
Houston CIO Community
Inner Circle
September 17, 2025 | Bosscat Kitchen & Libations
September 17, 2025
Bosscat Kitchen & Libations
Collaborate with your peers
Join Houston'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:
Driving innovation while bracing for potential budget cuts
Fostering innovation and collaboration with an eye on the bottom line
Collaborating with peers to align technology initiatives
Houston CIO Governing Body
The Governing Body Co-Chairs shape the discussion topics and agenda, ensuring that all content is driven By CIOs, For CIOs®.
Governing Body Co-Chairs

David Cain
CVR Energy
VP & CIO

Vagesh Dave
McDermott International
Global VP/ CIO

Kara Pelecky
American Bureau of Shipping
SVP, CIO

Michael Thompson
Gulfport Energy Corporation
VP & CIO

John Varkey
Waste Management
SVP, CIO
Agenda
September 17, 2025
4:30pm - 5:30pm Executive Networking Reception
5:30pm - 6:30pm Discussion Topics
Balancing Budget and Technological Advancements Amidst Global Uncertainty

Suresh Sambandam
Founder & CEO
Kissflow
In today's unpredictable economic environment, enterprise CIOs are tasked with driving technological innovation while managing financial constraints. The pressure to deliver cutting-edge solutions that drive competitive advantage is greater than ever. However, this must be balanced with prudent financial stewardship as budgets tighten due to economic fluctuations.
Technology leaders are already leveraging advancements in AI, cloud and data analytics to optimize business processes and create value while maintaining a keen focus on cost. But they must also foster a culture of collaboration across departments to ensure that technology initiatives are strategically aligned with broader business objectives.
This session will delve into strategies that CIOs can employ to advance technology initiatives without compromising fiscal responsibility, ensuring that their organizations remain agile and resilient.
Has the global economy caused you to reprioritize your technology initiatives? If so, what is staying at the forefront and what are the first items to go?
How are you balancing the demand for innovation with the necessity of cost control in technology deployment?
What role do you play in driving technology innovation and highly productive teams while ensuring fiscal responsibility across the enterprise?
What resources are you leveraging to keep pace with shifts in regulation?
What best practices have you uncovered for communicating the associated impact on technology strategy with the broader business?
How are you collaborating with your CFO to align technology initiatives with financial strategies for shared success?
What role do your existing vendors play in how you (re)prioritize new technology initiatives?
6:30pm - 7:00pm Networking Break
7:00pm - 8:00pm Summary Discussion & Dinner
8:00pm - 9:00pm Social Hour
Apply to Participate
Apply to participate in the Houston 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.
Location
More Information
Free parking and paid valet available.
Community Program Manager
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.