DETAILLED AGENDA

CONVENIENT | TIME EFFECTIVE | ACTIONABLE

Since inception in 2010, the CIO Leadership Summit has gained an outstanding reputation for presenting, year after year,  an line-up of exceptional speakers – inspiring CIOs, influential digital trailblazers, maverick forward-thinkers and visionary industry experts. Learn from those who are harnessing the power of  technology to definitely change the rules of the business, societal and innovation game, well beyond the conventional spheres.

13:00 – 13:30

WELCOME – REGISTRATION

Guests are welcome to join from 13:00 onwards. Once you have got your badge, enjoy a drink and meet with peers before the Summit starts.

This will also be the opportunity to review the program and select the sessions you find the most appealing to you.

13:30 – 15:00

KEYNOTE ADDRESSES (PART I)

Through a plenary set up, a first selection of keynote speakers will set the scenes of the Summit 2024 with a practical and enlightening tone .

Keynote speakers and panelists will share their respective views on what CIOs should operate today, and which IT assets should be optimized to generate immediate value. They will also challenge how to build critical new digital capabilities outside the conventional spheres. Moreover, they will envision where to go on the offensive to ignite innovation, foster agility and amplify customer experience.

Keynote 1 

Drive innovation, set direction, refocus technology – the new CIO world and realities

Never before has the geo-political, economical and societal environment created so many challenges -and opportunities as well- for CIOs to drastically reconsider their technology adoption roadmap, adapt their delivery model, and respond to drastic new user expectations, societal changes and business imperatives.

This panel will dig into top CIO minds to explore how to ignite innovation, how to foster organizational agility, how to upskill IT talents, how to boost workplace productivity, and how to amplify customer experience.

Confirmed panelists: Gunter VAN CRAEN, Chief Information Officer, Bekaert | Rudi VANDER EYKEN, fr. GLobal CIO, Euronav | Jocelyn DARBROUDI, Chief Information Officer


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Keynote 2 

Charting your AI course: what is hype and what is substance?

In “The Hype Will Pass, Substance Will Last,” Nicolas Deruytter, CEO & Founder of ML6, will invite you to discover the heart of what technology can really be. He will draw on the lessons learned from technology’s ups and downs to highlight why it’s smarter to invest in technology that lasts rather than just the next big thing. Furthermore, he will share an exciting breakthrough from ML6, a result of thinking 5 years ahead that’s surprised even those who made it. He’ll guide you through a vision of the autonomous future filled with untapped opportunities based on a clear vision for change. Get ready to guide your organization into a future where true innovation and human creativity come together!

Keynote speaker: Nicolas DERUYTTER, CEO and Founder, ML6. Member of the AI4Belgium thinkthank. Board Director at VOKA.


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Keynote 3 

The digital composable enterprise: reshaping organizations from the core of business

Ingo Paas, CIO & CDO at Green Cargo (Swedish Railways), will challenge the established order of digital transformation and demystify the barriers corporations face to evolve into digital composable enterprises and to introduce disruptive technologies such as AI. Based on the very successful, award-winning digital composable transformation at Green Cargo, Ingo Paas will emphasize the key lessons learned on how to successfully achieve digital composability at scale.

Keynote Speaker: Ingo PAAS, Chief Information & Digital Officer, Green Cargo. Author of the bestseller ‘Digital composable enterprises’. EMEA IDC 2023 Award Winner. Sweden CIO Award Winner 2022.


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15:00 – 16:30

CIO MASTER CLASSES

Every year, the program of the CIO Leadership Summit includes a series of top-level CIO Master Classes that deliver both strategic insight and critical nuance on emerging trends, new technologies, inspiring cases, etc.

Held in streams of parallel sessions  and in partnership with leading providers, CIO Master classes combine vision, expertise and guidance in an easily digestible and time-convenient format.

Explore the program below, select the master classes of your choice and secure your seat!  Pre-registration is highly recommended as room capacities are not unlimited.

Stream 1  ||  15:00 – 15:30  ||  Master Class MC1.1  ||  Organized with MALT

IT talent gap: not a fatality, certainly an opportunity!

This Master Class will deliver real-world insights into the latest trends and developments in the supply and demand of tech skills, spotlighting areas of critical importance such as Cloud Computing, Data and Generative AI, and delve into concrete Generative AI use-cases for companies. It will also give a quick look into how to get access to a global network of top-tier tech talents, turning the daunting task of sourcing scarce talents into a manageable and strategic operation, and as an opportunity for value creation.

Master: Anaïs GHELFI, Head of Data Platform, MALT


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Stream 1  ||  15:00 – 15:30  ||  Master Class MC1.2  ||  Organized with IBM & Belfius

AI Armor: strengthening cybersecurity through artificial intelligence

In today’s digital landscape, businesses are facing a myriad of cybersecurity challenges, ranging from sophisticated cyber threats to stringent regulatory requirements. This master class will explore the key cybersecurity challenges confronting the companies in Europe, including the risk of data breaches, regulatory compliance, and the evolving threat landscape. Additionally, it will highlight how AI and ML technologies can serve as powerful tools to bolster cybersecurity defenses. Finally, it will deliver insights into the strategic implementation of AI solutions to mitigate cybersecurity risks and ensure the trust and security of business ecosystems in Europe.

Masters: Karine GORIS, Chief Security Officer, Belfius | Jean-Michel LAMBY, Associate Partner, IBM Security | Rembert Vanloffeld, Principal Architect Security Services, IBM


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Stream 1  ||  15:00 – 15:30  ||  Master Class MC1.3  ||  Organized with Confluent 

Unlocking end to end Gen AI for data and analytics

In order for CIOs to succeed in the evolving AI landscape, it is essential to steer clear of the obstacles traditionally posed by outdated data architectures. Instead, they must construct the contemporary AI framework on a strong and modern basis of dynamic and real-time data. In many cases, however, the hype around artificial intelligence distracts CIOs and businesses from its actual value – the capacity to quickly solve real-world problems and address very practical challenges. This master class will deliver a practical approach on how to effectively unlock end to end Gen AI within your data architecture to boost both innovation and business.

Master: Julien CONTARIN, Senior Solutions Engineer, Confluent

Stream 2  || 15:30 – 16:00  ||  Master Class MC2.1  ||  Organized with Pure Storage

Operational resilience: why it must be #1 on the CIO agenda

Undoubtedly, operational resilience is reaching an inflection point within the ever-increasing confluence of AI, data, apps and devices, and in the wake of EU’s regulation proposals. Despite a popular belief that operational resilience is just a matter for financial services, today technology leaders across every industry must urgently put it at the top of their strategic agenda and ensure they are prepared for an increasing multi-threat landscape  and rapid recovery of business at infinite scale. This CIO Master Class will explore: What does operational resilience really mean for organizations in 2024 and beyond? | Key elements that need to be part of every operational resilience plan |  Why, when and how should you change what’s “working” today? |  As one size doesn’t fit all, how to set up an ambitious but realistic resilience strategy that’s fit for purpose

Master: Patrick SMITH, Chief Technology Officer Europe, Pure Storage


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Stream 2  ||  15:30 – 16:00  ||  Master Class MC2.2  ||  Organized with IBM

AI + Technology strategies to fuel your business

One thing is sure today: AI will be embedded in your business, soon or late. But within which architecture and how is this affecting your sustainability goals? And what about operational resilience when AI is applied to mission critical processes? This master class will dive into the principle that it is the way technology is applied that makes the real difference. It will highlight the cloud native and transactional systems options and why an open hybrid cloud and AI platform is crucial to fully seize the opportunities of digitalization. All in all, it will explain how to become a more intelligent and resilient business fueled by technology.

Masters: Dennis LAUWERS, IBM Distinguished Engineer and CTO for Hybrid Cloud EMEA | Thomas HARRER, IBM Distinguished Engineer and CTO Server & Storage EMEA


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Stream 2  ||  15:30 – 16:00  ||  Master Class MC2.3  ||  Organized with Orange

The 5G advantage: how to effectively lead the digital age with impact

5G has undoubtedly emerged as the epicenter of innovation in technology and its outcomes are undeniable: faster speeds, greater reliability and the ability to integrate an ever-growing network of connected devices with unprecedented levels of performance.

This master class will examine the maturity status of 5G, its real impact on business and innovation, and how CIOs should engage and navigate the 5G journey through real-world cases relevant to the Belgian market.

Master: Michael PEETERS, Innovation Director, Orange

Stream 3  || 16:00 – 16:30  ||  Master Class MC3.1  ||  Organized with Denodo & Contraste

Curing the carbon reporting headache

Addressing new carbon reporting requirements, such as the European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), is no easy task. If you are currently implementing this or similar carbon reporting standards, you may be struggling to wrap your head around the IT problems involved — and the result may be quite a headache. Since carbon reporting relies on a massive quantity of data, both internal and external to an organization, the right medicine for this headache can be simply getting the data you need, in the right format, with ease, flexibility and speed. In this master class, discover data virtualization, a “miracle drug” for carbon reporting and other painful data integration problems.

Master: Emily SERGENT, Sales Engineer, Denodo


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Stream 3  ||  16:00 – 16:30  ||  Master Class MC3.2  ||  Organized with Amazon Web Services

Leading the Generative AI Revolution

Generative AI is at the forefront of global innovation, driven by cloud scalability, a massive proliferation of data, and rapid ML technology advancements. But transitioning to this transformative technology demands strong leadership, cultural adaptation, operational shifts, and skills development investments. This session will explore the real potential of genAI and guide CIOs on how to effectively integrate and scale it within their organizations to boost productivity, build differentiated experiences, and innovate faster thanks to a.o. the differentiated approach that AWS is taking to democratize Gen AI.

Master: Isabelle MOS, Associate Solutions Architect, AWS


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Stream 3  ||  16:00 – 16:30  ||  Master Class MC3.3  ||  Organized with Orange

Cyber crisis management – just like a well-executed fire drill !

One of the main pillars of cyber resilience is developing your response capability, and the only way to develop it is exercise, exercise, and exercise again. This outstanding master class will examine actionable strategies for navigating cyber crises by drawing insights from iconic moments in the IT Crowd TV show. Briefly said; this very interactive session will explore the parallels between cyber crisis management and a not so well-executed fire drill, how to enhance organizational preparedness, and how to effectively tackle cyber threats with practical tips and guidance.

Master: Simen VAN DE PERRE, Strategic Advisor, Orange Cyberdefense

16:30 – 17:00

NETWORKING ZONE

Enjoy a 30 minutes break to assimilate what our have learned and heard so far, discuss with the speakers, and connect with peers

17:00 – 19:00

KEYNOTE ADDRESSES (PART II)

Guests will come back in plenary set up for a second selection of inspiring keynote speakers and panelists.

Keynote speakers and panelists will share their respective views on what CIOs should operate today, and which IT assets should be optimized to generate immediate value. They will also challenge how to build critical new digital capabilities outside the conventional spheres. Moreover, they will envision where to go on the offensive to ignite innovation, foster agility and amplify customer experience.

This second part of the plenary program is organized in VIP roundtables while participants will enjoy a light dinner with a selection of wines.

Keynote 4 

Quantum technology: hype or reality?

 More than seven years back IBM has made quantum computing available through the cloud for the first time. Since then, a continuous stream of technical breakthroughs and improvements on the hardware as well as on the software and algorithm level has been demonstrated to build up a full stack quantum computer.

Quantum computing is now fast approaching practical applications that exhibit clear advantage  and benefits by outpacing classical computing. And CIOs who do not adapt could rapidly be years behind.

Kynote speakers: Kristof LOWYCK, Deputy director Invest and coordinator Americas at Flanders Investment & Trade | Petra Florizoone, IBM Quantum Sales Director EMEA


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Keynote 5 

Designing and executing a game-changing data strategy

Data Strategy trends all show that carefully strategized data acquisition, metadata management, tactical alignment and adaptive mindset will boost the benefits of AI and advanced analytics. But structuring, storing and managing lots of data carries not only increased costs like cloud and storage usage, but also risks  related to security vulnerabilities, and compliance with ever-expanding regulations.

This executive panel will examine how to effectively set up agame-changing data strategy, how to build a solid and resilent data architecture, how to define the critical success factors that will help unlock the data potential beyond traditional boundaries.

Keynote panelists: Nathalie RIGOUTS, Head of Data & Analytics, Borealis | Raphaël COPIS, Chief Technology Officer, AGEAS Group | André NOUJAIM, Country Manager Belux, Confluent |


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Reflection time & Meal 

Roundtable discussions & experience sharing

Enjoy a reflection break to share views with peers at your VIP table, challenge respective views, comment on the last keynotes, share experiences and refine your beliefs while enjoying a light dinner with appetizers and a selection of wines.


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Keynote 6 

Technology for good: the Tenaka’s case for regenerative business

This extraordinary keynote address will highlight how Tenaka, a social business that works to preserve, regenerate and protect marine ecosystems and wildlife around the world, is using advanced technologies to access fully automated data sets about coral reefs in nearly real time, from collection to visualization, and leveraged by AI-based data analysis. Once in the cloud, AI algorithms analyze the images and automatically recognize and quantify various species of fish, invertebrates, and megafauna in the reefs -an invaluable source of information for scientists and Tenaka partners.

This outstanding case will explore how technology, when smartly applied for sustainability purposes, can inspire corporations  to engage the shift to regenerative businesses with tangible impact and results for the planet and people.

Keynote speaker: Jean-Luc ROUX, CEO, Tenaka | Sonia GAMEIRO, Head of European Sustainability Practice, Orange Business

19:00 – 19:30

CEREMONY OF THE CORPORATE IT AWARDS 2024

In a complex geo-political and economic context, the Corporate IT Awards 2024 will honour the IT organizations that are going the extra mile by e.g. optimizing and scaling up their IT assets, rethinking their IT operating models, repurposing their IT infrastructure, improving corporate agility, creating new user experiences, reprioritizing their technology adoption roadmap, rearchitecting their IT talents, …, as a response to business and societal changes. And the winners are…

19:30 – 21:00

CIO NETWORKING COCKTAIL

Enjoy this ultimate part of the Summit agenda to greet and meet with peers from other organizations, share views and experiences, gain new ideas and inspirations, and return back home with a fresh blend of actionable ideas in mind and that you can test and implement within your own organization.