Imperative No. 4: Strengthen cybersecurity

The traditional approaches to cybersecurity aren’t enough, given the rapid pace of technological change. Many oil & gas and chemicals companies have unprotected assets and data, especially those involved in mergers or acquisitions or those who are implementing new technology.

The rise in AI and automation has dramatically increased the number of access points for hackers, who are using AI themselves to manipulate systems, such as SCADA networks managing oil pumps. To enhance security, companies must actively seek out and upgrade to the most advanced monitoring tools while maintaining an up-to-date inventory of critical assets. These aren’t one-and-done tasks; cybersecurity teams must be constantly vigilant about risks and how to best mitigate them.

Good security goes beyond internal data theft or external hacking, however. It’s increasingly important to develop and communicate AI governance standards and processes to prevent employees from creating tools that can be easily hacked or that breach protocol.

Many of these tasks fall to the chief information security officer (CISO), but that individual should work closely with the CDO and CIO to ensure alignment and strong communication, especially as it relates to elevating significant risks for mitigation.

Technology in oil & gas and chemicals is changing — don’t be left behind 

You’re not alone on the journey. Digital transformation now requires technology leaders to reimagine how work gets done across the enterprise, aligning technology strategy tightly with business priorities and embedding emerging technologies across the value chain. This is not a onetime initiative but a sustained leadership mandate that demands clarity of vision, disciplined investment and strong partnerships with the business.

Meeting this challenge requires more than technical expertise. It calls for strategic leadership, the ability to connect technology investments to measurable business outcomes, and the confidence to make trade-offs in a constrained cost environment. CDOs and CIOs who succeed will be those who focus their efforts on the four imperatives outlined here: orchestrating business centered transformation, scaling emerging technologies, building the workforce of the future and strengthening cybersecurity as a foundational capability.

While the path forward is complex, technology leaders do not have to navigate it alone. With the right insights, tools and partners, organizations can develop pragmatic roadmaps that balance innovation with cost discipline and risk management. The next chapter of digital transformation in energy will be written by CDOs and CIOs who lead with intent, deliver with discipline, and tie every investment to business value.

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