Peer Connections
Build new connections with peers who understand your challenges and strengthen your trusted professional network.
Gartner CDAO Communities
Trusted peer communities led By CDAOs, For CDAOs™
Leadership can be isolating at the C-Level. No one else within your organization truly understands the complexities you face. Gartner C-Level Communities are designed to bridge that gap, bringing together executives who know firsthand the demands of your role.
With 12 communities across the globe, serving over 1,600 CDAOs, Gartner CDAO Communities bring together leading data and analytics executives for peer sharing, learning and collaboration. CDAOs connect throughout the year to gain new ideas and fresh perspectives, validate strategies and approaches and engage in candid discussions with peers navigating similar challenges.
Each community is guided by a local Governing Body of top CDAOs, reflecting our “by and for” model and ensuring agendas and discussion topics at every community event are truly peer-driven.
Participate in your local community for exclusive access to:
CDAOs leading local communities
Kristina Chambers
Molex
VP, Enterprise Data Products, Analytics, AI, and Integrations
Ben Flusberg
Cox Automotive
Chief Data Officer
Arun Narayanan
RES Group
Chief Executive Officer, Digital Solutions
Prasannal Nithyanandam
Volkswagen
Head of Data & Advanced Analytics
Usman Quddoos
DIRECTV
Chief Data Officer
Vijay Rajandram
Northern Trust
CDO
Andrew Reiskind
Mastercard
CDO
Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CDAOs today.
Reimagine Governance for Trusted, Real-World Data and AI Value
Modernize Data and AI Infrastructure to Scale
Upskill Across the Organization to Operationalize a Data-Driven Culture
Explore ways to participate
In-Person
Executive Summit
Connect with a trusted community of CDAO peers at this one‑day, signature event to gain actionable insights and practical solutions to your top priorities and challenges.
View what to expect.
View what to expect.
What to expect at an Executive Summit:
- Keynotes from Gartner analysts, practitioners and thought leaders
- Peer-led, interactive sessions and discussions
- One-on-one networking in priority-matched peer meetings
- Purpose‑built networking in an approachable environment
In-Person
Inner Circle
Join fellow CDAOs for a dinner event featuring facilitated roundtable discussions and informal networking with trusted peers.
View what to expect.
View what to expect.
What to expect at an Inner Circle:
- Facilitated, roundtable discussions on a key, peer-driven topic
- Interactive discussion, focused on shared learning and real-world experiences
- Informal networking throughout the evening
Virtual
Town Hall
Participate in this one-hour, virtual session where peers in the community engage in candid discussions on timely, relevant topics.
View what to expect.
View what to expect.
What to expect at a Town Hall:
- Informal, breakout group discussions or peer-led panel discussions
- Live, unrecorded and designed for active participation
- Topics are timely and relevant to each community’s emerging priorities
Apply to join
Already a Member? Sign InEach application is carefully vetted to ensure members meet established criteria, preserving the quality of the network and enabling meaningful, peer‑level discussions among leaders from the world’s leading organizations.
Once you submit your application, a Community Program Manager will schedule a conversation to understand your priorities and interests and complete onboarding, including access to year‑round community events.
Learn how executives benefit from connecting with peers
Hear firsthand how community members share experiences, validate strategies, and uncover new ideas through candid conversations with peers facing similar opportunities and challenges.
“You need someone by your side as a sounding board."
Ibrahim Itani, Head of Data, Analytics & AI
Marathon Petroleum
Discover insights from CDAO peers
Survey Report | August 21, 2026
Survey Report | August 21, 2026
Trends Report: C-Level Strategies and Challenges in Operationalizing AI
This report highlights five major trends driving enterprise AI adoption, drawing on insights from 750 C-Level executives in our recent community survey. These findings reveal an executive community that is increasingly focused on execution, scalability, and sustainable business impact – Read the report.
Read ArticleTown Hall Insights | March 2, 2026
Town Hall Insights | March 2, 2026
Data Management for the Agentic Era
As enterprise AI evolves from passive assistants to autonomous agents, organizations are rethinking the very foundations of their data environments. The Chicago CDAO Community recently convened for a Town Hall to explore this pivotal transition. Here are 5 takeaways from the discussion.
Read ArticleBlog | April 6, 2026
Blog | April 6, 2026
The Business Impact of Participating in Gartner C-level Communities
Stuart Hughes, Chief Digital Officer of Kerry Group and one of the first executives to join the UK and Ireland CIO Community, has long recognized the value of connecting with peers to drive business impact. Here, Stuart shares how he has gained practical insights at Executive Summits that have directly influenced his day-to-day work and impacted his organization.
View PostYour community sponsors
Global Thought Leader
CDAO Thought Leader
