Radix malorum est cupiditas. Scholars have long argued over the correct translation of this Biblical line, and whether money is or is not the root of all evil. But one thing’s for sure - it causes a lot of arguments and dissension. At the time of writing, the US is on the brink of sovereign debt default because its leaders can’t agree to pass a budget bill. Sometimes it feels as though that sentence can apply to every month. 

The two sides of the US political divide are obviously separated by more than money, and actual spending has little to do with the perennial arguments that filter into the headlines. But one relationship that seems doomed to suffer financial frisson is the all-important one CIOs have with their CFOs. Gartner’s 2022 Funding Digital Initiatives survey suggested that only 30% of CIOs report a “strong collaborative relationship” with their colleagues in finance. To be fair, IT has come a long way since it was perceived as an internal cost centre and the same survey carried out a decade ago would no doubt have been very different. It also suggests there is some way to go for IT managers when it comes to building trust with the board and to be perceived as a true partner in delivering business value.