders are recalibrating their strategies amid heightened financial scrutiny and the growing urgency to leverage AI. Drawing on insights from over 200 enterprise tech leaders, this report reveals a sector balancing innovation with cost pressures, navigating infrastructure complexity, and grappling with a persistent tech talent shortage. While AI, cloud platforms, and data analytics dominate strategic roadmaps, integration challenges and regulatory hurdles remain major obstacles to scale. CTOs and IT heads are now expected to not only modernise infrastructure but also align digital initiatives with growth outcomes and board-level mandates.
Key Findings:
- AI Momentum with Caution: 88% see AI as a key enabler for cybersecurity, yet only 14% have fully implemented AI strategies due to data and security integration hurdles.
- Cost Optimisation vs. Innovation: 60% cite cost savings as a top priority, even as they invest in next-gen tech to future-proof operations—revealing the tightrope walk between innovation and budget discipline.
- Security and Resilience are Non-Negotiable: Cybersecurity remains a top boardroom concern, with advanced security features and Zero Trust frameworks topping CTO evaluation criteria.
- Structural Barriers Inhibit Scale: Integration complexity, vendor constraints, and talent shortages are stalling digital transformation—even as leaders push for simplification, tool consolidation, and cloud migration.
- Strategic Buying Behaviour is Shifting: CTOs are looking for outcome-driven partnerships—prioritising time-to-value, interoperability, and ROI-proof points to justify spend to the CFO and CEO.
- The Language of Business Outcomes Wins: More than ever, vendors must deliver value through real-world results and align tech investments with enterprise KPIs—not just IT benchmarks.
For more information please click "Read full Report".
Exclusive membership organisation, Factor, has launched a new Research and Advisory arm, aimed at helping both C-Suite leaders and providers in the enterprise and public sectors.
It comes after Factor rebranded at the beginning of the 24/25 financial year, with the new identity representing an expanded vision and commitment to offering top-tier thought leadership and networking opportunities to senior executives across ANZ, Singapore and a number of other countries and regions. Now, the new arm of Factor is being spearheaded by VP and Head of Research Craig Baty and VP of Advisory Partnerships Shayne Arundell.
Factor
With over 30 years of C-level experience in ICT, HR, marketing, sales, operations, market research, and international business, Craig brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Factor.
“I’m pleased to be part of Factor’s expansion into Research & Advisory services, and I’m looking forward to sharing actionable insights with our members and providers to guide them on best practices in the market,” says Craig.
Craig has held a number of C-level roles including his own start-up, Global VP Global Marketing and VP Digital Services in Fujitsu Tokyo HQ and CTO & Head of Marketing for APAC. He also served as Distinguished Lead Analyst for ISG and established the Provider Lens research arm in AP. As Group VP and Head of Research for Gartner AP/J and CEO of Gartner Japan he earned the first AP/J Gartner Thought Leadership award, established what is now Gartner for Marketing, and pioneered the Gartner SWOT analysis methodology.
Factor
While, Shayne Arundell, a seasoned leader with a proven track record of success in the APAC region. Bringing over 15 years of Partnerships experience to Factor from FMCG, Fintech and Research and Advisory industries.
Shayne is also a Gartner alumni, previously serving as Director of Enterprise Sales, and as APAC Vice President for Intelligence Cloud at Korn Ferry, both being leading global consulting firms.
“Factor is the newest leader in advisory, backed by fiercely local insights, from an extensive market research database you won’t see anywhere else,” Shayne explains.
Within our expertise Factor will cover a range of topics, including, but not limited to:
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
- Cyber Security
- 5G Landscape
- Hybrid Cloud
- Technology Profitability
- AU Fintech
- Digital Transformation and Enablement
- CX, EX, UX
Both Craig and Shayne are supported by Factor’s team of experts and analysts, including Director of Insights and Value, Darren Adams, who is a highly regarded professional in the APAC data and analytics space, drawing on his experience in communications, client relations, B2B marketing, data and strategy in the technology sector.
“People are at the heart of everything we do at Factor, and data is our key in transforming their interactions into understandings. I'm excited to share cutting-edge insights and understanding with our community, to help foster deeper, lasting and beneficial connections,” Darren says.
While Factor’s Editor-In-Chief, Madeline Palmer, an expert media professional, oversees a broad range of strategic, editorial, and managerial tasks to ensure the production and dissemination off high-quality research content.
“Our new membership app will be one-stop shop for all technology leaders to connect and learn through events, advisory and multi-media content, and I am looking forward to being part of that journey,” says Madeline.
The Directions™ portal on Factor’s new membership app is a cutting-edge platform, allowing users explore a repository of reports and other content, as well as create their own research visualisations with Factor’s existing database.
Factor’s CEO and founder, Josh Heid, says this new phase for the company is something he’s been working towards for quite some time.
“After six incredible years of empowering and enabling leaders, our rebrand as Factor, coupled with the launch of our Research and Advisory arm, is about offering our members and providers with the best services and products the market can offer,” Josh explains. “I’m very proud of the team at Factor and what we have built.”
For more information about Factor’s new Research and Advisory offerings click below.
