A Forum for Leaders Shaping Our Technological Future
The CIO Institute Ascot offers a distinguished one-day experience for industry leaders to collaborate, network, and engage in insightful discussions.
The event will focus on the latest trends and challenges in digital business, data, and security, with key themes including AI integration, data-driven decision-making, and sustainable transformation. Attendees will delve into critical topics such as cybersecurity, cloud modernisation, and talent development.
Designed to foster innovation and resilience, this event provides actionable strategies to help leaders drive growth and navigate the evolving business landscape.
An Agenda by the CIOs, for the CIOs
This year's agenda for the CIO Institute Ascot is meticulously crafted with direct input from the Advisory Board & Senior Faculty members of CxO Institute, ensuring it reflects the real-world priorities of IT leaders across the UK. Designed to address the most pressing challenges and opportunities shaping the digital enterprise, every session is built to spark meaningful discussions, provide actionable insights, and drive tangible value.
Agenda
08:00 - 08:45
Registration & Networking Breakfast
08:45 - 09:35
Opening Panel
Navigating the Shift: Leadership in a Transforming Technology Landscape
- How leaders can effectively manage and leverage innovations, balancing technological adoption with ethical considerations
- Fostering agilities and resilience in teams, building a culture that thrives amid rapid change and uncertainty
- Redefining leadership for the future and navigating growing focus on sustainability, diversity and global impact in tech-driven organisations


Silky Vaidya
CTPO
WiBD, SiRV


Neil Manfred
Group IT Director
Airswift


Dushyant Bhardwaj
Group Head of Architecture
Arriva Group


Anjana Wijegunasinghe
Head of Analytics & Tooling
Euroclear


Lida Rragami
Head of Cyber Security
Sonnedix
09:40 - 10:20
Security
From Crisis to Clarity: Strengthening Organisational Resilience Through Strategic Decision-Making
- We’ll explore what organisational resilience is, how to measure it and provide some common traits that successfully resilient organisations share.
- We’ll look at how these organisations integrate resilience into top management and board level meetings, and associated trends.
- We’ll explore how organisations make better decisions, with some real-world examples of how organisations tackle the most complex cyber security and IT operations challenges.


Jaana Nyjford
Field CTO & Strategic Advisor
Splunk
Strategy
Building the Agentic Enterprise: AI Agents & Multi-Agent Systems
AI is rapidly evolving from traditional rule-based agents to fully autonomous systems capable of managing complex workflows and decision-making at scale. As businesses seek greater efficiency and adaptability, multi-agent systems are emerging as a key driver of enterprise transformation. At this boardroom session, we’ll explore how AI agents are reshaping industries, automating processes, and enabling dynamic, agentic enterprises. Through real-world examples and open discussion, we’ll cover:
- The latest advancements in AI agent technology, including DeepSeek and multi-agent collaboration.
- How businesses are testing, adopting, and integrating autonomous agents into their operations.
- Key challenges, from trust and oversight to cost and implementation.


Leon Gauhman
Chief Product & Strategy Officer
Elsewhen
10:25 - 11:05
Data
Data Governance in Action: Driving Compliance and Business Value
- How data governance initiatives directly support business goals, such as improving decision-making , driving innovation and enhancing customer trust
- Explore strategies to ensure compliance with regulations without hindering organisational flexibility or innovation
- The importance of fostering collaboration between IT, legal and business teams to ensure a unified approach to data governance


Muhammad Saleem
Head of Data Architecture
BAE System
Strategy
IT Infrastructure and Operations: How AI is Redefining Efficiency and Resilience
The rapid evolution of IT infrastructure and operations has transformed how organizations manage and optimize the day-to-day. This session will explore how AI (Machine Learning, Deep Learning, GenAI) revolutionizes critical IT functions—including DBA support, Server management, Cloud operations, Servicedesk, Workspace Solutions, IT Service Management, Disaster Recovery, and Observability. Join us for an executive-level discussion on how AI-powered automation, predictive analytics, and intelligent workflows drive efficiency, cost reduction, and resilience across IT operations. Through real-world use cases, you will gain insights into how industry leaders leverage AI to reduce downtime, enhance decision-making, and unlock new IT efficiency and resilience levels.


Miguel Gallegos
Global Offer Manager for IT Infra & Ops
Softtek
11:10 - 11:50
Security
B2B(2X) Without Borders: AI, Identity & Digital Trust
The modern enterprise no longer operates in isolation—its success hinges on secure, scalable interactions across an expanding B2B(2X) ecosystem, connecting partners, suppliers, customers, employees, and regulators. As digital transformation accelerates, leaders must rethink how they build trusted, frictionless connections across these networks while mitigating risks from cyber threats, data breaches, and identity fraud. For CIOs and transformation leaders, the challenge is clear: how can enterprises architect next-generation identity frameworks that enable secure collaboration while driving efficiency and compliance? This session will explore how AI-driven risk intelligence, decentralised identity, and adaptive access controls are transforming B2B(2X) ecosystems—ensuring seamless, secure interactions across organisations, industries, and markets. Join Ping Identity to discover how leading enterprises are embedding trust into their B2B partnerships, data-sharing frameworks, and customer ecosystems, unlocking new opportunities while strengthening security, compliance, and operational resilience.


Alex Laurie
SVP Global Sales Engr & GTM Programs
Ping Identity
Strategy
Unlocking IT Transparency with Unit Economics for Cloud and On-Prem Environments
- Discuss approaches to achieving holistic unit economics as a foundation for IT cost transparency. How precise tracking, allocation and reporting that aligns IT spending with business outcomes and value can shift the trajectory of a business.
- Learn best practices for reducing cloud and infrastructure costs by integrating ITFM and FinOps, including resource right-sizing, usage monitoring, and leveraging reserved instances.
- Explore strategies to enhance data-driven decisions and maximize ROI, ensuring IT investments are transparent, measurable, and aligned with long-term business goals.


David Harding
CEO
MagicOrange
11:55 - 12:35
Strategy
Building for the Future: Rapid Process Transformation in Complex IT Landscapes
In today’s fast-paced business environment, organizations must be able to rapidly build, adapt, and scale their processes—often under significant time constraints and within complex IT landscapes. Whether modernizing legacy systems, streamlining operations, or ensuring seamless experiences for employees and customers, the challenge remains the same: how can businesses drive digital transformation without disrupting day-to-day operations? Join this session to learn how leading enterprises have successfully navigated large-scale process transformations with speed and agility. Discover how they leveraged a low-code enterprise app development platform to accelerate innovation, optimize workflows, and ensure business continuity—no matter the complexity of their IT environment. Whether you're rethinking core processes, integrating new technologies, or driving digital change, this session will provide actionable insights to help you move faster while keeping your business running smoothly.


Dan Wiseman
Principle Solution Lead
Neptune Software
AI
Fostering Creativity and Innovation - Harnessing the Power of Generative AI
- Explore the definition of Generative AI and how it works
- How can organisations effectively leverage generative AI tools to improve services, productivity, operational excellence and creativity
- The Challenges in using Generative AI including ensuring quality and addressing issues relating to copyright, bias and the ethical use of Gen AI


Joe Moya
Innovation and Optimisation Director
SSCL
12:35 - 13:25
Networking Lunch
13:25 - 14:05
Data
Secrets to Reliably Deliver Value at Scale with AI, Gen AI & AI Agents
Most clients struggle to link AI to business impact. Join Keepler to discover how AI can be strategically integrated to improve both operational efficiency and business outcomes -and how to scale it across the organization. We’ll explore real-world AI implementations that drive tangible business value, from enhancing decision-making to optimizing resource management. Plus, we’ll discuss the challenges of scaling AI initiatives and best practices for building an efficient, prioritized roadmap aligned with organizational goals.


Sean Poulley
COO
Keepler Data Tech
Security
Building Resilient Security Governance through Effective Frameworks for Successful Project Delivery
- Key Governance and Project Risk Challenges: What governance and risk challenges are you currently facing in your projects?
- Balancing the Journey and the Destination: Senior management often prioritizes deadlines while being disconnected from lower-level governance processes, which often introduces risks to project schedules and scope. How can senior leadership better integrate governance processes to ensure realistic timelines and stakeholder expectations are managed?
- Governance Best Practices: What governance best practices have you found most effective and how can these practices be applied to improve project outcomes across different organisations and industries?


Gurps Khaira
Security Programme Manager
HSBC
14:10 - 14:50
Strategy
Transforming Digital Experiences with Real-Time Intelligence
- Exploring how businesses can gain comprehensive insights into all layers of the digital experience, from network performance to application delivery, to ensure seamless interactions
- How organizations can anticipate and resolve performance bottlenecks before they affect users, ensuring smooth and uninterrupted digital experiences
- Leveraging data-driven insights for Resilient and scalable digital experiences with the use of advanced analytics to make informed decisions that improve digital services, foster innovation, and support sustainable growth in the ever-evolving digital landscape


Sofie Feeney
Regional VP, North Europe
Cisco ThousandEyes
AI
Agentic AI: Strategies for Turning Hype into Impact
Agentic AI is both an incredible opportunity and an enormous risk. It could dramatically drive productivity, automation and innovation, or lead to wasted investment, PoC purgatory, reputational embarrassment and regulatory fines. But what is it and how do you craft a strategy that cuts through the confusion, targets the right use cases, builds the necessary capabilities, and delivers tangible ROI? In this workshop led by Dr. Kjell Carlsson – former Forrester analyst and Head of AI Strategy at Domino Data Lab – we will dispel the hype around Agentic AI and discuss how to develop, operationalize, and govern Agentic AI systems that deliver impact in the real world. Discussion Points:
- What are the different types of Agentic AI systems and which are being implemented today?
- What are the capabilities needed to put AI agents into production and how do you source them?
- What are the emerging best practices for driving impact with AI agents and minimizing the risks?


Dr. Kjell Carlsson Ph.D.
Head of AI Strategy
Domino Data Lab
14:55 - 15:35
Security
Re-Centring your SOC Target using Zero Trust
- Unpack the SOC squares, tactical- strategic, reactive- proactive
- How visibility changes under Zero Trust
- How to leverage high fidelity alert data


Marc Leuck
CISO in Residence
Zscaler
15:40 - 16:20
AI
AI Governance and Observability: Ensuring Transparency and Accountability in Intelligent Systems
- The importance of creating comprehensive governance frameworks that address ethical considerations, regulatory compliance and stakeholder engagement to guide the development and deployment of AI systems
- Implementing strategies for enhancing the observability of AI models, including monitoring performance, detecting biases and ensuring data integrity to facilitate transparency and accountability in decision-making processes
- The role of clear communication and reporting practices in building trust among users and stakeholders including the importance of explainability in AI outputs and decisions to promote understanding and confidence in AI systems


Dushyant Bhardwaj
Group Head of Architecture
Arriva Group
Data
Driving Innovation and Strategy Through Data Excellence
- Exploring how organisations can leverage data insights to drive innovation, improve efficiency and maintain a competitive edge
- Discuss the role of leadership in fostering data-driven mindsets and promoting collaboration across departments
- Overcoming challenges in data governance and addressing strategies to ensure data accuracy, privacy and compliance while maximising value for business growth


Dave Archer
Global Director of Data Gov & Excellence
APEX Group
16:25 - 17:00
Closing Session
Reinventing your Business with Digital & AI
- Explore how businesses can leverage AI and digital technologies to innovate their business models, enhance operational efficiency, drive sustainable growth, and redefine how they show up in the market
- Examine how internal transformation through digital tools and AI can reshape company culture, streamline operations, and empower teams to drive innovation and adaptability
- Learn how hyper-automation can revolutionize business operations by integrating AI, machine learning, and robotic process automation to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and enable faster, data-driven decision-making


Gillian Tomlinson
Group Chief Data & Digital Officer
The Weir Group
17:00 - 18:00
Evening Drinks Reception
Event Speakers
Why Attend?
UNRIVALLED CONNECTIONS
Engage directly with IT leaders and industry experts who can provide valuable insights and solutions to your strategic challenges.
CUSTOMISED LEARNING PATHS
Choose the sessions, panels, and discussions that best align with your unique goals, enabling targeted and impactful networking.
TANGIBLE VALUE
Gain actionable insights and connections that translate directly into strategic initiatives and measurable progress for your organisation.
Location

The Royal Ascot Racecourse
Renowned for its royal heritage and world-class facilities, the Ascot Racecourse serves as the perfect backdrop for the CxO Institute Ascot. This iconic venue, blending elegance with cutting-edge amenities, fosters meaningful connections among IT leaders in an inspiring environment.
A Community of Leaders
The CxO Institute is the premier platform for IT leaders to tackle the most pressing challenges facing their organisations. Designed with delegates in mind, our events bring together CIOs, senior IT leaders, and other key decision-makers to explore cutting-edge solutions, drive collaboration, and achieve impactful outcomes.
Event Chair

Dave Davis, Senior Technical Director
Dave brings decades of expertise in satellite communications, systems engineering, and network engineering.
With a strong background in the full life cycle of satellite communication-based networks, Dave's ability to bridge the gap between complex technology and everyday understanding makes him a key leader in the field. He holds a BSc(Hons) and is a Chartered Telecommunications Engineer skilled in delivering high-quality systems and solutions across the telecommunications industry.
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Featured Attendees










Delegates in Attendance
The list below showcases the esteemed IT leaders, executives, and decision-makers attending the event. These are the key individuals driving innovation, transformation, and strategy within their organisations.
To view the full list of delegates, please scroll and swipe down through til the end.
Engage with Top IT Decision Makers
The CxO Institute provides an exclusive platform for sponsors to connect with senior IT decision-makers actively seeking solutions to their most pressing challenges. Our events bring together CIOs, senior IT, and other key technology leaders, offering a unique opportunity to engage, build relationships, and position your brand as a trusted partner.
Official Partners

OFFICIAL CATEGORY PARTNER
Splunk
Splunk, now part of Cisco, is a leader in cybersecurity, observability, and AI-driven analytics. Its powerful solutions help organisations detect threats, enhance resilience, and optimise digital operations. Integrated with Cisco’s security and networking expertise, Splunk delivers real-time visibility, automation, and intelligence to drive business transformation in an evolving threat landscape.

ADVISORY PARTNER

ADVISORY PARTNER

ADVISORY PARTNER

ADVISORY PARTNER

INSIGHT PARTNER

INSIGHT PARTNER

INSIGHT PARTNER

INSIGHT PARTNER

INSIGHT PARTNER

SR. ENGAGEMENT PARTNER

SR. ENGAGEMENT PARTNER

SR. ENGAGEMENT PARTNER

ENGAGEMENT PARTNER

ENGAGEMENT PARTNER

ENGAGEMENT PARTNER

ENGAGEMENT PARTNER
Why Sponsor?
LEAD GENERATION
Connect with Top IT and Senior Executives in a curated environment designed for meaningful conversations and long-term partnerships.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Showcase Thought Leadership through panel discussions, round tables, and tailored engagements that demonstrate your brand's expertise.
REPORTS & INSIGHTS
Gain valuable market insights by understanding the key challenges and priorities shaping IT investments and decision-making.
BRAND AWARENESS
Accelerate business growth by positioning your brand, solutions, and services in front of decision-makers and budget-holders with active projects and procurement needs.
Sponsorship Packages
The Royal Ascot Racecourse: A Prestigious Setting for CIO Institute
Renowned for its royal heritage and world-class facilities, Ascot Racecourse is a symbol of prestige and excellence. This iconic venue has hosted high-profile events and esteemed guests, making it the ideal setting for CIO Institute Ascot.
Blending timeless elegance with state-of-the-art amenities, it offers an exclusive environment where IT leaders connect, exchange ideas, and drive innovation. With its sophisticated ambiance, exceptional service, and seamless experience, Ascot Racecourse provides the perfect backdrop for thought leadership and high-impact networking.
An Exclusive Venue for the Top Leaders in IT
Carefully selected to match the prestige of its attendees, this venue offers a refined and high-impact environment designed for IT leaders, innovators, and decision-makers.
Seamless Accessibility with VIP Transport
Enjoy a hassle-free arrival with private car transfers, valet services, and priority access, ensuring a smooth and efficient experience from start to finish.
A Sophisticated Setting for Strategic Discussions
With dedicated spaces for networking and discussions, the venue fosters valuable connections and strategic conversations in an exclusive setting.
VIP Car Service
Arrive in style with our chauffeured executive transport, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free journey. With priority access and reserved drop-off, you’ll experience the ultimate convenience from door to venue.
Luxury Hospitality & Dining
Indulge in chef-curated meals, premium refreshments, and exquisite catering throughout the event. Our carefully selected menu ensures a world-class dining experience, perfect for refined networking in a relaxed, elegant atmosphere.
Dedicated Concierge & Support
Enjoy a personalised service experience, with our dedicated concierge team assisting with event details, special requests, and VIP accommodations to ensure a smooth and productive visit.
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