The CIO Circle Program

Designed specifically for CIOs, the CIO Circle Program provides exclusive sessions for eligible CIOs attending Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo™ to explore new strategies, share innovative ideas and grow your community of peers.

This experience includes:

Networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities with a group of CIO attendees to swap experiences, trade best practices and expand your executive peer community. 

Access to exclusive sessions throughout the conference, including thought leader lunches, workshops, roundtables and research discussions tailored to the most important topics for CIOs.

Priority booking capabilities for limited-capacity sessions and One-on-One Meeting(s) with a Gartner expert to ensure you don’t miss out on these conference offerings.

CIO-only sessions

Integrated within the broader conference agenda, the CIO Circle Program includes interactive discussions covering the top priorities of CIOs, as well as casual networking opportunities to connect with other IT leaders from a variety of regions and industries. Through these sessions, participants connect over common initiatives and accelerate, validate and solidify their strategies. See examples below.
  • CIO Circle Lunches
  • CIO-exclusive workshops
  • CIO-exclusive roundtables

CIO Circle Lunches

Exclusive guest speakers present new ways of thinking. Available only to CIO Circle Program attendees. Lunches included:

  • A Fireside Chat with Bear Grylls

CIO-exclusive workshops*

Small-scale and interactive: Collaborate with peers by taking the most important topics and learning how to apply them to your business. Workshops included:

  • Assess and Transform Your IT Operating Model
  • Lead Resilience From Definition to Implementation in Uncertain Times
  • Motivate and Manage Your Multigenerational Workforce
  • Anticipate Disruption Using Scenario Planning
  • Develop and Refine Your Practical AI Strategic Plan
  • New-to-Role CIO — A Structured Approach to Accelerate Your Speed to Value
  • Accelerate the IT Operating Model Transformation (Exclusive to Midsize Enterprise Program)

*Preregistration is required. These sessions are available to end users only.

CIO-exclusive roundtables*

Focused on peer perspectives and best practices, these small sessions are facilitated by Gartner and allow you to share insights while learning from the lessons and experiences of diverse attendees around you. Roundtables included:

  • Navigating the Evolving Role of the CIO
  • Women CIO Roundtable: Navigating Hostile Behaviors in the C-Suite
  • Making Organizational Resilience a Reality
  • Managing Board Expectations Around AI
  • Leading Through Disruptive Change (Multi-group)
  • Effective Leadership of Disruption in Workplace Dynamics and Productivity
  • Practical Partnering With Your CxO Peers

*Preregistration is required. These sessions are available to end users only.

"Great energy, content and professional connections. The keynotes were inspiring and the organization of the event is as usual impressive. I’ll be back!"

Lynne Clegg
EMEA CIO, MetLife

Apply to join the program

The CIO Circle Program is exclusive to eligible CIOs attending Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo™. We recommend applying when you register for the conference as session seats are limited and fill up quickly.
How to qualify

Applicants must meet the following qualification criteria to participate:

  1. Enterprise-wide Chief Information Officer (CIO), or
  2. Business unit/ region/ government division Chief Information Officer (CIO) responsible for:
    1. Private sector: $250+ million in revenue
    2. Public sector: 1,000+ employees

CIOs from a marketing vendor or consultancy are not eligible to participate.

Qualifying CIOs from a technology vendor or consultancy must be involved exclusively in their organization’s internal IT/IS operation.

You can apply to participate in the CIO Circle Program when you register for Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo™. During the registration process, the program application will be prompted by answering ‘yes’ to the question, “Are you the Chief Information Officer or do you serve in the Chief Information Officer role for your organization?”. You will be notified via email regarding the status of your application.

Application and approval are required for participation.

Log back into your Gartner conference profile, click “Edit” next to “Registration Profile,” and scroll down to answer the “Attendee Profile” questions.