In this compelling panel from ETR Insights, senior IT executives, CIOs, and CISOs share how they’re navigating 2025’s turbulent macroeconomic and geopolitical landscape. Against the backdrop of tariff uncertainty, shifting energy policy, and global recession fears, organizations are rethinking IT investment strategies—pausing capital projects, tightening cloud and discretionary spend, and prioritizing automation to drive efficiency.

The conversation highlights a pronounced shift from growth to operational discipline, with executives channeling savings into generative AI, vendor consolidation, and technical debt reduction. Cybersecurity remains a protected budget area amid rising phishing and social engineering threats. Meanwhile, offshore outsourcing is accelerating, hiring is more selective, and data localization efforts are ramping up in response to new regulations like NIS2 and DORA.

Whether it’s spinning up internal large language models, reassessing tech stacks, or preparing for unpredictable economic shocks, the panel reveals an industry adapting rapidly to stay agile and resilient.

Vendors Mentioned: Abnormal Security | CrowdStrike | DeepSeek | Informatica | Microsoft | OpenAI (ChatGPT) | Palo Alto Networks | Salesforce (Agentforce) | Snowflake | UiPath 

Key Takeaways

• Macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty is driving flexible, scenario-based IT planning and investment restraint.
• Cybersecurity remains a spending priority, protected from broader IT budget cuts, but expected to deliver more value and integration.
• Generative AI is viewed as a productivity enhancer, not a job replacer, with growing focus on internal development and governance.
• Hiring is more selective, with open roles under greater scrutiny and remote work shifts affecting talent strategies.
• Cost-cutting measures include project delays, vendor consolidation, and increased offshore outsourcing.
• Evolving  data  privacy  regulations,  especially  in  the  EU,  are  pushing  companies  to  adopt  stricter  data  governance  and  localization policies.