Why Operating Models – not Tech – Are Blocking Digital Transformation

In this UC Today interview, host Kieran Devlin speaks with Volker Pfirsching, Partner and Head of Innovation Management (Europe) at Arthur D. Little. Together, they unpack a hard truth many CIOs are now confronting: the biggest barrier to digital transformation isn’t access to technology—it’s the way IT is organized.If you’re navigating AI adoption, cross-functional delivery, and growing pressure to show outcomes (not activity), this conversation is worth your time. Digital transformation is accelerating—but many enterprises are still structured for a slower era. Volker Pfirsching explains why traditional IT silos create more coordination overhead than value, and what CIOs can do to shift from “service provider” to orchestrator of outcomes across internal teams and external partners.Key takeaways include:How siloed IT creates friction through handovers, delays, and misaligned priorities in end-to-end digital journeysWhat the hybrid network model looks like day-to-day, with business and IT fused into true product-centric teamsHow leading CIOs balance autonomy with enterprise guardrails to avoid an “IT Wild West” (security, architecture, governance)Why operating model change fails without culture change—and how to align incentives, roles, and leadership routines