New McKinsey-backed research reveals most CIOs overestimate data resilience as annual outages cost Global 2000 firms $400B
As global businesses grapple with intensifying cyberattacks and skyrocketing IT outage costs, Veeam® Software has introduced the Data Resilience Maturity Model (DRMM) — a first-of-its-kind strategic framework that enables enterprises to accurately assess, benchmark, and improve their data resilience.
Developed in collaboration with McKinsey & Company and validated through extensive field research, the DRMM offers a holistic blueprint for organizations to move from reactive recovery to radical resilience across data strategy, technology, and processes.
“The new Veeam DRMM is more than just a model — it’s a wake-up call that equips leaders to turn wishful thinking into radical resilience.” — Anand Eswaran, CEO, Veeam Software
The launch follows new research revealing a critical perception gap among CIOs: while 30% believe their organizations are above average in resilience, less than 10% actually are. The consequences are severe — outages now cost Global 2000 firms over $400 billion annually, with $200 million lost per company due to business disruption, reputational harm, and data loss.
“Data resilience is critical to survival — and most companies are operating in the dark,” said Anand Eswaran, CEO of Veeam. “This model arms leaders with the tools to protect data as urgently as they protect revenue, customers, and brand trust.”
Key Research Highlights:
- 74% of organizations operate at the lowest two levels of resilience maturity.
- Firms at the Best-in-Class maturity level suffer 4x less data loss and recover 7x faster from outages.
- For every $1 invested in data resilience, companies see a 3–5x return, and up to 10x in some cases.
- 30% of CIOs in low-resilience firms significantly overestimate their preparedness.
The DRMM categorizes businesses into four maturity levels — Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, and Best-in-Class — and serves as a decision-making tool for CIOs and boards to prioritize resilience initiatives that reduce risk and accelerate innovation.
Veeam will support organizations on their resilience journey through executive workshops, helping businesses climb the maturity curve and embed resilience across the enterprise.
“This isn’t just about protecting data; it’s about keeping the business running, avoiding ransomware payouts, and building the foundation for compliance, AI, and competitive advantage,” Eswaran added.
MIT Sloan’s George Westerman echoed the urgency:
“Outages can be a sign of immature IT management and erode customer and shareholder trust. The DRMM gives businesses a roadmap to confront today’s risks and embrace tomorrow’s opportunities.”
The new DRMM is already delivering results — from a global bank achieving zero cyber incidents to a healthcare provider saving $5 million per outage after adopting the framework with Veeam’s platform.
