2026 Atlanta CIO Community Inner Circle

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Collaborate with your peers

Join Atlanta's top CIOs for an intimate networking dinner and facilitated discussion on key business challenges. Enjoy a relaxed evening of dinner and drinks with your peers to share best practices, make new connections and build professional relationships.

Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CIOs today:

Assuming leadership of cross-functional AI adoption

Achieving operational resilience through strategic agility and risk management

Uncovering real value from technology investments

Governing Body Co-Chairs

Guy Brassard

Shaw Industries
VP & CIO, Shaw Industries Inc.

Curtis Carver Jr.

University of Alabama at Birmingham
VP & CIO

Raghu Sagi

Carter's
EVP & CITO

Viren Shah

AGCO Corporation
Chief Digital & Information Officer

Agenda

February 5, 2026

4:30pm - 5:30pm Executive Networking Reception

5:30pm - 6:30pm Discussion Topics

Pivoting Under Pressure – Strategic Shifts for Organizational Agility

CIO success in the months ahead will depend on strategic pivots rather than static plans, as economic and geopolitical turbulence persists and AI becomes a cornerstone of IT strategies. Despite these complexities, IT budgets are expected to grow only marginally in 2026. CIOs will face sustained pressures to improve employee productivity and translate those gains into measurable financial impact.

To succeed, CIOs must know how—and when—to decisively terminate underperforming projects, weigh global versus local vendor trade-offs, and mitigate risk in a complex regulatory environment.

Discussion Questions:

How can CIOs ensure AI investments deliver measurable financial impact—not just efficiency gains?
What proven approaches convert employee productivity gains into measurable business value?
What strategies enable CIOs to continuously reprioritize IT initiatives amid ongoing disruption?
How should sourcing strategies adapt to new digital sovereignty laws and geopolitical risks?

6:30pm - 7:00pm Networking Break

7:00pm - 8:00pm Summary Discussion & Dinner

8:00pm - 9:00pm Social Hour

Apply to Participate

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Apply to participate in the Atlanta CIO Community Inner Circle.

Gartner facilitates exclusive, C-level communities by personally qualifying and understanding the priorities, challenges and interests of each member.

Our selective approach maintains the high quality of the network and ensures top-level discussions with peers from the world’s leading organizations.

Each application will be reviewed, and once your participation is confirmed, you will have access to year-round community programs.

Community Member Criteria

To ensure peer connections and conversations at the highest level, members must meet the following criteria:

- C-level or senior most executive for respective function

- Organization revenue of $500M+

Exceptions are considered.

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Location

Venue

Upstairs at Rena's

Community Program Manager

For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.

Lawrence Figueroa

Senior Community Program Manager

971-222-2374

lawrence.figueroa@gartner.com