When appointing leaders for AI initiatives, prioritizing technical expertise over business insights leads to strategic inconsistencies and projects that cannot deliver value
The Southeast Asian boardroom is focusing on frustrating paradoxes. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a technical priority. EgonZehnder’s 2025 CIO survey found that Chief Information Officers rank second only to cyber risk. Despite many proof-of-concept initiatives, few people scale to generate real business value.
Why does this happen? Many organizations misdiagnose AI conversion failures. They often attribute these shortcomings to technical issues and performance of individual-leading AI initiatives. But the real challenge lies in the blind spots of leadership.
To become AI-driven, organizations frequently delegate AI transformation to senior technical leaders, typically CIOs, chief technology officers, or data/AI leaders. When hiring or appointing leaders for AI initiatives, they tend to prioritize technical expertise over business insight.
