Dallas CIO Executive Summit

Today’s executive leaders must move quickly, navigate change nimbly and lead in unknown territory. Sounds a lot like improv comedy! Join this side-splitting keynote by The Panic Squad, which has taken its unique brand of humor across the continent for hundreds of non-profits, businesses and Fortune 500 corporations. Chief improv officers Andrew Bright and Elijah Tadema will open our event with an interactive performance that explores, impacts and elevates through creativity, collaboration and laughter.

Picture a leader. Who do you see? People who consistently see leaders who fit one profile will be more likely to notice leaders who fit that same profile in the future. Even today, when asked to depict a leader, an overwhelming number draw someone that looks like them or perhaps leaders that dominates that field. As companies are making efforts toward diversity and inclusion, they must put more diverse people in leadership positions. This panel features prominent people in technology and leadership roles, illuminates their diverse perspectives and offers thoughts on promoting inclusion.

What is digital transformation? One thing is certain – it’s one of the hottest topics for Dallas CIOs. Digital transformation means something different for every organization, but CIOs are united in seeking to leverage the disruptive power of new technologies in their industries. One of the best ways to check your assumptions on any business initiative is to know where you stand among your peers and allow them to challenge your assumptions. This interactive session is a chance to baseline your digital transformation and explore context around the metrics.

Participants should take the benchmarking assessment prior to attending. Attendance is limited. Please contact: Brian Greig, Program Manager at 971-717-6681, or brian.greig@evanta.com with any questions.

Please complete the online assessment for Benchmark This! here.

Today’s CISOs have a tall order. They must prevent attacks, defend vulnerabilities and evolve security to keep pace with new technology – all on a tight budget. It’s a popular request to do more with less. One way to achieve this? Tailor your team.

In this session, Jon Murphy shares insight on how he helped one organization reduce its headcount by 35 percent to make the business smarter and faster. Through smart rightsizing, Murphy was able refocus IT and redefine job descriptions to drive strategic improvements. For Murphy, it’s all about having the right people in the right seats.

The robots are here, but there’s no need to fear. Future technology potential is rich in robotic process automation, (RPA), AI and rich analytics. Companies can use these technologies to save time, eliminate error and generate revenue, but what’s the best way to get started? Join this executive boardroom session to share ideas and best practices on how to leverage RPA and AI to achieve big things with little disruption to employees.

Digital transformation is on every CIO’s mind and has become a ubiquitous initiative on most organization’s agendas. Preparing your team for a digital transformation journey begins with innovation and creativity and a definite buy-in from all stakeholders. Join Gregory Ericson from Essilor, a company that has received worldwide recognition for innovation, as he discusses the roadmap that can introduce your team to breakthrough thinking, guide you to stay laser focused, augment talent, bridge your teams and keep everyone on board.  

If the old adage, “the customer is always right” holds water, then why don't organizations leverage customer's opinions more in data strategies? With digital transformation on the horizon for so many companies, it makes sense to utilize such a powerful source of knowledge when deciding what technology to incorporate into a business’s best use of data. In this session, learn what digital transformation means to both the business and the customer, and how to best harness the impact customers have on shaping digital transformation and data utilization.

Today’s cyber threat landscape is one of unprecedented complexity – and risk. Malicious actors are more persistent than ever, and the modern perimeter is only becoming harder to define. Across the cloud and across the enterprise, what high-level strategies should today’s CIO leaders embrace to ensure their organizations’ critical assets stay secure? Join your peers to share best practices in cybersecurity, ranging from staffing to communication strategies to key technologies.

Cycles of innovation, openness, consolidation and monopolization. What stage of the cycle is your industry in? Tim Wu is one of the most influential commentators on the tech industry and the future of America's information economy. In this keynote presentation, Wu illustrates the innovation cycle as it pertains to some of the most important technologies of the last century, including the telephone, radio, and television, while giving perspective on the evolution of the internet, its associated business and the rise and fall of information empires.

Panic Squad closes out our day with a mini-keynote on Laugh Out Loud Leadership!