Innovating at Scale for a Smarter Tomorrow
As organizations navigate an ever-evolving digital landscape, CIOs and IT leaders must balance risk and reward with cutting-edge technology. With AI predicted to add $15 trillion to the global economy by 2030, seamlessly integrating these technologies into business operations has never been more essential. However, achieving innovation while maintaining operational integrity and controlling costs is a delicate balancing act; one that requires a clear and unified business vision.
Igniting a technology revolution demands the right culture, leadership, and a mindset that is both curious and resilient. Trust is essential to bring people on the journey with you.
Seize this moment to prepare your organization for what lies ahead. Whether it's extracting true value from AI, building cohesive digital ecosystems, or leveraging data to drive business transformation - join us to connect with true peers and lead with confidence into the future.
Immerse yourself in thought-provoking insights
Exclusively curated from our previous
CIO Physical Summit
Core Themes
Balancing AI Integration with Operational Integrity
With AI technologies evolving rapidly, CIOs face the challenge of leveraging these tools for competitive advantage while minimising risks like data leakage and regulatory compliance. Explore strategies for integrating AI without disrupting operations or compromising resilience.
Data as a Driver: Empowering Real-Time Decisions Across the Enterprise
The explosion of data mandates that CIOs equip their organizations for real-time, data-informed decision-making. Learn how to deploy advanced analytics and governance frameworks to break silos, unlock actionable intelligence, and drive competitive success.
An Interconnected Future: Building Ecosystems for Seamless Innovation
In the age of digital acceleration, IT leaders must transform siloed technology landscapes into cohesive ecosystems. Discover how to prioritise scalable, secure integrations that foster collaboration and deliver seamless user experiences to drive innovation and growth.
Proving the Value of IT Investments: Aligning Strategy for Executive Approval
In today’s tech-driven business world, CIOs must demonstrate ROI to secure executive buy-in. Explore strategies to align IT investments with business goals, communicate value effectively, and position IT as a key driver of financial and strategic outcomes.
The CIO Evolution: Transforming IT Leadership for the Future of Business
The next generation of IT leaders will not only need to drive innovation but also shape business strategy and foster a culture of collaboration and curiosity. Examine how the CIO role is evolving and discover the skills and mindset needed to thrive in 2025 and beyond.
Seizing on AI – and Being Smart About It
Amid the AI boom, leaders must move beyond the hype to deliver measurable business value. Discover how to align AI initiatives with clear goals, solve specific business challenges, and foster innovation for meaningful, long-term impact.
Speakers
Jean Olive
Sean D. Mack
Josh Angotti
Peter Bretton
Daniel Zikovitz
Ben Wallace
Florence Hudson
Billie Loewen
Cheri Esposito
Eric Miller
Suzanne LaLena
Neeraj Mathur
Rajeev Sinha
Iwao Fusillo
Murtaza Cherawala
Michael Arulfo
Agenda
1:10 pm - 1:40 pm
Keynote
Crafting an AI Strategy That Delivers Real Impact
AI promises transformation, but how do IT leaders cut through the noise to build a strategy that truly drives business impact? In this keynote, Rajeev will explore the critical challenges in AI strategy development, essential pillars of success, and share practical insights to help CIOs move from experimentation to implementation —ensuring AI delivers tangible value, not just potential.
1:45 pm - 2:30 pm
Panel Discussion
Seizing on AI - and being smart about it
In today’s fast-evolving technological landscape, one of the greatest challenges for IT leaders is cutting through the AI hype to deliver tangible business outcomes. A key obstacle is ensuring AI initiatives are closely aligned with well-defined business objectives and practical use cases, rather than deploying technology for its own sake. Successful AI projects must focus on solving specific business problems, whether that’s streamlining operations, improving customer experiences, or driving cost efficiencies. According to Deloitte (2024), only 18% to 36% of organizations achieve their expected benefits from AI - underlining the critical need for clear goals, relevant use cases, and practical applications.
In overcoming these challenges, executives must adopt a strategic and holistic approach. It involves not only addressing technical and data-related issues but also fostering a culture of innovation and agility within the organization. Others in the C-suite look to the CIO to make sense of AI, and internal education, including self-education, is imperative.
This panel will explore strategies to maximize AI investments and turn them into real-world results by bridging the gap between innovation and business value. Learn how to seize on AI capabilities, not just for fear of missing out, but to truly deliver value.
Discussion points:
- What strategies can IT leaders use to distinguish between genuine AI opportunities and trends driven by hype?
- In what ways can business leaders engage the workforce and educate the organization on the value of AI?
- How are you measuring the success and impact of your AI initiatives on your business objectives?
- What strategies can be employed to ensure smooth integration of AI solutions with existing systems and processes?
- How can organizations ensure they are adopting AI at the right time and focusing on the right use cases?
- How are you fostering a culture of AI adoption and innovation within your organization?
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Roundtable Session
Track 1: Balancing AI Integration with Operational Integrity
With AI technologies evolving rapidly and new ways to take advantage of these tools emerging every day, CIOs face growing pressure to deploy these tools for competitive advantage. With so much opportunity available, the challenge lies in integrating AI in ways that enhance existing operations without causing disruptions while addressing risks such as data leakage, bias, and regulatory compliance. Adding to the complexity is the question of accountability: as AI takes on more decision-making, who is responsible when things go wrong?
Join us for this session as we sit down with experts to navigate the complex trade-offs between innovation, ethical considerations, and maintaining a resilient, seamless IT infrastructure.
Discussion Points:
- Balancing innovation with ethical and privacy considerations to ensure AI models are secure and free from bias.
- Modernizing and strengthening IT infrastructure to support scalable AI deployment without compromising operational stability and security.
- Leveraging AI governance platforms to establish clear accountability frameworks, enhance customer trust, and ensure regulatory compliance.
Track 2: Data as a Driver: Empowering Real-Time Decisions Across the Enterprise
The explosion of data across our digital landscapes has mandated that CIOs work to ensure that their organizations are equipped for real-time, data-informed decision-making. The modern CIO will be instrumental in deploying the advanced data orchestration tools, AI-enhanced analytics, and robust data governance frameworks that will position their business to leverage actionable intelligence. In today’s hypercompetitive world, IT leaders that cannot break down silos or unlock the value from data will risk being left behind.
Join us for this session as we explore the potential for data as a driver and navigate the complexities of real-time data decision making.
Discussion Points:
- Deploying advanced data orchestration and AI-enhanced analytics tools to create integrated data ecosystems that ensure insights are accessible and actionable.
- Breaking down siloed data sources to create a unified view of enterprise information, driving collaboration and more effective decision-making.
- Maintaining rigorous data governance to uphold privacy and compliance while maximizing data's strategic value.
- Fostering a data-driven culture, empowering employees with data literacy and turning data & analytics into a strategic asset at every level.
Track 3: An Interconnected Future: Building Ecosystems for Seamless Innovation
In the age of digital acceleration, CIOs face a critical challenge: transforming complex, siloed technology landscapes into cohesive, interconnected ecosystems. While the potential of these ecosystems is immense, significant hurdles remain—particularly in achieving seamless integration with existing systems. With the rising demand for seamless user experiences and innovative product development, IT leaders must learn to prioritize innovations that drive business growth while ensuring systems remain secure, scalable, and compliant.
Join us for this session where we will be exploring how organizations can achieve success by aligning technology with strategic objectives, and fostering collaboration across functions, stakeholders, and partners.
Discussion points:
- Enabling compatibility across systems and data sources to support interconnected ecosystems that foster rapid innovation.
- Aligning technology investments with business objectives to foster cross-functional collaboration and drive digital transformation.
- Optimize cloud spending across interconnected platforms to ensure scalability and financial sustainability.
- Prioritize user-centric innovation by optimizing platforms to deliver seamless interactions across all touchpoints.
3:00 pm - 6:30 pm
1:1 Meetings
4:10 pm - 4:40 pm
Masterclass
TIPPSS for Secure Data-Enabled Innovation
The number of connected devices and advanced technologies permeating our world is growing every day, providing valuable insights from healthcare to retail to critical infrastructure. Unfortunately, the risk of potential hacking or misuse of the technologies and data is increasing as well.
In this Masterclass, you will learn about two initiatives you can leverage today to enable secure innovation and responsible data science adoption. Florence Hudson, Chair of the IEEE/UL international TIPPSS standard to improve Trust, Identity, Privacy, Protection, Safety and Security, will share how the standard is being applied from connected healthcare to critical operational and business infrastructure. She will also share the open online free data science education program she founded which has thousands of users around the world to learn everything from data science ethics, to generative AI, and data storytelling.
4:45 pm - 5:15 pm
Masterclass
From Pilot to Profit: Connecting Strategy & Architecture for Successful AI Projects in Marketing
From Pilot to Profit: Connecting Strategy & Architecture for Successful AI Projects in Marketing" dives into the essential journey of transforming AI initiatives into tangible business outcomes.
Designed for CIO’s, CTO’s and Chief Architects this presentation unpacks how a structured approach to AI architecture and strategic alignment can unlock unprecedented value in marketing.
We’ll begin with the AI landscape—its rapid evolution, pervasive influence across sectors, and why 80% of organizations are exploring AI but only 30% are executing effectively. Using real-world examples, including Michael’s firsthand experience crafting a generative AI strategy during the 2023 GenAI boom, this session sets the stage for understanding AI’s potential and pitfalls.
Learn how to navigate risks, scale use cases like customer acquisition and predictive analytics, and avoid common pitfalls, such as lack of cross-channel integration or insufficient monitoring.
Attendees will walk away equipped with actionable insights—such as keeping workflows human-centric and ensuring robust governance—to bridge the gap between proof-of-concept and scalable profitability. Join us to learn how to turn AI in marketing from a buzzword into a business driver.
5:20 pm - 5:50 pm
Collaboration Corner
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Networking Reception
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Gala Dinner
8:30 pm - 8:55 pm
Dinner Keynote
Leadership Lessons from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
The world is changing rapidly, and technology leadership must change too. If we do not change and grow as leaders our businesses and our careers will stagnate.
Sean Mack is a visionary and innovative technology leader with a history of driving global business strategy and transformation. In this insightful talk, Sean shares profound lessons he has learned about leadership. Some of those lessons have come from his work leading large, globally distributed technology teams, some have come from his mentors, and some have come from unexpected sources, including his passion for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
In addition to being a technology leader, Sean has practiced martial arts for much of his life with a recent focus on the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Beyond enhancing skill and maintaining physical fitness, this martial art has provided a wellspring of valuable leadership lessons.
This presentation delves into leadership lessons from a career of technology leadership and time on the mat. Through research and stories Sean explores the essence of modern technology leadership and the skills you need to drive successful technology transformation.
Key Takeaways:
- Understand the pivotal technology shifts that necessitate a new approach to leadership.
- Learn about the key characteristics of modern technology leadership,
- Extract valuable insights from diverse facets of life to enhance the approach to leading global technology teams.
8:00 am - 8:40 am
Panel
Uniting Technology Innovation & Business Strategy
In an era of relentless digital competition, IT leaders face the challenge of bridging the gap between tech innovation and business goals. Balancing agile delivery, budget constraints, siloed decision-making, and cultural transformation requires a holistic approach to technology, processes, people, and culture.
Adding to this complexity is the ongoing need to balance innovation with operational excellence. A long-running theme with respect to IT budgets and other resources is that innovation, which can deliver new services and better experiences to customers, is engaged in a continual tug-of-war with operations (a.k.a. 'keeping the lights on'). How can IT leaders prioritize effectively and unite their teams around a shared ‘North Star’ vision?
This panel explores how to cultivate an innovation-driven mindset, align IT strategies with broader business objectives, and navigate the priorities shaping digital transformation. Hear from three industry leaders who are reimagining IT’s role in delivering both strategic value and operational success.
Discussion points:
- Aligning IT strategy with business goals to overcome challenges like siloed decision-making and budget constraints.
- Balancing innovation and operational excellence to enable continuous improvement and stability.
- Defining a unified ‘North Star’ vision to align teams and drive technology transformation.
- Positioning IT as a value enabler by integrating ROI-focused innovation with cost efficiency.
- Fostering a culture of innovation through agile practices and calculated risk-taking.
8:40 am - 9:10 am
Keynote
AI and Analytics Strategies to Enable Unified Intelligence
Join Iwao Fusillo as he explores the evolution of AI and analytics, uncovering how organizations can leverage unified intelligence to drive success in an increasingly digital world.
Key takeaways include:
- A look back at major data platform transformations—from storage and parallel processing to cloud and edge computing—that have set the stage for today’s AI revolution.
- Real-world applications of AI in both physical and digital environments, with insights from the National Retail Federal show in New York.
- How an AI-powered unified intelligence platform is essential for winning the digital shelf with today’s discerning consumers—and how generative AI will shape the competitive landscape of tomorrow.
9:20 am - 12:10 pm
1:1 Meetings
9:20 am - 10:20 am
Roundtable Session
Track 1: Balancing AI Integration with Operational Integrity
With AI technologies evolving rapidly and new ways to take advantage of these tools emerging every day, CIOs face growing pressure to deploy these tools for competitive advantage. With so much opportunity available, the challenge lies in integrating AI in ways that enhance existing operations without causing disruptions while addressing risks such as data leakage, bias, and regulatory compliance. Adding to the complexity is the question of accountability: as AI takes on more decision-making, who is responsible when things go wrong?
Join us for this session as we sit down with experts to navigate the complex trade-offs between innovation, ethical considerations, and maintaining a resilient, seamless IT infrastructure.
Discussion Points:
- Balancing innovation with ethical and privacy considerations to ensure AI models are secure and free from bias.
- Modernizing and strengthening IT infrastructure to support scalable AI deployment without compromising operational stability and security.
- Leveraging AI governance platforms to establish clear accountability frameworks, enhance customer trust, and ensure regulatory compliance.
Track 2: Data as a Driver: Empowering Real-Time Decisions Across the Enterprise
The explosion of data across our digital landscapes has mandated that CIOs work to ensure that their organizations are equipped for real-time, data-informed decision-making. The modern CIO will be instrumental in deploying the advanced data orchestration tools, AI-enhanced analytics, and robust data governance frameworks that will position their business to leverage actionable intelligence. In today’s hypercompetitive world, IT leaders that cannot break down silos or unlock the value from data will risk being left behind.
Join us for this session as we explore the potential for data as a driver and navigate the complexities of real-time data decision making.
Discussion Points:
- Deploying advanced data orchestration and AI-enhanced analytics tools to create integrated data ecosystems that ensure insights are accessible and actionable.
- Breaking down siloed data sources to create a unified view of enterprise information, driving collaboration and more effective decision-making.
- Maintaining rigorous data governance to uphold privacy and compliance while maximizing data's strategic value.
- Fostering a data-driven culture, empowering employees with data literacy and turning data & analytics into a strategic asset at every level.
Track 3: An Interconnected Future: Building Ecosystems for Seamless Innovation
In the age of digital acceleration, CIOs face a critical challenge: transforming complex, siloed technology landscapes into cohesive, interconnected ecosystems. While the potential of these ecosystems is immense, significant hurdles remain—particularly in achieving seamless integration with existing systems. With the rising demand for seamless user experiences and innovative product development, IT leaders must learn to prioritize innovations that drive business growth while ensuring systems remain secure, scalable, and compliant.
Join us for this session where we will be exploring how organizations can achieve success by aligning technology with strategic objectives, and fostering collaboration across functions, stakeholders, and partners.
Discussion points:
- Enabling compatibility across systems and data sources to support interconnected ecosystems that foster rapid innovation.
- Aligning technology investments with business objectives to foster cross-functional collaboration and drive digital transformation.
- Optimize cloud spending across interconnected platforms to ensure scalability and financial sustainability.
- Prioritize user-centric innovation by optimizing platforms to deliver seamless interactions across all touchpoints.
10:30 am - 11:00 am
Fireside chat
The CIO Evolution: Transforming IT Leadership for the Future of Business
As organizations accelerate their digital transformations and adapt to new technological demands, IT leaders are being called upon to balance both the rapidly evolving tech landscape and their role as key drivers of business strategy. The CIO, CTO, and other technology executives now find themselves at the centre of this transformation, tasked with not only overseeing complex IT operations but also leading innovation, developing new business models, and aligning technology with broader business goals.
In today’s environment, IT leaders must embrace new technologies while ensuring the security and stability of critical business operations. The rise of specialized roles - such as Chief Data Officers and Chief Innovation Officers - adds a layer of complexity to traditional IT leadership, creating a need for more strategic thinking and cross-functional collaboration. Effective communication and empathy are also crucial, as CIOs must navigate different stakeholder perspectives - both internal teams and external partners - to align strategies and build trust.
Join this panel to explore how the CIO role is transforming and discover the skills and mindset needed to thrive in 2025 and beyond.
Discussion points:
- Adapting to new responsibilities in the changing IT landscape
- Fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and curiosity
- Building strategic partnerships across stakeholders / the C-Suite
- Authentic leadership and evolving skill sets
- Navigating the intersection of technology and business
- Defining and measuring success in modern IT leadership
11:05 am - 11:35 am
Masterclass
Scaling AI from Experiment to Enterprise: Hard learned lessons and winning strategies
AI pilots and proof-of-concepts (PoCs) are everywhere, but how do you take those initial successes and turn them into a game-changing, enterprise-wide capability? This session unveils the real-world journey of scaling AI from small experiments to a fully operational AI Center of Excellence (CoE), delivering impact across the business.
Discussion points include:
- Key decisions that transformed initial wins into an enterprise AI Strategy.
- Establishing an AI Center of Excellence (CoE) and Tech Foundry to drive governance, innovation, and adoption.
- Fail Fast, Learn Faster: How to recognize when to pivot or double down on an AI use case.
- Future vision - Implementing a Hybrid CoE Model.
12:35 pm - 1:00 pm
Closing Keynote
Empowering Leadership: Prioritizing Self-Care and Team Well-Being
In the fast-paced world of technology leadership, the relentless pursuit of innovation often overshadows personal and team well-being. This session emphasizes the critical role of self-care for leaders and the need to cultivate a culture of wellness within teams. By prioritizing health and balance, leaders can set a powerful example, encouraging their teams to thrive.
Attendees will gain insights into practical strategies for integrating self-care into daily routines and fostering a supportive workplace culture. Additionally, we will explore how wearable devices and AI technology offer opportunities to support self-care by providing personalized health insights and recommendations.
By focusing on personal and team wellness, leaders can create an environment that nurtures resilience, creativity, and sustained productivity ultimately living longer, healthier, better lives. Join us to discover how prioritizing self-care and team well-being can lead to a harmonious balance between innovation and health. Take action today to inspire your team and drive holistic success in the digital age.
1:05 pm - 2:10 pm
1:1 Meetings
2:15 pm - 2:30 pm
Beyond the Challenges
Join us for an engaging and interactive session where we'll extract the most impactful takeaways from the summit's roundtable discussions. Led by our summit host, Tim Cassidy, our roundtable moderators will share their most eye-opening observations, game-changing insights, and unexpected discoveries.
We’ll explore the following:
Key Challenges:
- Uncover the most pressing challenges identified during the roundtables and potential solutions.
- Emerging Trends: Discuss the latest trends and innovations shaping the IT landscape.
- Actionable Strategies: Gain practical insights and actionable strategies to overcome obstacles and drive success.
Fairmont Copley Plaza
Fairmont Copley Plaza is a luxury 5-star hotel, centrally located in Boston's historic Back Bay area. It’s been a downtown landmark and symbol of the city's rich history since 1912.
Why attend?
Connect with like-minded senior leaders for a curated agenda, focused on tackling your current business critical challenges and driving industry forward.
Be a part of exclusive shared learning, horizon scanning and actionable insights enabling organizations to deliver transformative strategies.
Build meaningful relationships with solution providers matched to your business priorities to help accelerate your projects and deliver your objectives.
