Experience the difference. Meet your peers, talk with experts, build your network, and turn insights into action.
Candice Kenney
VP, Team Manager
Gartner
Speaker Topics
- Agentic Analytics and AI
- Culture and Influence
- Overall Data and Analytics Strategy
- Cost Optimization
- Roles and Organizational Structure
Speaker Bio
Candice Kenney manages a team of Analysts focused on Data & Analytics. Clients range from Chief Data & Analytics offers to members of their teams. My team covers a wide range of topics including: Data Strategy, Data Governance, Data Quality, Data Literacy, Data Driven Culture in Organizations, Artificial Intelligence, Data Fabric, Data Stewards and much more.
In past roles, I frequently advised CIOs and their teams.
I also advised leaders in Strategic Portfolio Management and Applications/SWEL.
Examples of past project work include:
Helping increase the maturity of PMOs organizations: Resource estimation, Demand management, portfolio reporting, etc.
Helping organizations begin to adopt Agile practices
Areas I enjoyed speaking about most were metrics and portfolio management, project manager skills, and adopting Agile ways of working.
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In past roles, I frequently advised CIOs and their teams.
I also advised leaders in Strategic Portfolio Management and Applications/SWEL.
Examples of past project work include:
Helping increase the maturity of PMOs organizations: Resource estimation, Demand management, portfolio reporting, etc.
Helping organizations begin to adopt Agile practices
Areas I enjoyed speaking about most were metrics and portfolio management, project manager skills, and adopting Agile ways of working.
Sessions
Monday, March 09, 2026 07:45 AM - 08:45 AM EDT
CDAO Circle Networking Breakfast: Welcome and Orientation
Candice Kenney,
VP, Team Manager, Gartner
With so much to see and experience, kick off the CDAO Circle with this engaging session that sets the stage for an exciting day. Discover key highlights, including sessions, peer activities, the Exhibit Showcase and valuable resources, as well as what to expect during breakfast, lunch, leadership exchanges and more. Afterward, grab a coffee and start networking with fellow attendees.
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Monday, March 09, 2026 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT
CDAO Circle Leadership Exchange: Exchange Lessons From CDAO Agenda Survey 2026
Michael Gabbard,
Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
JC Martel, PhD,
Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
Join an interactive executive discussion on emerging trends from the 2026 CDAO Agenda Survey, highlighting cost optimization for D&A, scalable design patterns and the use of AI to improve D&A operations. Discover how these insights can drive efficiency and innovation across your organization.
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Monday, March 09, 2026 02:30 PM - 04:00 PM EDT
CDAO Circle Leadership Exchange: How Ready Is My Organization for AI Agents?
Deepak Seth,
Director Analyst, Gartner
Yogesh Bhatt,
Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
AI agents can upend traditional AI use cases and unlock transformative potential, but the real danger isn’t overhyping their power — it’s overestimating your organization’s readiness. D&A leaders must see past the hype, sidestep common pitfalls, and build the foundation needed for true AI success.
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Tuesday, March 10, 2026 07:45 AM - 08:45 AM EDT
CDAO Circle Breakfast: Panel: How Do CDAOs Get Buy-in for Their Investment Requests?
Candice Kenney,
VP, Team Manager, Gartner
Sarah Turkaly,
Director Analyst, Gartner
Andrew White,
Distinguished VP Analyst, Gartner
Join us at breakfast to discuss how CDAOs are getting buy-in for their investment requests. A panel of Gartner experts will share what works, and what doesn't.
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Tuesday, March 10, 2026 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM EDT
CDAO Circle Leadership Exchange: The Evolving CDAO — Archetypes, AI Ambitions and Growth Paths
Gareth Herschel,
VP Analyst, Gartner
Jamie O'Brien,
Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
As the CDAO role continues to evolve in the AI era, organizations face critical decisions about the direction and impact of their data leadership. This session explores the future of the CDAO through three distinct archetypes: Expert, Collaborator and Pioneer. Attendees will learn how to assess and choose the archetype that best aligns with their organization’s AI ambition and strategic goals. Attendees will leave with actionable insights to define their CDAO journey and position themselves and their organizations for success in a rapidly changing digital landscape.
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Tuesday, March 10, 2026 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM EDT
CDAO Circle Leadership Exchange: The CDAO’s Blueprint for Leading Enterprise-Wide Transformation in the Age of AI
Cameron Roche,
Director, Research, Gartner
Nate Novosel,
VP Analyst, Gartner
Gartner research shows that technical excellence alone rarely shifts mindsets or drives cultural change. If you want your business to truly think differently about data, you need to stop “selling” capabilities and start “marketing” value, using the same tactics as world-class consumer brands. This session unveils a new playbook for D&A leaders to build and execute a marketing plan that transforms culture and boosts adoption, with Gartner insights and real-world examples. Learn why most D&A strategies fail, how to apply proven marketing principles, and spark enthusiasm for data across your organization.
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Wednesday, March 11, 2026 07:45 AM - 08:45 AM EDT
CDAO Circle Networking Breakfast: How Do You Plan for Evolving Roles on Your Team?
Candice Kenney,
VP, Team Manager, Gartner
Join us for a table discussion and networking breakfast focused on the topic: How do you plan for evolving roles on your team?
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Wednesday, March 11, 2026 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM EDT
CDAO Circle Roundtable: Updating Your Organizational Structures to Maximize Value (Multigroup)
Brian Foster,
Managing Vice President, Gartner
Candice Kenney,
VP, Team Manager, Gartner
Jorg Heizenberg,
VP Analyst, Gartner
Sarah Turkaly,
Director Analyst, Gartner
Michael Gabbard,
Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
This multigroup session will focus on questions like: How should data and analytics teams be structured to maximize business value, align with strategy, and support governance, AI and data quality across distributed environments? Join this session to learn more.
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Wednesday, March 11, 2026 01:15 PM - 02:00 PM EDT
CDAO Circle Roundtable: Agentic in Practice: Lessons in Scoping, Funding & Assessing Impact From Agentic Investments (Multi-group)
Deepak Seth,
Director Analyst, Gartner
Roxane Edjlali,
Sr Director Analyst, Gartner
According to the 2025 Gartner Generative and Agentic AI survey, around 75% of organizations have either deployed or are piloting some form of agentic AI and a similar percentage report the ongoing development of new use case opportunities.
This multi-group discussion session for D&A executive leaders will focus on sharing experiences and addressing the following questions:
-- How are organizations scoping & funding agentic investments? How are these efforts similar or different from other investments?
-- What agentic use cases are getting the most funding right now and what guardrails are they putting in place?
-- How are organizational defining agentic program objectives & outcomes? ... Show More Show Less
This multi-group discussion session for D&A executive leaders will focus on sharing experiences and addressing the following questions:
-- How are organizations scoping & funding agentic investments? How are these efforts similar or different from other investments?
-- What agentic use cases are getting the most funding right now and what guardrails are they putting in place?
-- How are organizational defining agentic program objectives & outcomes? ... Show More Show Less