Where Policy Meets Innovation – Europe’s Digital Future Up Close
After CIOmove@Ireland in 2025, our next destination takes us directly into the centers of European decision-making and digital transformation: Brussels and Paris. In 2026, the CIOmove will once again live up to its name – we will explore two cities, two ecosystems, and two perspectives that shape the future of technology in Europe.
Over four days, CIOs and their companions will gain exclusive insights into the forces that influence strategic IT decisions today: European regulation and governance, digital sovereignty, carbon reduction through technology, and the next evolution of AI and IT security.
Agenda
Thursday, June 25, 2026 – Welcome Day in Brussels
Location: European Quarter
- 3:00 p.m. – Guided tour of the European Parliament
A behind-the-scenes look at how Europe’s legislative heart operates. - 4:30 p.m. – Introduction: “Decision-Making at the EU” by Stefan Borst, Former Editor, Focus Magazine in Brussels
- 5:15 p.m. – Keynote: “Challenges and Responses for AI and IT Security” by Manfred Boudreaux-Dehmer, CIO of NATO
- 6:00 p.m. – Panel discussion: “The Strategic Role of Europe in IT, Security & AI” by Stefan Borst & Horst Ellermann
- 8:00 p.m. – Welcome reception
Networking evening in the European Quarter
Friday, June 26, 2026 – From Brussels to Paris
- 10:00 a.m. – CEPS Think Tank: “The Eurostack Initiative – What’s in It for CIOs?”
- 10:30 a.m. – World Café discussion about
- AI in the EU
- Security in the EU
- Data Protection in the EU
- Sustainability in the EU
- 12:00 p.m. – Departure to Paris (travel time 2.5 hours)
- Until 3:00 p.m. – Arrival and check-in at the hotel Meliá Paris La Défense
- 3:15 p.m. – Keynote: “Reducing Carbon Dioxide in Construction with IT” by Ursula Soritsch-Renier, CDIO, Saint-Gobain
- 4:00 p.m. – CIO Session 1: Innovation
Peer-moderated discussions across the innovation track - 5:00 p.m. – Deep dive discussion
- 7:30 p.m. – Reunion with companions
Rooftop reception at the Saint-Gobain tower
Saturday, June 27, 2026 – Paris Academic Day
- 10:00 a.m. – Bus departure
10:45 a.m. – Arrival at Columbia University, Paris Campus (Montparnasse) - 11:00 a.m. – Warm welcome by Prof. Art Langer, Columbia University
- 11:15 a.m. – Keynote: “Digital Sovereignty at Crédit Agricole” by Emmanuel Sardet, Group CTO Crédit Agricole
- 12:00 p.m. – Keynote: “Digital Sovereignty at EDF” by Martine Gouriet, Director Digital Transformation at EDF, and IT manager of the Year 2025 in France, elected by Le Monde Informatique
- 12:45 p.m. – Lunch at Columbia Campus
- 1:30 p.m. – CIO Session 2: Integration
- 2:30 p.m. – Deep dive discussion
- 4:00 p.m. – Coffee break
- 4:30 p.m. – CIO Session 3: Intelligence
- 6:00 p.m. – Reunion with companions
Garden reception (Flying Buffet) - 8:00 p.m. – Return to Meliá Hotel
Enjoy a scenic evening transfer through Paris – with stopovers at the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, and Champs-Élysées for unforgettable views.
Sunday, June 28, 2026 – Closing Day
- 10:00 a.m. – Breakfast & get-together
- 11:00 a.m. – Walk to Louvre
- 11:30 a.m. – Visit to Louvre: Closing impressions & group photo
- 12:00 p.m. – First airport shuttles
- 1:00 p.m. – Second airport shuttles
Why Brussels & Paris?
Brussels is where Europe’s digital future is negotiated. With landmark regulations such as the Digital Services Act, Digital Markets Act, and the EU AI Act, Brussels is defining how technology must be built, governed, and deployed across the continent. CIOmove participants will gain first-hand insights into EU decision-making, explore the Eurostack initiative with leading think tank experts, and discuss with senior stakeholders whether regulation becomes Europe’s competitive strength – or an operational challenge for global companies. The city sets the stage for a critical question: How can organizations innovate quickly while navigating increasing compliance and ethical standards?
Paris represents the execution of this strategy in industry. As a hub for global enterprises and emerging AI ecosystems, Paris showcases how digital sovereignty, platform control, and sustainable technology reshape traditional sectors. Through discussions with leaders from companies such as Saint-Gobain, Airbus, EDF, and AXA, CIOmovers will examine how carbon reduction, resilient IT operations, data autonomy, and AI adoption are being implemented in practice.
Together, Brussels and Paris reflect Europe’s vision of the digital era – regulated where necessary, competitive where possible, and collaborative by design. For CIOs navigating complexity, talent shifts, sustainability goals, AI disruption, and platform decisions, Brussels and Paris offer the perfect backdrop to share challenges openly, gain fresh perspectives, and return home with new insights and ideas that can be put into action.
Move With a Method
Learn about the most important topics for CIOs. Use the input of leading scientists from around the world. Set up your own agenda. And discuss your topics with peers and board members of the world’s leading IT vendors.
CIOmove is a global conference for strategic CIOs of multinational companies with an average revenue of $5 billion. The event focuses on innovation, intelligence, and integration, bringing together top CIOs to discuss key IT topics. Using the “Peer Finder” tool, participants rate proposed topics on a scale from 1 (very interesting for me) to 5 (not interesting for me), and the top 28 topics are selected for discussion. Discussions include four deep-dive sessions lasting 90 minutes and smaller working groups lasting 45 minutes. Each participant can join two sessions in each format. Spouses or companions can also rate topics, providing additional insights. Only a limited number of leading IT vendors are allowed to participate (see partners), and sales pitches are strictly prohibited.
The conference is supported by renowned academics, including Prof. Arthur Langer (Columbia University), Prof. Helmut Krcmar (Technical University of Munich), and Prof. Walter Brenner (University of St. Gallen).
You can download the instructions on how to suggest a topic for CIOmove here.
Join Us in Brussels & Paris!
CIOmove 2026 offers a unique opportunity to:
- Connect with peers from the world’s leading organizations
- Gain strategic insights into Europe’s role in AI, cloud & security
- Experience first-hand how European industry responds to global challenges
- Shape discussions that influence the future of IT
Whether you are drawn by the policy developments in Brussels, the industry expertise of Paris, or the shared journey of CIOs tackling similar challenges, CIOmove 2026 will be an event you won’t want to miss.
Registration: Please register by sending an email to Claudia Michel. More details will be shared in the coming weeks. We look forward to seeing you in Brussels and Paris for this unforgettable CIO experience!
Want to see who’s already on board? Check out our participants overview:
Participants 2026
Last Year’s Topics & Theses by the CIOmovers
From Hype to Execution: Operationalizing AI
The enthusiasm surrounding generative AI remains high, yet many organizations are still stuck in experimentation mode.
ERP in the Real World: Why CIOs Must Confront System Complexity Head-On
As organizations scale globally, integrate cloud services, and apply AI to core processes, ERP complexity is reaching a tipping point.
AI in Cybersecurity: From Reactive Defense to Strategic Foresight
As AI moves beyond the hype stage and into enterprise-scale implementation, one of its most profound impacts is on cybersecurity. At CIOmove 2025 in Ireland, Florian Hartwig and Volker Kratzenstein will dive into the evolving interplay between AI and cyber risk.
CIOmove Network Partners
CIOmove Partners
