Nowadays many business models rely heavily upon adequate IT management practices. Quite often in developed economies, the role of IT has organically evolved over decades from a mere business support function to an efficiency driver and enabler, and finally (at least in some cases) to a driver of business innovation and digital transformation. Unlike developed countries, little is known about the role of IT in companies of countries with transitional economies, such as Russia. Historical, political, and geographical reasons have in many areas of life led to a “Russian way of doing things”. Does this also hold true for IT management? By way of case study research, this contribution investigates the features of the IT-role and use in large Russian companies that are aware of the need for digital business transformation. The obtained results allow one to not only gain a better understanding of the situation in Russian companies through the prism of IT management practices but also to identify possible trends and challenges that appear relevant for organizations in other countries in economic transition or even in developed economies as well.