The central theme of the strategy, Dutton said, is to deliver more value to customers, by addressing their complex IT management challenges.

'According to a recent MORI Report, which surveyed some 130 companies in England and Ireland, around 40 percent of CIOs do not have enough information about their IT assets. Additionally, around one third of these CIOs have found it difficult to obtain a single view of their IT assets, which adds complexity to management, with the number of connected devices on the increase,' he added.

Dutton said that complexity has been thrown an additional curve ball, with compliance, in its many shapes and forms, taking up major parts of CIO agendas worldwide.

Dutton identified the main challenges facing CIOs in EMEA. Simplification of IT operations, and the reduction of costs are the ongoing story of any CIO's life.

But, to better manage risk (especially in the areas of security and compliance) and to manage IT as a business -- serving the operation's strategic goals -- remain the largest concerns for businesses, as was highlighted in recent research conducted by Ernst & Young on data security and compliance.