All 2026 Conference Sessions

Gartner Marketing Symposium/Xpo dives deep into key topics for CMOs and marketing leaders around marketing strategy, customer experience strategy, marketing analytics, data management and more, helping you tackle your organization’s most critical challenges.

2026 Conference Theme

Build What’s Next: Marketing Leadership in the Age of AI

Technology and shifting customer engagement are redefining marketing’s future. CMOs must lead strategic, structural and cultural transformation to drive growth and build trust. The future is being decided now — be the one who shapes what comes next.

Explore our conference sessions below, all developed with this theme in mind.

View track descriptions to ensure you select sessions that best fit your needs.

 

Discover the strategic process behind crafting the conference agenda.
Find conference sessions

Filter to see sessions that align with your role and interests. After registering for the conference, craft your agenda and book priority sessions — all through Gartner Conference Navigator.

Show Filters

Filter Sessions Cancel
Clear All See 13 Sessions No Results
Showing 13 Sessions
Clear All
Monday, 11 May, 2026

09:00 AM - 09:45 AM BST

Gartner Opening Keynote: Supercharging Marketing’s AI Advantage ─ Leading the Race to 2030
Kristina LaRocca-Cerrone, VP, Advisory, Gartner
Jay Wilson, VP Analyst, Gartner
AI isn't just a tool, it is redefining what's possible in Marketing. Gartner’s opening keynote will reveal the three stages of AI maturity and why so many organizations get stuck in the “messy middle." We will uncover pitfalls to avoid and strategies to unlock true AI Advantage, to outpace the competition and set the standard for 2030 and beyond, regardless of where you are on your AI journey. ... Show More Show Less

11:00 AM - 11:30 AM BST

Signature Series: 2026 CMO Spend Survey ─ Key Insights to Shape Your Marketing Strategy
Ewan McIntyre, VP Analyst, Gartner
Gartner’s 2026 CMO Spend Survey reveals how AI is transforming marketing budgets, customer journeys and channel strategies. Join this session to discover the top findings, understand the challenges facing CMOs and learn Gartner’s recommendations for adapting your marketing strategy in a rapidly evolving landscape. ... Show More Show Less

11:00 AM - 11:45 AM BST

CMO Circle Ask the Expert: How Do I Prove Marketing's Value to Skeptics?
Matt Wakeman, Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
CMOs struggle to convince their C-suite peers of marketing's value, especially those that are already skeptical of its impact. Bring your biggest stakeholder challenges to this interactive session with a Gartner expert! ... Show More Show Less

12:30 PM - 01:15 PM BST

Ask the Expert: Strategies for Success as a New CMO
Chris Ross, VP Analyst, Gartner
Join this interactive session to connect with a Gartner analyst and gain actionable insights to thrive as a new CMO. Bring your questions and learn proven approaches to accelerate impact, build influence, and drive marketing success in your new leadership role. ... Show More Show Less

12:30 PM - 01:00 PM BST

Trendspotting for CMOs: Increase Your Enterprise Influence
Jay Wilson, VP Analyst, Gartner
CMOs struggle to prove value to CEOs and executive peers because they don’t do enough to shape overall business strategy. Use Gartner Futures Lab’s Tapestry research to anticipate and respond to the disruptive forces that create risks and strategic opportunities for your business. In this session, you'll learn how to build a trendspotting capability, and the three top trends your organization needs to know now. ... Show More Show Less

02:30 PM - 04:00 PM BST

CMO Circle Research Discussion: From Vision to Value: Operationalizing Your AI-Powered Marketing Organization
Kristina LaRocca-Cerrone, VP, Advisory, Gartner
As AI adoption accelerates, CMOs face mounting pressure to translate technological potential into tangible business outcomes. Yet, the path to ROI is difficult to navigate. Join this session to learn what a realistic vision for an AI-powered marketing organization looks like, how to move beyond technological-focused change to harness strategic, structural and cultural opportunities, and how to manage the multiyear transition process for reshaping marketing roles and workflows. ... Show More Show Less

02:30 PM - 03:00 PM BST

The T-Shirt, the Bean Counter and the Boss — How to Maximize the CMO-CFO-CEO Relationship
Chris Ross, VP Analyst, Gartner
CMOs thrive when they build strong, collaborative partnerships with CFOs and CEOs. This session reveals how to assess leadership’s marketing expertise, set clear expectations and align marketing with business goals. Learn actionable strategies to foster trust, improve communication and create resilient executive relationships that drive company success. ... Show More Show Less
Tuesday, 12 May, 2026

10:30 AM - 11:15 AM BST

Ask the Expert: How AI Is Changing Marketing Agencies and How You Can Adapt
Chris Ross, VP Analyst, Gartner
Join this session to discover how marketing agencies are evolving with AI capabilities — and how you can leverage these innovations for maximum impact. Bring your questions to a Gartner expert in this interactive session. ... Show More Show Less

10:30 AM - 11:00 AM BST

Beyond Change Management: Thriving in a World of Perpetual Transformation
Matt Wakeman, Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
Change management only works when change is the exception. But change is now the rule — with an explosion of disjointed, overlapping and surprise external changes. To thrive, CMOs must throw away their change roadmap, shift philosophy from control to coherence, and use behavior-based rollout plans. ... Show More Show Less

... Show More Show Less
Items per page: 1 – 9 of 13 Items
1 of 1 Pages

Sorry, no sessions match your criteria. Please refine your filters to display sessions.

“Gartner Marketing Symposium/Xpo offered highly valuable insights, presentations and perspectives which really provided specific actions to drive a positive change in our marketing strategy and implementation.”

Julie Juhl Kindberg
Head of Marketing and Communications, Cintrica Energy

Discover what it’s like to experience #GartnerMKTG

Learn more about Marketing Symposium/Xpo 2026.

Get our latest conference schedules, updates and insights sent straight to your inbox.

By clicking the "Continue" button, you are agreeing to the Gartner Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Contact Information

All fields are required.

      By clicking the "Submit" button, you are agreeing to the Gartner Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

      Back