Jeffrey Russell Shares Technology Trends in CEO Outlook 2025

What is the biggest market opportunity your company will tackle in 2025?

Looking ahead as a global technology solution provider, I see our clients focused on three key things:

1. Security: The increasing complexity of keeping data safe has organizations focused on ensuring their security programs are a step ahead of the risks. AI strengthens security defenses and increases threats by enabling more sophisticated attacks. Organizations must adapt by leveraging AI-powered security measures to mitigate the increasing risks.
2. Customer Experience: AI-based technologies are quickly changing the definition of customer experience, and we are enabling our clients to keep pace with this transformation to deliver seamless, future-ready experiences.
3. Data and Infrastructure: Organizations must bridge the gap between collecting data and turning it into actionable insights. We help clients unlock the full value of their data through smarter infrastructure and analytics. 

What are the key technology investments you plan to make in 2025?

At C1, our priority is to invest in the areas that directly enhance our clients' business outcomes. We are making data more accessible and usable to maximize AI's impact, while expanding services that guide customers in adopting and applying fundamental and emerging technologies, from security and networking to modernizing communications.

We will also continue to invest in our people through training and certifications, ensuring they are equipped to design, deploy, and manage innovative solutions across all relevant technologies and technology providers. And through our AI Center of Excellence, we will continue to invest in helping clients select the right technology, establish best practices for data access and security, streamline governance and ultimately accelerate time to innovation and value for AI-powered communications, infrastructure and security solutions that drive our clients' businesses.

What impact do you expect AI to have on your business in 2025?

AI will be built into everything, and the shift from a standalone tool to a capability within all technology will accelerate. At C1, we are known for our expertise in systems integration, and we are putting significant investments behind our ability to integrate AI across all aspects of our solutions. Our role is to ensure our clients are prepared for its pervasive influence. Clients are increasingly seeking providers to help them ensure data readiness, minimize risks, and deploy AI responsibly and securely without compromising innovation.

Our priority will be working with our technology partners to provide clients with the strategies, services, and technologies they need to keep pace. This will drive strong growth for our services, ranging from our fully managed GenAI platform to our managed services for third-party providers.

What do you see as the toughest challenges facing your customers in 2025?

Speed and adaptability will be the key challenges. Clients need to keep up with rapid advancements, especially in AI and forthcoming emerging technologies, and align their tech infrastructure accordingly. For example, integrating emerging technologies with legacy systems can bring formidable challenges. Skill gaps, security concerns and talent shortages in key technology areas will make it even more critical for organizations to partner with solution providers who can offer the right expertise and manage complex transitions effectively. Organizations that move fast and successfully adopt relevant technologies without compromising their security will gain a competitive advantage in 2025.

C1 is in a unique position to help them overcome these obstacles and accelerate their success with fundamental and emerging technologies.