UK’s C-suite more technically expert than others, finds Accenture

Digital Author September 6, 2024

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Attempting at CEO and board-level positions globally, Accenture found the UK has doubtlessly the most technically expert C-suite worldwide

Clare McDonald

Clare McDonald,
Replace Editor

Revealed: 05 Sep 2024 16: 45

The UK’s C-suite boasts some of doubtlessly the most technically savvy executives on the earth, in conserving with compare by Accenture.

Attempting into CEOs and board contributors across hundreds of global companies, the skills carrier supplier found 23% of increased-u.s.a.within the UK beget a skills background, both through having labored in this type of role at a tech firm, having held a decision-making role in tech, or having skills in synthetic intelligence (AI), cloud, data or cyber security.

The equal can moreover be said of a quarter of FTSE 100 senior pros, and 19% of CEOs of FTSE 100 companies.

These figures overtake other international locations and areas globally, with handiest 16% of board or C-suite contributors in Europe having tech exposure, as well as 20% in France and 22% in North America.

“Britain’s strongest businesses beget elevated their skills skill in a fairly short home of time, showing the UK is now no longer supreme a pickle of science and skills heritage, nonetheless the home of tech leadership in Europe,” said Emma Kendrew, Accenture’s skills lead within the UK.

“With generative AI performing because the impetus for businesses to rethink their operations, it’s essential to beget skills acumen at the cease.”

AI is becoming an an increasing selection of vital fragment of enterprise approach, and a spread of companies are discovering it refined to utterly see their AI plans to fruition attributable to a lack of workers with the technical skills required to work on these projects.

This moreover method that increased-u.s.a.making businesses decisions needs to be an increasing selection of tech-savvy, and Accenture found some companies are in point of fact beginning to rent folk for chief of AI roles.

Leaders are absolutely more tech-savvy now than they had been even three years ago – where handiest 17% of the C-suite within the UK had tech skills.

Via skills, many imagine hiring more females might per chance per chance well also motivate shut the abilities gap within the UK as it might per chance per chance well well give businesses a increased pool of skill to fish in, as well as motivate prevent one of the most most biases introduced into AI and other applied sciences as a results of non-diverse groups.

Accenture found that of the 40% of British businesses creep by females, nearly a third of those leaders beget skills skills, compared with handiest 18% of guys within the same pickle.

“It’s hugely encouraging to transfer looking the skills females in skills are bringing to leadership groups this day,” said Kendrew. “With organisations fully centered on lengthy-time length mutter, diverse groups exclaim in a spread of experiences that pressure innovation. Rising skills cherish AI can profit all sectors and areas within the UK.”

Shifting wants

The wants of roles within the UK’s C-suite are transferring as skills adjustments – 40% of jobs at C-level posted within the previous year beget been connected to the employ of files, such as chief data officers, and 5% of FTSE 100 companies are in point of fact trying to build up main positions in data or AI.

Right here’s where the UK might per chance per chance well also very well be rather lacking, with 1% of UK businesses leaders having skills particularly in data and AI, compared with the global moderate of 2%.

It’s decided that as skills becomes an increasing selection of embedded in lifestyles and work, folk will need skills skills despite what enterprise, enterprise or role they work in.