
DACH CIO Community
Executive Summit
29 November 2023 | Hilton Frankfurt City Centre
29 November 2023
Hilton Frankfurt City Centre
Collaborate with your peers
Get together with DACH's top CIOs to tackle shared business challenges and critical priorities facing your role today. Participate in this one-day, local program with peer-driven topics and interactive discussions with your true C-level peers.
Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CIOs today:
Amplifying Value Through Digital Ecosystems
Accelerating Growth with Agility & Innovation
Authoring the Future through Culture, Influence & Technology
DACH CIO Governing Body
The Governing Body Co-Chairs shape the summit agenda, ensuring that all content is driven By CIOs, For CIOs®.
Governing Body Co-Chairs

Jochen Göttelmann
Lufthansa
VP IT Lufthansa Airlines (CIO) & Lufthansa Group Operations IT

Dr. Michael Müller-Wünsch
Otto (GmbH & Co KG)
CIO

Sinanudin Omerhodzic
Aldi Nord
CTO

Sandeep Sen
Linde Plc
Global CIO
What to Expect
Agenda
08:15 - 09:00 Registration & Breakfast
09:00 - 09:45 Keynote
The CIO's Future-Focused Agenda: Franchising Digital Delivery
The landscape of technology leadership has undergone a permanent transformation. The widespread access to digital tools is fundamentally reshaping the boundaries between IT departments and other business areas and yet, there is considerable confusion about who should be doing what.
Join Tomas Nielsen, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner as he builds on Gartner's latest research and shares insights into:
- Considerations for the CIO’s agenda over the next 18 months
- Navigating the shifting expectations that the C-Suite have for their CIO
- Trends and expectations of the leadership role
09:45 - 10:00 Break
10:00 - 10:45 Breakout Session
Analytics, Data and Digital Processes – Digitalisation With DFB

Frank Biendara
CIO
DFB
Data and Analytics maturity varies drastically among organisations and it can be difficult for CIOs to know where they start, and whether they are making the most out of their data sets. The challenges faced span across multiple different areas — from communicating data updates internally to demonstrating the impact data strategy has on business outcomes. So how can IT Leaders get past the complexities of these challenges and utilise them to improve their strategies? Join Frank Biendara, CIO at DFB as he shares his insights into how DFB are using data across its users, clubs and associations to better organise and improve football within the region.
Specifically, Frank will share:
- How DFB are improving German football through digital, data and AI
- Communicating confidence to the business that digital strategy is aligned with wider organisational goals
- The learnings and recommendations for CIOs looking to make the most out of their data sets and drive business collaboration and value
10:00 - 10:45 Breakout Session
Harnessing the Power of AI to Improve Cyber Resilience
Hosted by Palo Alto Networks

Sergej Epp
Chief Security Officer, EMEA Central
Palo Alto Networks
Artificial intelligence has the potential to drive efficiency and technological innovation. Yet taking advantage of this opportunity in the wrong way can have serious security consequences for the organisation. IT and Security leaders need to anticipate and prepare to mitigate potential risks as data is increasingly accessed and analysed in increasingly different ways. For business stakeholders to secure investment, how can CIOs demonstrate the benefits of these technologies?
Join this session to learn about:
- How AI plays a role in sophisticated attacks today and how to prepare
- Examples of how to leverage AI to process and analyse large volumes of data quickly...and safely
- How leaders can use AI capabilities to enhance cybersecurity and demonstrate value to the business
10:00 - 10:45 Executive Boardroom
The CIO's Data Journey – Viewpoints, Navigation Tips and Cross Border Security
Hosted by Protegrity

Frank Thomas
Senior Director Channels & Alliances
Protegrity

Michael Hilzinger
Group Chief Information Officer
Knorr-Bremse AG

Carolina Soto
Global Head of IT Investment & Asset Management
Munich Re
For the CIO and business stakeholders, a modern data architecture can churn out as many questions as salient solutions, especially in complex organisations that operate across borders. How do you effectively organise your data? Where do you invest for success? How can you address complex security challenges such as cross border compliance? This peer-driven discussion will serve as a checkpoint on your data journey, exploring:
- The ‘how’ of harnessing and optimising your data for better business outcomes
- Ensure data security and compliance across borders for privacy
- Insights around data as a service, data security and data warehousing
10:45 - 11:50 Networking Break
10:55 - 11:40 Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Connect with like-minded peers in a one-on-one setting through Evanta’s Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.
11:50 - 12:35 Breakout Session
Leading with Digital Sustainability
Hosted by ChromeOS

Thomas Kuczek
Technical Program Manager
Google Chrome Enterprise

Jeremy Drury
Chief Digital Officer, IKEA Germany
IKEA UK
Enterprises are under pressure to address multiple challenges impacting the planet, their people and profitability. Now is the time to position technology leaders as key partners in tackling these issues and maximises sustainable value across the business.
Join this session to explore sustainable strategies for:
- Reducing efforts in the negative impact your company and products have on the planet (environmental sustainability)
- How to best champion and manage the impact on your people (social sustainability)
- Managing the business' fiscal health and future profitability (financial sustainability)
11:50 - 12:35 Breakout Session
IT is Business and Business is IT
Hosted by Infor

Aleksandar Rodic
Global CIO
Fiege Logistik Stiftung & Co. KG
At a time of decreasing margins, diverse markets, complex customer needs and emerging technologies, it is increasingly important to unite the power within an organisation to drive in one common direction. Since many organisations are characterised by extensive stakeholder management with various stakeholders from different business sectors, IT needs to enable the business and transform it into a tech-first entity.
Join Aleksandar Rodic, CIO of Fiege Logistik as he shares:
- The importance of empathy in business relationship management
- Vital factors to retain and win IT talent
- How to lead high digital performance and transform the IT service function to a tech-first business
11:50 - 12:35 Executive Boardroom
The CIO’s Playbook – Execute Strategy Confidently
Hosted by Ardoq

Ian Stendera
VP of Product
Ardoq

Tobias Guenthör
CIO
Stada

Sinanudin Omerhodzic
CTO
Aldi Nord
As a CIO, what are you choosing to prioritise when looking at your IT initiatives? While many may compete for your time - investing in security, innovation or even saving costs - they don’t need to be at odds. CIOs can practically take steps to remove the noise that’s creating decision drag.
Join this boardroom to discuss how to:
- Filter out the noise that stems from unreliable volumes of data
- Get the business and IT collaborating when objectives are (re)prioritised
- Tactics that enable CIOs to collaborate in real-time with IT and business stakeholders
Apply to Participate
Apply to participate in the DACH CIO Community Executive Summit.
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.
Location
Venue & Accommodation
Hilton Frankfurt City CentreParking & Transportation
Parking
There is a Valet Parking System at the hotel. This is charged at EUR 4,00 per hour and EUR 36,00 for the whole day (24 hours).
Public Transport
For additional directions, please click here
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Hilton Frankfurt City Centre at a reduced conference rate. Reservations should be made online or by calling 69-133800. Please mention Evanta to ensure the appropriate room rate.
Deadline to book using the discounted room rate of €259 EUR (plus tax) is 6 November 2023.
Community Programme Manager
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.