I’ve just received my copy of the Business Money Plus email, that gives a  personal account of the ABFA Conference and also features the Vision Critical Technology Survey results just beneath Bob Lefroy’s review.

The survey findings have received coverage in some exciting and impressive quarters, notably Yahoo Finance which boasts an astonishing 58,433,000 visitors per day, IT News, European Internet Network News and World News Report. We have also come to the attention of the Twitterati with some key influencers ranging from independent technology commentators through to financial corporates such as BNP Paribas’ Latelier.

Gartner have back up our findings with a  report of their own. Hot foot on our own published results, their survey highlights that 71% of respondents claim revenue growth as a key aim in 2010, not cost-cutting. Nearly two-thirds of CEOs have acknowledged the importance of IT in the building of a post-recession strategy.

According to the survey, 62% of CEO respondents described the role of IT as key in their respective post-recession strategies, whilst 71% of respondents claimed turnover growth was a key objective in 2010. Cost-cutting proved the most important objective in last year’s survey, and it falls to the fifth most important driver over the next 12 months.

“With business leaders progressively shifting their time and attention away from the introspection of restructuring and tactical cost cutting, and back towards customer value propositions and servicing during 2010, IT leaders should propose new ways in which technology can be used to support existing and new customers. They should also discuss talent-management issues and consider special provisions for key talent,” said Mark Raskino, research vice president and Gartner fellow.

“Business leaders are gasping for growth after a long period holding their breath, and they are expecting to increase the importance of IT in their post-recession approach. It is critical that CIOs review business leaders’ rapidly changing tactical business priorities and often unstated new expectations of where IT can help as the economy turns. CIOs are in a good position to have that conversion right now. They should also take advantage of business leader’s relatively positive attitude towards IT investment during budget negotiations.”

Backing up CEO claims of IT’s importance in 2010, is news that 43% of respondents will increase the level of IT investment next year, with a further 45% maintaining 2009 levels. Just 13% of respondents admitted they’d decrease IT spending next year. Raskino commented positively: “These findings reinforce Gartner’s IT spending forecast of 3.3 per cent growth in 2010. With this warm attitude to IT, CIOs should stand their ground if peers attempt to gain investment share at IT’s expense.”

He added: “Now is the time for CIOs and their teams to help power economic recovery and make a major contribution to the future prosperity of their businesses.”

The findings endorse our own research and strengthen the case for confidence in respect of technology investment in 2010.