Technological change in focus: C-suite meets in Kitzbühel!

Technological change in focus: C-suite meets in Kitzbühel!

with the pulse of the time-the technological strategies of the C-Suite executives develop rapidly. On July 15, 2025, the McKinsey Technology Cio Conference took place in Kitzbühel, Austria. Over 100 leaders from 22 countries have gained important findings about the latest technological developments. The focus was on the question: How can new technologies be integrated so that they have real influence on companies? According to mcKinsey Technology trends such as generative and agentic AI as well as quantum technologies to be recognized.

in a world in which wrong decisions can lead to considerable investment losses, the urgency is particularly high. It shows that many managers are willing to try out new technologies, but the introduction often falls by the wayside. This is a central point that the conference participants discussed.

Five central findings of the C-Suite leadership

The discussions led to five essential knowledge:

• ai and leadership: Artificial intelligence increasingly penetrates the decision processes of the C-Suite and thus changes the leadership culture in companies.
• Research into new technologies: The interest in technologies such as Agentic Ai grows; However, the implementation remains limited.
• execution is crucial: technology alone is not enough; To be effective, it must also be implemented correctly.
• resilience at speed: in modern uncertainties, it becomes more important to be resilient instead of just acting quickly.
• technological change affects all: transformation through technology not only presents the technology-saving companies for challenges, but all industries.

according to The IT Media Group , research in quantum technologies will increase rapidly, with an expected public investment of around $ 42 billion in 2023. The potential of these technologies is enormous, but integration into existing business strategies is a significant challenge.

challenges and views for the future

The C-Suite barometer survey by Forvis Mazars shows that 93% of managers are optimistic about the future and identify digital transformation as a central strategic priority. Nevertheless, there are hurdles: According to the survey, 41% of the respondents see economic uncertainties and 35% increased competition as the greatest growth barriers.

An exciting swivel is shown in the focus of AI applications: the trend changes from customer-oriented innovations (70%) to internal optimizations (77%). The challenges of international expansion are also high, with local regulations as the greatest hurdle for 53% of companies, while 43% have difficulty gaining talented employees. This shows that flexible working models and internationally oriented recruitment strategies are becoming increasingly important.