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What is the best CIO summit or conference to attend in 2021?
As many of us know, 2020 was a hectic year for live conferences and events around the world. Many were canceled, while others were held online.
WalkMe’s digital adoption conference, for example, was successfully held online rather than in-person.
In 2021, the same may hold true – some conferences may be canceled and other may become virtual.
However, this year, CIO summit organizers have more time to prepare and may be ready to transition to a virtual conference.
Below, we’ll look at a list of CIO summits, IT conferences, digital technology events, and other meetings to watch for in 2021.
CIO Summit and Conference List for 2021
(Be sure to bookmark this page or these links, since many of these pages will be updated as the year moves forward.)
Here are some of the top CIO events to watch for this year:
WalkMe Realize
In 2020, WalkMe’s Realize conference was held for digital leaders who want to fully realize the value of their digital investments.
This topic covered topics such as digital transformation and technology ROI, the digital employee experience, context-driven customer experiences, and more.
Like most of the other conferences covered here, as if this writing they have not yet scheduled an event for 2021, but be sure to check their website for updates.
Sapphire Ventures’ CIO Summit
In 2020, Sapphire Ventures’ CIO Summit was held in late September.
As the name suggests, this conference was dedicated to CIOs and IT leaders who want to prepare for the digital future and become better digital leaders.
The topic for the 2020 session was appropriate for the year: “Building for the Next Normal.”
ERTL-YANG
The ERTL-YANG CIO summits are held in Europe, making them ideal for any CIOs who are based in Europe or who work frequently in Europe.
In 2021, they will be held throughout the year in cities such as Stockholm, Paris, Helsinki, Frankfurt, and Munich.
Since these summits have already been scheduled, it is possible to register for them now.
HMG Strategy CIO Summit
HMG Live! events are 2-hour virtual conferences that focus on specific topics and specific cities within the United States.
As of this writing, for instance, conferences are scheduled several times during February, March, April, and May, for cities such as Charlotte, Atlanta, Phoenix, and Chicago.
For busy CIOs who want to network with other professionals and learn more about current trends, these events may be a good choice.
Landmark CIO Summit
The Landmark CIO Summit occurred virtually on July 23rd, 2020.
Dubbed the “Digital (R)evolution,” this invitation-only summit gave attendees an opportunity to explore cutting-edge technology trends such as machine learning, cybersecurity, big data, and cloud computing.
While the event organizers say that the summit is invitation-only, there are opportunities for sponsorship and volunteering, which may be another way for interested parties to connect with this event.
CIO Leadership Summit
The CIO Leadership Summit will be held on January 25th, February 1st, and February 8th, 2021.
This strategic conference is held in Belgium, and it is specifically designed for CIOs, CDOs, and other senior IT leaders.
Their 2020 session was held virtually and the 2021 conference will also be held virtually, to adhere to COVID-19 safety precautions.
CDM Media Summits
CDM Media holds a number of summits for CIOs and CISOs.
Currently, these summits are virtual, but they are geared towards specific geographic regions across the globe, including the United States, Canada, and Europe.
The majority of their summits are specifically tailored for a specific IT role, such as CIOs or CISOs, but some are geared towards more specific topics, such as AI security, finance, and zero trust.
As of this writing, there are multiple summits scheduled each month in 2021.
IDC CIO Summit
IDC’s 2020 CIO Summits targeted locations around the world, including Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Qatar, and Greece.
These summits cover a range of topics, including digital transformation, digital leadership, emerging technology, the future of work, and more.
Each summit naturally covers a different topic and targets a different region. As of this writing, the schedule for 2021’s summits is still emerging. Those interested in learning more can visit IDC’s schedule of upcoming events.
Gartner CIO Leadership Forum
Gartner’s CIO Leadership Forum will be held virtually from March 9th to the 10th.
Their conference aims to provide CIOs with the insights, tools, and advice they need to survive and thrive in today’s ever-changing era.
While other summits tend to offer keynotes and presentations, this forum portends to be just that – a forum where CIOs can meet, network, and learn practical skills for the digital economy.
Conclusion: Other Summits to Attend
This list of conferences covers those specifically aimed at CIOs and senior IT leaders.
However, technology is continually evolving and there are countless other conferences that can be useful for the CIO.
For more conferences to attend, check out our lists of digital transformation conferences.
