For more than a decade, CIOmove has been bringing together leading IT decision-makers from around the world. Whether on the streets of Lisbon, in the lecture halls of Columbia University or during our visits to CIOs in Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart or Frankfurt, connections are formed that extend beyond conferences.
CIOmove stands for a unique principle: knowledge is created through exchange. Every year, more than 100 international CIOs and their partners from science and industry meet to learn, discuss and discover together. Whether at the annual international CIOmove or CIOmove@Home in a familiar atmosphere, we combine personal encounters, intellectual depth and the courage to rethink IT.
CIOmove is an international network of over 500 CIOs who discuss IT in order to shape the future with IT. CIOmove creates spaces where ideas grow – and lifelong connections are formed.
In this video we show you how the CIOmove works
Key facts
- CIOmove is a global network that brings together over 500 handpicked, top-level CIOs and IT leaders from multinational companies with an average revenue of $5 billion.
- CIOmove organizes a variety of events throughout the year, with at least six key gatherings designed to foster continuous learning, collaboration, and networking.
- The topics for both the global conference and the regional events are selected and led by the CIOs themselves, ensuring that discussions are relevant and aligned with their priorities. Professors from Columbia University, the Technical University of Munich, and the University of St. Gallen provide academic support to deepen the insights shared.
- The CIOmove approach to matching CIOs with relevant topics is inspired by the “syntegration” method of Anthony Stafford Beer and the “open space” methodology by Harrison Owen. This unique format encourages in-depth networking sessions in small groups, allowing peers with similar interests to collaborate, exchange ideas, and shape the future of IT.
CIOmove 2026
The destination for CIOmove 2026 will be Brussels & Paris!
Previous destinations
- In Ireland, we visited several companies in the Silicon Docks and discussed the topic of resilience in IT at Trinity Business School.
- In Morocco, we visited various cities and organizations and created a framework for an intensive exchange on current IT topics.
- In Portugal, we explored the opportunities of nearshoring in a stable democracy with a thriving IT environment.
- In Switzerland, we held group discussions at the University of Zurich (near Albert Einstein’s former office) and observed the world’s first truly autonomous drones in flight.
- In Germany, a select group of CIOs rode bikes along the Neckar River during the Corona restrictions and visited Daimler, Porsche, and the new TUM campus in Heilbronn.
- In the USA, we discussed AI issues at Columbia University, the United Nations, and the US Military Academy at West Point.
- In Israel, we met with the most promising startups and security companies in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
- In Spain, we visited the world’s leading business school, IESE, and met with the Consell de CIOs de Catalunya.
- In the United Kingdom and France, we met the youngest Lord of the Manor in London, experienced a new way of learning at École 42 in Paris, and visited the TM Forum in Nice.
- In Switzerland, we strolled through the banking district of Zurich and participated in the World Economic Forum in Davos.
- In Germany, we met in the boardroom of Deutsche Bahn, visited the world’s largest IT trade show (Cebit), and experienced Berlin’s thriving startup scene.
Discussions at CIOmove focus on the following areas:
- Integration (making the business more efficient in processes)
- Innovation (finding and adopting game-changing technologies)
- Intelligence (communicating more effectively with better data)
Leading scientists like Prof. Helmut Krcmar from TUM, Prof. Arthur Langer from Columbia University and Prof. Walter Brenner from University of St. Gallen serve as “scientific supporters” at CIOmove. These constant companions invited even more scientists from MIT (2015), ETH Zurich (2016+2022) and IESE (2017).
The world’s biggest CIO networks contribute: “CIO Executive Council” in Boston, the “China CIO Association” in Shanghai and “Euro-CIO” in Brussels are sending delegates to CIOmove.
Companions are welcome at CIOmove. They may join an extra program to explore our destinations or contribute their own topics for the CIO discussions.
The business model: CIOmove is run by Horst Ellermann and Faktor 3. CIOs pay a fee for joining the conference, see Terms & Conditions – CIOmove. Boardmembers of IT vendors like Accenture, Google, HPE and Salesforce sponsor the CIOmove generously. They are allowed to join the discussions in a limited number. The ratio is 3:1 – three or more CIOs meet not more than one vendor in all group discussions.
CIOmove was an idea of Helmut Krcmar, Professor at TUM – Technical University Munich. Helmut is also one of the founders of Germany´s “CIOcircle” that started in 2002 and became the biggest CIO network in Central Europe.