A look ahead at the 2026 CIO 100 Agenda
CIO 100 Symposium is produced by the award winning media brand, CIO.com, this conference is your gateway to three days of transformative insights, unparalleled networking, and recognition of groundbreaking achievements.
All times listed on the agenda are in local time.
Monday, August 17
Choose a topic and join a small-group, interactive discussion designed for peer-level exchange. These 30-minute conversations, hosted by a sponsor subject-matter expert, offer an opportunity to listen, learn, and share experiences with fellow security leaders. Seating is first come, first served- arrive early to select your topic and secure a seat.
Sponsored roundtables bring together CIOs and a sponsoring partner for an interactive, peer‑driven discussion on shared challenges and emerging opportunities. These sessions are intentionally conversational, creating space for open dialogue, real‑world experiences, and collective problem‑solving. Attendees can expect thoughtful facilitation, relevant perspectives, and the chance to connect with peers facing similar decisions in a small‑group setting.
Sponsored roundtables bring together CIOs and a sponsoring partner for an interactive, peer‑driven discussion on shared challenges and emerging opportunities. These sessions are intentionally conversational, creating space for open dialogue, real‑world experiences, and collective problem‑solving. Attendees can expect thoughtful facilitation, relevant perspectives, and the chance to connect with peers facing similar decisions in a small‑group setting.
Kick off the CIO Experience with an opening reception designed for connection and conversation. Join fellow CIOs and IT leaders to network, reconnect with peers, and set the tone for the days ahead in a relaxed, welcoming setting.
Tuesday, August 18
Grab breakfast, recharge, and get ready for the day. This open morning break is your time to eat, connect with peers, visit vendors, and review what’s ahead before the conference content begins.
Join conference host Kevin Lim as he officially kicks off the CIO Conference. Kevin will set the stage for the day, highlight key themes, and share what to expect—from the conversations ahead to how to get the most out of your time at the event.
CIOs are under increasing pressure to convert AI experimentation into sustained, measurable business impact. This opening session sets the context for the conference by examining how leading enterprises are moving from pilots to production—what’s accelerating progress, where friction remains, and how CIOs are balancing speed, governance, and value creation at scale. Attendees will gain a clear view of what’s becoming standard practice, what still differentiates leaders, and the decisions defining the next phase of the CIO role.
Building on the themes introduced in The State of the CIO 2026, this session moves from context to execution. As enterprises shift from AI pilots to production at scale, CIOs must translate momentum into operating reality—without disrupting core systems, eroding trust, or overextending their organizations. This discussion focuses on how CIOs are applying the priorities, pressures, and patterns shaping the role today to the practical work of scaling AI across the enterprise. Attendees will explore how peers are balancing speed with governance, integrating AI into existing operating models, and ensuring that AI investments deliver durable business value while protecting the stability of the business.
Press pause and recharge. Refuel with snacks, hydrate up, get some fresh air, and explore the show floor. It’s the perfect moment to reset, spark a few conversations, and come back refreshed for what’s next.
In this dynamic sponsor‑led session, leading solution providers explore how today’s innovations are driving impact across the enterprise. Expect bold thinking, practical takeaways, and new approaches designed for CIOs tackling complex challenges.
Experience innovation in fast-forward. The Innovation Showcase is a dynamic, self-directed session where award-winning teams deliver concise, five-minute presentations at digital poster stations around the room. Move from project to project, dive into the ideas that matter most to you, and hear directly from the leaders behind the work. With plenty of time for questions and small-group conversations, this “speed-dating”–style format makes it easy to explore cutting-edge initiatives, exchange insights with peers who share your interests, and build meaningful connections—all at your own pace.
Experience innovation in fast-forward. The Innovation Showcase is a dynamic, self-directed session where award-winning teams deliver concise, five-minute presentations at digital poster stations around the room. Move from project to project, dive into the ideas that matter most to you, and hear directly from the leaders behind the work. With plenty of time for questions and small-group conversations, this “speed-dating”–style format makes it easy to explore cutting-edge initiatives, exchange insights with peers who share your interests, and build meaningful connections—all at your own pace.
Join us for a delicious lunch where you can connect with newfound contacts! Take a seat and savor your meal while networking with peers. Don’t miss the opportunity to meet our sponsors and discover how their innovative solutions can benefit you.
Hear from a sponsoring partner as they share broader insights, industry observations, and lessons learned from working with enterprise IT leaders. This session is designed to spark ideas and offer strategic perspective on today’s evolving technology landscape.
This sponsor‑led breakout takes a closer look at an approach, platform, or capability shaping modern IT organizations. Attendees can expect practical context and focused discussion around how solutions are being applied in real‑world environments.
In this focused breakout, a sponsoring organization highlights key challenges CIOs are navigating today and how innovative thinking is helping address them. A concise session designed to deliver relevant insights and useful takeaways.
This vendor‑hosted session explores how emerging technologies and strategies are being put into action across the enterprise. Join the conversation for practical perspectives and ideas CIOs can take back to their teams.
In this dynamic sponsor‑led session, leading solution providers explore how today’s innovations are driving impact across the enterprise. Expect bold thinking, practical takeaways, and new approaches designed for CIOs tackling complex challenges.
Grab a coffee or iced beverage and take this this time to recharge and expand your professional network. Engage in tech exchange meetings, enjoy the fresh air, and connect with award-winning CIOs and sponsoring partners.
In this dynamic sponsor‑led session, leading solution providers explore how today’s innovations are driving impact across the enterprise. Expect bold thinking, practical takeaways, and new approaches designed for CIOs tackling complex challenges.
As expectations on technology leadership continue to evolve, CIOs are making a series of deliberate strategic shifts that will define the next 12 to 24 months. This session synthesizes the five most impactful moves CIOs are prioritizing right now—where they’re doubling down, what they’re de‑prioritizing, and the tradeoffs they’re actively managing as technology becomes inseparable from business outcomes.
Wednesday, August 19
Grab breakfast, recharge, and get ready for the day. This open morning break is your time to eat, connect with peers, visit vendors, and review what’s ahead before the conference content begins.
Join conference host Kevin Lim as he officially kicks off the CIO Conference. Kevin will set the stage for the day, highlight key themes, and share what to expect—from the conversations ahead to how to get the most out of your time at the event.
A rare, candid conversation with CIO Hall of Fame leaders reflecting on 25 years of technology leadership. This roundtable cuts through hype to explore what has genuinely changed—and what surprisingly hasn’t—across cycles of innovation, operating models, and executive expectations. Attendees will hear how seasoned CIOs recalibrated their role over time, what they would do differently today, and what fundamentals still matter most.
In this dynamic sponsor‑led session, leading solution providers explore how today’s innovations are driving impact across the enterprise. Expect bold thinking, practical takeaways, and new approaches designed for CIOs tackling complex challenges.
Transformation rarely follows a straight line. In this candid session, CIOs share initiatives that didn’t deliver as expected, across AI, security, and enterprise transformation—and the course corrections that followed. The discussion focuses on early warning signs, false assumptions, and the practical changes leaders made to recover momentum and credibility.
Press pause and recharge. Refuel with snacks, hydrate up, get some fresh air, and explore the show floor. It’s the perfect moment to reset, spark a few conversations, and come back refreshed for what’s next.
Beyond ROI slides, CIOs must navigate the real economics of transformation. This session explores how technology leaders actually fund, justify, and sustain large‑scale initiatives while managing cost pressure, shifting priorities, and heightened executive scrutiny. Attendees will examine the financial levers, operating models, and metrics CIOs are using to prove value and keep transformation moving forward.
In this dynamic sponsor‑led session, leading solution providers explore how today’s innovations are driving impact across the enterprise. Expect bold thinking, practical takeaways, and new approaches designed for CIOs tackling complex challenges.
This panel brings together leading technology providers to explore how innovation is showing up across the enterprise technology marketplace. Panelists will share what they’re seeing across customers and industries, where investment and adoption are accelerating, and how CIOs are evaluating emerging capabilities amid rapid change. The session is designed to surface market‑level insights and patterns—not product pitches—helping CIOs better assess what matters now and what’s coming next.
Join us for a delicious lunch where you can connect with newfound contacts! Take a seat and savor your meal while networking with peers. Don’t miss the opportunity to meet our sponsors and discover how their innovative solutions can benefit you.
The Next CIO Track is built for senior IT leaders preparing to step into the CIO role—whether next year or five years out. Through an engaging mix of formats, this track tackles the real questions future CIOs face. Participants will gain practical guidance from experienced leaders, pressure-test their decision-making in hands-on scenarios, and leave with clear actions they can take now to accelerate their path to CIO.
1:45 – 2:05pm – What Actually Gets You to CIO
2:05 – 2:50pm – You’re the CIO Now – What Do You Do?
2:50 – 3:10pm – Networking Break
3:10 – 3:55pm – Leading Transformation When Everything is Broken
3:55 – 4:15pm – 5 Thing Future CIOs Must Do Now
Led by renowned leadership interviewer and storyteller Dan Roberts, this exclusive Leadership Masterclass distills the hard-earned wisdom of this year’s CIO Hall of Fame inductees. Drawing from candid conversations and defining moments in their careers, the session surfaces the leadership “nuggets” that don’t show up in org charts or job descriptions—how great CIOs earn trust, make difficult calls, lead through uncertainty, and stay anchored when the stakes are highest. Expect practical insights, memorable stories, and timeless lessons from leaders who have shaped the profession.
Join the 2026 CIO 100 honorees for a cocktail reception as we raise a glass to celebrate this year’s award winners and the impact of their leadership.
The CIO 100 Gala and Awards Presentation is the signature celebration of the conference, honoring the visionary CIOs and teams driving innovation, impact, and leadership across the enterprise. This evening event recognizes outstanding achievements in technology and business transformation while bringing the CIO community together in a formal, celebratory setting. Join us as we applaud excellence, share inspiration, and celebrate the leaders shaping what’s next in IT.