Explore this year’s topics

View the key topics for CIOs and dive into last year’s sessions while we work on the full 2027 agenda.

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      Conference Topics at a Glance

      Due to popular demand, Gartner CIO Leadership Forum is expanding in 2027, offering two opportunities to attend the conference, in London, and in the new location of Vienna. While we build out the full 2027 agenda, view the key topic areas covering the challenges most critical to CIOs.

      AI Cost and ROI

      CIOs must link AI investments to outcome-driven metrics, embedding financial discipline, and ensuring cost transparency with FinOps. CIOs must partner with leadership, prioritize production deployments, strengthen data foundations, and govern inference costs for scalable, sustainable ROI.

      AI Governance, Risk, Trust and Ethics

      Responsible AI adoption rooted in strong governance and agile oversight minimizes the enterprise’s exposure to risk. CIOs must embed explainability, privacy, compliance, invest in domain-specific models and enterprise platforms, and scale TRiSM controls and cost accountability for trusted AI adoption.

      AI’s Impact on the Workforce

      Talent and skills are being redefined by AI. CIOs must champion AI literacy, nurture adaptable teams, and partner with HR to drive upskilling and change management. Aligning talent strategies to business outcomes unlocks new value and future-ready talent.
      Look back at 2026 conference sessions

      Many conference sessions were presented each day at Gartner CIO Leadership Forum 2026. While we work to develop next year’s agenda, filter to see sessions that align with your role and interests.

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      Monday, 23 March, 2026

      09:30 AM - 10:15 AM GMT

      Gartner Opening Keynote: AI After the Hype: Scaling Human + Machine Value
      Nate Suda, VP Analyst, Gartner
      CIOs are in the hot seat: as hype hasn’t hit the P&L, but executives have seen enough real wins to know value is there. What they want now is simple: a technology leader who can cut through the noise and tell them what works most of the time, and what doesn’t. This keynote gives CIOs license to stop naming specific initiatives that almost never pay off – and where to double-down. You’ll walk away with a tool to score your own portfolio, decide where to pivot, persist or pull the plug, instead of betting on hype. ... Show More Show Less

      11:00 AM - 11:30 AM GMT

      Get Started on Your Autonomous Business Journey
      Don Scheibenreif, Distinguished VP Analyst, Gartner
      Autonomous business is the next business era, driven by AI and building on the foundations of digital business. But where do you start and how autonomous do you want your organization to be? In this session, we will share new research on autonomous business and discuss what organizations are doing to meet this challenge head-on. ... Show More Show Less

      11:00 AM - 11:30 AM GMT

      IT 2030: How CIOs Should Reinvent IT for the AI Age
      Hung LeHong, Distinguished VP Analyst, Gartner
      The IT organization will be augmented and autonomously operated by AI. But will some parts of IT disappear? Will new capabilities or teams be needed? The organization could be radically different—for better or worse. It’s up to CIOs to choose and lead IT’s reinvention by 2030. The journey starts today. Join this session to learn more. ... Show More Show Less

      11:00 AM - 11:30 AM GMT

      Increase Executive Influence Using Business and Human Value Stories
      Gabriela Vogel, VP Analyst, Gartner
      CIOs continue to struggle to influence business executives, delaying budgets and derailing progress on business outcomes. Greater success comes from mastering two types of value stories: business value stories and human value stories. Both should be used to focus on each key stakeholder. This session will provide structures and best practices for creating these stories, including GenAI prompts for inspiration. ... Show More Show Less

      11:00 AM - 01:00 PM GMT

      Research Discussion: Who Runs Tech? Navigating the Evolution of Tech Leadership in the AI Era
      Alicia Mullery, VP Analyst, Gartner
      In the race to harness AI to boost business performance in uncertain times, tech has become more critical and distributed. This is prompting a reexamination of tech exec leadership roles and structures. This interactive session explores how enterprises divide exec leadership of tech across Enterprise IT, OT, CX, R&D, and product development. Discover essential design elements of cutting-edge tech leadership models, including strategic alignment, reporting, org design, and their benefits and limitations. ... Show More Show Less

      11:00 AM - 11:45 AM GMT

      Roundtable: Fostering Enthusiastic AI Adoption
      Marcus Judge, Sr Executive Partner, Gartner
      Guido Repaci, Sr Executive Partner, Gartner
      Organizations often assume that enthusiasm for AI solutions will be automatic and universal. Conversely, they are often met with apathy or skepticism, particularly for roles that don't understand the use case or feel threatened or disrupted. How have you overcome passive or active resistance to AI adoption? Come prepared to contribute your experiences in a group discussion.

      Please note this same session will be offered on both days of this event; select the time that best fits your schedule.       ... Show More Show Less

      11:00 AM - 11:30 AM GMT

      The State of AI Regulation: How to Build a Unified Strategy
      Whit Andrews, Distinguished VP Analyst, Gartner
      AI regulations are now coming in just as fast as AI new products. Some say they will stifle innovation while others argue that they are late. Either way, CIOs will have to deal with a global regulatory wave that risks sinking their AI strategy. This session will provide a global overview of AI regulation, what to expect over the coming 12 months and how to prepare for a seemingly fragmented set of requirements. ... Show More Show Less

      11:00 AM - 12:30 PM GMT

      Workshop: Assess and Transform Your IT Operating Model
      Torbjørn Lussand, Sr Executive Partner, Gartner
      Johan Nilsson, Executive Partner, Gartner
      The IT operating model comprises several key facets that need to evolve together to support your strategic direction. This workshop will enable you to assess your current enterprise's IT operating model maturity and receive a set of tactics tailored to designing, implementing and evolving your IT operating model components.

      Please note this same workshop will be offered twice during this event; select the time that best fits your schedule.       ... Show More Show Less

      11:00 AM - 12:30 PM GMT

      Workshop: Elevate Your Executive Leadership Impact With Executive Influence, Engagement and Execution
      Karena Freeman, VP, Executive Partner, Gartner
      Nick Palmer, Sr Executive Partner, Gartner
      Klaus Kroell, Executive Partner, Gartner
      CIOs who invest in their development as executive leaders beyond the technology function are better positioned to expand their influence and deliver enterprise-wide value. This workshop will focus on cultivating CIO “Power Skills”, teaching you how to assess your own leadership strengths and gaps and delivering actionable plans and tools for personal growth and real-world leadership scenarios.

      Please note this same workshop will be offered twice during this event; select the time that best fits your schedule.       ... Show More Show Less

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      “A fantastic opportunity to explore the latest trends in AI and digital transformation while connecting with peers facing similar challenges.”

      Dimitris Kontos
      Deputy CIO, Cepal Hellas

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