Skills in technology, analytics, and cybersecurity will be in high demand in 2019 as digital transformation emerges as the top business agenda of organizations this year, according to a global survey by the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC).
Sixty-five percent of over 500 representatives surveyed said executive roles in technology, analytics, and cybersecurity areas would see high demand in 2019, with over a third forecasting’ digital leadership advisory’ to be a growing service to businesses, added the survey of people from leading executive search and leadership advisory firms surveyed firms.
Asian markets are expected to witness the strongest demand for these executive roles, with China, India, and Southeast Asia leading the way. China is likely to see 43.7 percent demand, 41.4 percent in India, and 37.6 percent in Southeast Asia.
In its report in November last year, a Finnish cybersecurity company said India had been the target of over 4.3 lakh cyber attacks from five countries, including China, Russia, and the US, while more than 73,000 attacks were initiated from India between January and June. Cybersecurity threats are a growing issue globally.
The survey said that companies realize that digital transformation is largely a talent issue. Actualizing digital transformation across an enterprise requires the right culture to foster the transformation. As a result, the firms will also seek diverse board and C-level leadership to boost the morale of organizational agility and foster a culture of innovation, according to the survey.
“Companies are increasingly looking to the next generation of talent for the leadership they need to flourish in an Industry 4.0 business environment,” the survey said. More than 25 percent of the representatives have predicted ‘developing next-gen leaders’ as the second issue for firms this year.
