Digital Leadership Report 2025: London Event Launch HighlightsOn 19th June 2025, we gathered with an amazing group of tech and business leaders on our London rooftop to celebrate the launch of the Nash Squared / Harvey Nash Digital Leadership Report 2025. This event marked the 26th year of this incredible study, which delves into the state of digital leadership like no other. With data gathered from 2,015 digital leaders across 62 countries, the report captures the shifting priorities, technologies, risks and realities shaping tech strategy today. Moderated by Nash Squared’s Tech Evangelist, David Savage, the evening’s panel featured four diverse, thought-provoking, and highly respected voices in tech and transformation: Helena Nimmo, Global CIO at IFS Nimisha Patel, CIO at Mishcon de Reya LLP and Non-Executive Director at West Brom Building Society John Finch, Technology & Operations Adviser at Advent International Megan Neale, CEO & Founder of Limitless They brought the report to life, digging into the nuance behind the stats and what they mean for today’s digital leaders. Here’s a summary of the key discussion points we focused on: AI Is everywhere, and the focus is everything The report shows that AI continues to dominate the tech agenda, with nearly 1 in 5 organisations now running large-scale AI projects, almost double last year’s figure. But as the panel made clear, AI for the sake of it won’t cut it. The most successful applications are laser-focused on solving a clear problem, whether that’s speeding up development, streamlining customer service, or supporting legal reviews. Those who treat AI as a silver bullet risk wasting time, money and trust. AI will redefine jobs, and that’s not a bad thing AI’s impact on roles is no longer hypothetical. The Digital Leadership Report revealed that digital leaders expect that around 18% of the workforce will be automated in the next 5 years. But rather than sparking fear, the discussion from our panel reframed this shift as an opportunity, and one that we should embrace. AI is freeing up human potential, allowing people to spend more time on work that truly requires creativity, empathy and judgement. The challenge now is equipping teams to work with AI, not just around it. Is the one-person billion-dollar company coming? The idea of a single entrepreneur using AI to build a billion-dollar business used to sound like a fantasy. But the panel didn’t dismiss it. If anything, the question now is: who will be first? And how will established organisations compete with that kind of scale and agility? The panel made clear that as automation expands, businesses must ask themselves how they structure teams, invest in people, and remain relevant in a world where productivity can be radically redefined. Cybersecurity needs addressing After several years of stabilising, the Digital Leadership Report 2025 revealed that cyber threats are on the rise again, with 29% of digital leaders reporting a major cyberattack in the past two years. Organised crime remains the largest concern for digital leaders, but notably, threats from foreign powers and insiders are both increasing, pointing to the growing complexity of modern risk landscapes. But the panel wasn’t entirely aligned on whether the threat itself is increasing, or we’re just becoming more aware. John Finch, Technology & Operations Adviser at Advent International, noted that cyber incidents may not be occurring more frequently, but rather, organisations and the public are simply hearing about them more. He referenced the idea that there are three types of organisations: those that have had a breach, those that are currently having one, and those that will - with the emphasis firmly placed on how a business responds and recovers. Despite differing views on volume, there was clear agreement on this point: cybersecurity must be treated as a strategic, board-level concern. It can’t be confined to IT or treated as a compliance checkbox. In today’s interconnected and complex digital ecosystems, resilience and readiness are essential, not optional. Hybrid Work: The debate is far from over This year’s Digital Leadership Report found that three office days per week is now the most common working model. The data also revealed a clear trend: organisations requiring fewer in-office days tend to attract more women into tech roles. For example, tech teams in organisations with 0–2 mandatory office days are, on average, 29% female. compared to just 21% where 4–5 days are required. But the panel emphasised that this isn’t simply about being in the office less. Instead, the focus should be on making in-office time meaningful, fostering collaboration, learning, and cultural alignment. For those early in their careers, being physically present offers valuable exposure to senior colleagues, real-time feedback and informal learning that can be hard to replicate remotely. The key takeaway was that hybrid work policies should be intentional, not performative. It's not about benefits or gimmicks, it's about building a culture that supports flexibility, inclusion and growth. From data to dialogue The evening’s discussion reflected the core message of the 2025 report: this is a moment of recalibration. AI is pushing boundaries. Cyber threats are evolving. Employee expectations are shifting. And digital leaders are being called to lead with more clarity, intention and courage than ever before. Thank you to our expert panellists, and all our guests for making this such a thought-provoking and energising launch event.