An architecture exception process is a mechanism to handle requests for deviations from the established IT architecture policies or standards. It allows the enterprise to evaluate the business case, risks, benefits, and alternatives of implementing a system that uses a technology that is not in line with its IT strategy. It also enables the enterprise to define the conditions, limitations, and timelines for granting or denying the exception. According to one of the web search results1, "requests for exceptions to any architectural policy or standard use this process" and "the decision may include a deadline for removing the need for the exception, constraints on future projects, or similar terms." Addressing the situation as part of an architecture exception process is the best way to manage it within an IT governance framework, as it provides a structured and transparent way to balance the business needs and the IT alignment. Updating the IT strategy to align with the new technology, initiating an operational change request, or rejecting based on non-alignment are not the best ways to manage the situation within an IT governance framework. They are more likely to be either too rigid or too reactive, and may not consider the trade-offs or implications of the decision..
References:
CGEIT Review Manual 2021, Chapter 1: Governance of Enterprise IT, Section 1.4: Value Delivery, page 231 CGEIT Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Manual 2021, Question 9, page 82 A Matrixed Approach to Designing IT Governance - MIT Sloan Management Review3 Enterprise Architecture Governance | The Definitive Guide - LeanIX4 Architecture Review Board Exception Process - Minnesota's State Portal5

The executive team consists of the senior leaders of the enterprise, such as the CEO, CFO, COO, etc. They are responsible for setting the vision, mission, goals, and strategy of the enterprise, and for overseeing its performance and governance. The CIO is part of the executive team and should align the IT strategic plan with the enterprise business objectives. Therefore, the CIO would be most effective by starting the interview process with the executive team, as they can provide the most relevant and authoritative input on the enterprise's direction, priorities, challenges, and expectations. The executive team can also help the CIO gain support and approval for the IT strategic plan from other stakeholders, such as the internal auditors, senior IT managers, and business process owners. References: ISACA, Reporting Cybersecurity Risk to the Board of Directors, page 81. ISACA, Performance Measurement Metrics for IT Governance, page 1

Risk management is a crucial aspect of any cloud-based CRM system, as it involves identifying, assessing, and mitigating the potential risks that could affect the availability, performance, security, and compliance of the system. Before signing a contract for a new cloud-based CRM system, the CIO should ensure that the risk management responsibilities are clearly defined and allocated between the service provider and the customer, and that both parties accept and agree to them. This will help to avoid any confusion, conflict, or liability issues in case of any incidents or breaches that may occur in the future. Some of the risk management responsibilities that should be agreed upon and accepted are:
The scope and frequency of risk assessments and audits
The roles and responsibilities for risk monitoring and reporting
The escalation and resolution procedures for risk issues
The contingency and recovery plans for risk events
The security and privacy policies and standards for data protection
The service level agreements (SLAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) for service quality and availability References := Cloud-Based CRM: Best Practices for Implementation, The Best Contract Management Software, CRM Migration Best Practices: An Introductory Guide for HubSpot Agency Partners

A business risk profile is a document that identifies and evaluates the potential risks that can affect the performance, objectives, and strategy of an organization. A business risk profile can help to prioritize and mitigate the risks, as well as to align the risk management activities with the business goals and needs12.
If an enterprise has made the strategic decision to reduce operating costs for the next year and is taking advantage of cost reductions offered by an external cloud service provider, the IT steering committee's primary concern should be updating the business risk profile. This is because using an external cloud service provider may introduce new or increased risks for the enterprise, such as security, privacy, compliance, availability, performance, or vendor lock-in risks3 . Updating the business risk profile can help the IT steering committee to assess the impact and likelihood of these risks, to evaluate the effectiveness and adequacy of the existing controls and safeguards, to identify and implement any additional measures or actions to address the gaps or issues, and to monitor and report the risk status and outcomes12. References: Business Risk Profile:
Definition & Examples. How to Create a Business Risk Profile. A risk assessment model for selecting cloud service providers. Cloud Computing Security for Cloud Service Providers.

For Zero Trust architecture, which emphasizes "never trust, always verify,"evaluating the vendor's security practices is critical. A thorough security assessment ensures that the vendor aligns with Zero Trust principles, such as identity verification, micro-segmentation, and continuous monitoring.
Although having a feature list and contracting template are important downstream activities, and benchmarking can help shortlist vendors, thecore of Zero Trust lies in trust minimization and verification.
Hence, vetting a vendor's capability to enforce security controls is paramount.
Reference:
CGEIT Review Manual's risk optimization and resource governance sections.
NIST Zero Trust Architecture guidelines.
COBIT 2019 - Focus Area: Information Security Governance.