A new report from IANs, in collaboration with Artico Search, shows the role of the CISO gaining significance beyond IT as 36 percent of CISOs now report to business leaders such as the CEO, COO, general counsel, or chief risk officer.
In large enterprises, executive-level representation increased from 33 percent in 2023 to 47 percent in 2025, with even sharper gains among large publicly traded companies.
CISOs are increasingly expected to serve not only as technical leaders but also as enterprise-wide digital risk strategists. This elevation has brought greater visibility and influence with senior leadership and boards, along with broader accountability, deeper cross-functional engagement, and heightened expectations.
“The CISO role has clearly reached an inflection point,” says Nick Kakolowski, senior director, CISO Research at IANS. “Executive-level titles are becoming more common, but many CISOs are still operating within legacy structures that haven’t kept pace with the scope and expectations now placed on the role.”
More than half (52 percent) of CISOs report that their scope is no longer fully manageable, particularly in smaller organizations and industries with leaner security teams. CISOs warn that these imbalances can delay strategic initiatives and drive more reactive security.
Interestingly nearly seven in ten CISOs are open to making a career move within the next year, whether to a larger organization, a different industry, or an adjacent executive leadership role.
“The demand for experienced CISOs remains strong as the role continues to become more complex and more ‘executive,’” says Steve Martano, IANS Faculty and partner at Artico Search’s Cyber Practice. “Understanding how organizations define scope, reporting structure, and leadership access and visibility is critical for CISOs planning their next move and for companies looking to hire or retain security leaders.”
You can get the full report from the IANs site.
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