Southern California CIO Community
Executive Summit
November 17, 2026 | The Waterfront Beach Resort
November 17, 2026
The Waterfront Beach Resort
Collaborate with your peers
Get together with Southern California'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:
Scaling Enterprise Transformation and Business Value Realization
Leading Change and Workforce Readiness
Turning AI Investments into Business Value
Southern California 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
Allen Fazio
Houlihan Lokey
CIO
Chad Hamilton
Fremantle
VP, Technology
Greg Moore
KB Home
VP & CIO
Thomas Phelps
Esri
CIO & Innovate@UCLA Chief Strategist
Anand Radhakrishnan
KIND
Chief Information Officer
What to Expect
Interactive Sessions
Hear from CIO practitioners and thought leaders on how they're solving critical challenges impacting your role today in Keynote sessions, and join smaller, interactive discussions with your peers in Breakout and Boardroom sessions.
Community Networking
Make new connections and catch up with old friends in casual conversations during dedicated time for networking designed to better acquaint you with your Southern California CIO community.
Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Connect with like-minded peers in a private, one-on-one setting through Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.
Agenda
Executive Boardroom Sessions
Restoring Transparency and Trust in AI‑Driven Systems
As enterprises shift from human‑driven to human‑supervised operations, AI has introduced new forms of complexity that traditional monitoring can’t explain. The challenge is no longer whether systems are up, but whether leaders can clearly understand how decisions are made, where risk accumulates and why performance or cost changes in unexpected ways.
Join this session to discuss:
- Where visibility breaks down in AI‑driven, hybrid and multi‑cloud environments
- Why “nothing is down” no longer means systems are operating as intended
- How CIOs re-establish transparency and trust as autonomous actions scale
Traditional ERP is Dead — What's Next?
Agentic AI is transforming work and prompting leaders to rethink traditional suites and modernization strategies. This boardroom will examine how agentic AI is unbundling ERP responsibilities, reshaping process orchestration and enabling smarter service layers.
Join fellow CIOs to explore:
- The rise of service layers, workflow engines and AI agents
- What’s replacing monolithic ERP models
- Key assumptions to challenge when evaluating vendor roadmaps
Maximizing ROI in Application Research and Selection
Selecting the right applications is essential for business agility, security, and growth. With countless options available, leaders must ensure technology decisions align with business goals and user needs.
Join this peer-led roundtable to discuss:
- Creating clear, objective criteria for evaluating application options
- Building constructive, transparent relationships with vendors and stakeholders
- Engaging teams to drive consensus throughout the selection process
Gartner Keynote Session
Prepare Your Operating Model for Whatever Comes Next
CEOs and Boards see digital and AI technologies as the antidote to driving growth despite ongoing market and geopolitical disruptions. CIOs can step up by intentionally advancing democratized digital delivery throughout the enterprise. This shift makes the operating model more adaptable and prepared for whatever comes next.
Join this keynote to explore:
- Maturing the IT functional operating model
- Democratizing digital delivery intentionally
- Elevating the impact of the CIO as an executive leader
Apply to Participate
Each 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.
Location
Venue & Accommodation
The Waterfront Beach ResortValet Parking ONLY - $17 per day / $38 overnight.
*Valet Parking is COMPLIMENTARY if you pick up a validation sticker at the registration desk.
A block of rooms has been reserved at the The Waterfront Beach Resort at a reduced conference rate. Reservations should be made online or by calling (714) 845-8000. Please mention So Cal Executive Summit 2026 to ensure the appropriate room rate.
Deadline to book using the discounted room rate of $329 USD (plus tax) is October 26, 2026.
Your Community Sponsors
Global Thought Leader
Key Sponsors
Program Sponsors
Community Program Manager
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.
