How to Embrace Change as Events Teams Get Moved Under the CIO

Corporate event teams are navigating a period of significant transformation as reorganization reshapes the landscape. Many marketing teams are being restructured, often moving under the purview of the Chief Information Officer (CIO). This shift demands a closer partnership between Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) and CIOs to ensure that corporate events align seamlessly with overarching marketing and organizational goals. The synergy between these roles is critical for maintaining strategic coherence at all levels, from the C-suite to management, mid-level managers, and junior staffers.

To thrive amid these changes, event teams and marketing professionals must adapt to the shifting dynamics and embrace technological advancements. By leveraging innovation and fostering collaboration, these teams can not only align with new organizational structures but also strengthen their impact on business objectives. Embracing this evolution will be essential for corporate event professionals ensuring resilience and relevance in the coming year.

CIO and CMO Alignment

From a high level, CMOs and CIOs must remain on the same page and have regular touch bases, given that many teams are transitioning between the two departments. Marketing has become heavily reliant on technology to execute data-driven strategies, manage customer journeys, and measure ROI. CMOs depend on CIOs to provide the infrastructure and tools needed to harness data, integrate platforms, and ensure seamless operations, especially as artificial intelligence (AI) comes into the fold.

This partnership enables organizations to deliver personalized, timely, and effective marketing campaigns for events while remaining agile in the face of changing attendee expectations and technological advancements. Without strong collaboration, efforts can become siloed, leading to inefficiencies, wasted resources, and missed opportunities. Rather, frequent coordination and teamwork between the two C-suite executives, as well as their larger teams, will help events to drive brand awareness, as well as enhance the attendee experience and engagement.

Unlocking Innovation with CIO Tech

While getting moved under the office of the CIO is daunting, it provides technological opportunities for event teams to stay competitive and deliver impactful experiences that will resonate with the growing expectations of modern audiences. It’s important that CMOs encourage their event teams to embrace the change, as the transition can provide them with innovations that were not as readily available previously.

Modern event technology enables teams to streamline planning processes, improve efficiency, and better allocate precious and limited resources. Tools, such as AI, allow teams to automate repetitive tasks, manage data seamlessly, and gain valuable insights into attendee behavior. Leveraging technology made readily available from the CIO allows event teams to focus more on creative, personalized, immersive, and human elements that will enhance the overall attendee experience. Plus, it can provide actionable data to refine future events and measure ROI, which will positively impact the event team and show its value in the coming months and years.

Collaboration is Key

Collaboration between any two teams during a time of transition is essential, because it fosters a unified approach to achieving shared goals, ensuring alignment, and efficiency. When teams work together, they bring diverse skills, perspectives, and expertise to the table, enabling more comprehensive problem-solving and innovative solutions. For example, as outlined above, marketing and IT teams can achieve far greater results when they collaborate on integrating technology into campaigns (or events), as the technical insights complement and save more time for creative strategies.

Effective collaboration also builds trust between departments. It encourages an environment where two teams that seem different on the surface can work together towards a common goal, rather than working separately in competition for resources and recognition. This is particularly vital in fast-paced industries, such as tech, where flexibility and innovation are key to staying competitive as an entire organization. Collaboration ensures that every team member feels valued and invested in the collective outcome, from the office of the CIO all the way over to the CMO.

The evolving dynamics between corporate event teams, CMOs, and CIOs present both challenges and opportunities that require adaptability and collaboration. By aligning their efforts and embracing the technological innovations now accessible through the office of the CIO, event teams can enhance efficiency, creativity, and overall impact. This partnership will lead to a smooth transition in the organizational structures, help meet broader goals, and demonstrate the continued value of corporate event teams. By adapting, innovating, and contributing to organizational success, event teams will solidify their importance and remain integral to the business in 2025 and beyond.