Digital transformation: from ambition to execution

28 August 2025

How senior business leaders approach digital transformation technology is reshaping the future of performance, resilience and growth

As digital systems become increasingly complex and interdependent, the transformation of technology, process and culture demands more than ambition; it requires precision, adaptability and clear strategic focus. Explore the forces redefining success in digital transformation and the strategic insights guiding businesses forward.

Strategic ambition meets a shifting digital landscape

According to this year’s Forvis Mazars C-suite barometer, business leaders remain focused on growth, and confident in their ability to deliver it, yet the conditions for growth are shifting. Senior executives cite economic uncertainty, increasing competition and rising political instability as growing pressures. In response, two-thirds of businesses are increasing overall investment, consistent with recent years, but the proportion of leaders who feel very confident in their organisation’s readiness for the future has dipped. The message is clear: ambition remains high, but confidence in delivery is under strain.

Digital transformation strategy at the frontier of growth

Behind these investment decisions lies a sharpened focus on technology transformation. This year, 39% of C‑suite leaders identify digital transformation as one of their top strategic priorities, reflecting its growing importance in enabling future growth. Their goals span efficiency, resilience, productivity, security and performance. Encouragingly, many leaders expect technology investment to deliver a return, but the nature of technological transformation itself is changing.

It is no longer a case of standalone upgrades or system replacements. Increasingly, digital capabilities are converging into complex, interdependent systems, ones that behave in unexpected ways and cut across traditional organisational boundaries. Artificial intelligence, cited by 48% of organisations as the top investment within technology transformation strategies, is accelerating this convergence, raising both opportunity and complexity. This is why, despite strong intentions and rising budgets, many efforts involving digital transformation technologies still fall short in practice. The challenge is not just setting direction; it is ensuring execution delivers under real‑world complexity.

80leaders have restructuredteams in the last two years to support AI
74of organisations have a technology transformation strategy
48of organisations state AI as their top investment in tech transformation strategy

C-suite barometer expert insights

Prepare for what’s next

To help businesses close the gap between strategy and delivery, we have curated a set of insights exploring several areas central to effective transformation.

Data strategy - roadmaps to structured data piping as a foundation for transformation
Risk management - shaping compliance into an enabler of innovation
Emerging technologies - how to embed AI into core business operations responsibly

Perspectives designed to help complex organisations navigate digital transformation with greater clarity, control and long-term value.

Contact our experts to drive your digital transformation journey.

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