CIONET

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174

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May 2026

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About the show

CIONET is the leading community of senior digital and IT executives around the world. With a membership of CIOs, CDOs, CTOs and IT leaders from the world’s leading companies, CIONET has the expertise and pioneering vision to solve or address any digital or IT management challenge. CIONET develops, manages and moderates a global community and next-generation platform with an integrated array of both offline and online tools and services designed to provide real-time support for digital and IT executives.

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May 21, 202611 min

Allan Cockriel - Group CIO at ASML - On Leadership in the Agentic Era CIOFEST interview

The last generation of CIOs with a human-only workforce. Let that sink in for a second. If you think AI is just about a chatbot summarising your emails, you are missing the tectonic shift happening right under your feet. We are officially entering the Agentic Era, where your next top performer might not even have a heartbeat. In a candid, no-nonsense chat at hashtag#CIOFEST, Daniel Eycken (COO of CIONET) sat down with Allan Cockriel (Group CIO at ASML) to do a hard reality check on where Agentic AI is actually driving value today, and where it’s just noise. As the tech leader of a company anchoring the global semiconductor supply chain, Allan is putting agents into production. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐰 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰: 1. Move over, test bench. Agents are in production.ASML has been piloting this tech for 18 months. Today, autonomous agents are taking on the monotonous, high-risk tasks, like updating complex technical documentation, reconciling CAD designs, and rewriting manufacturing instructions. The result? Incredible accuracy where human error used to cost serious time. 2. Is the CIO the new HR Leader? Managing a network of autonomous agents is entirely different from managing people. Allan raised a fascinating concept: the CIO now needs to act like an HR leader for the digital workforce. You need to define who the agent is, what they can access, and how long they can operate. 3. "Extremely interesting. Bit terrifying." With open-source agent platforms moving at breakneck speed, the temptation to let teams "vibe-code" enterprise tools at scale is real. Allan’s take? You don't need to rebuild your legacy systems from scratch, but if your data, identity tracking, and security architecture aren't rock-solid, a network of autonomous agents will quickly become a corporate nightmare. 4. The Billion-Dollar Company of One The ultimate game-changer? We are entering an era where an ambitious entrepreneur could arguably scale a billion-dollar company solo, simply because the agentic toolbox is that powerful. The big question for the C-suite: How do you unleash this hyper-innovation without completely obliterating your security posture? As Allan puts it: “Stay curious, but also stay safe.” #AgenticAI #DigitalLeadership #CIONET #ASML #FutureOfWork #TechStrategy

May 13, 202635 min

Mark Woods - Field CTO at Splunk - On Leadership in the Agentic Era - CIOFEST Interview

Will You Lead the Agentic Era or Just Watch it Happen? Tomorrow, CIOFEST in London officially kicks off, and it is your final chance to join the most pivotal conversation in digital leadership this year. The "Agentic Era" isn't just another buzzword—it’s a fundamental shift in how enterprises operate. 🔗 Last chance to register: https://www.cionet.com/ciofest-uk-com... To set the stage for tomorrow, we are thrilled to release our interview with Mark Woods, CTO of Splunk. Mark offers a sobering and visionary look at why agentic systems are different from anything we’ve built before. He argues that we are moving away from deterministic systems (where one input equals one predictable output) into a world where capacity planning, connectivity, and "intent" are the new currencies of success. Watch the full interview to find out: 🚀 How the "plausible lie" risk is a key factor to closely monitor in an agent-to-agent chain 🚀A hot take on teaching machines to "speak machine" rather than "speak human" 🚀 Why the accountability shift is crucial in the Agentic Era 🚀 How the role of the CIO is changing to a "creator of permissive environments". Ready to lead in the Agentic Era? Mark's insights are just the beginning. We’ll be diving even deeper into these themes tomorrow in London. See you there!

May 6, 202623 min

Paolo Magnani on Leadership in the Agentic Era - CIOFEST Interview

While the energy from CIOFEST on Leadership in Agentic Era is still buzzing in Milan, Warsaw, Antwerp, Barcelona, Amsterdam and Munich, we are keeping the momentum going with a masterclass in pragmatic innovation. We are thrilled to have used the opportunity to interview Paolo Magnani, CIO Europe, Middle East & Africa at DHL Supply Chain. Paolo’s philosophy is simple yet powerful: "If I can help someone else avoid the mistakes we've made, I'm already succeeding." At DHL, the transition to Agentic AI isn't about chasing "fancy" technology—it's about a dual-track strategy that balances high-speed innovation with industrial-grade safety. In this candid discussion, Paolo breaks down the DHL blueprint for scaling AI - watch the full interview to find out: 🤖 Why DHL keeps deterministic flows in RPA but uses Agentic AI for complex, multi-step orchestrations; 🏗️ Why you don't need a new enterprise, but a "legible" one; 🛡️ Why Paolo uses a "least privilege" scope for AI Agents; 👥 How upskilling programs are preparing teams to work alongside their "digital colleagues". The CIOFEST conversation continues! Our final stop is London on May 14th—you can still register to be a part of this pivotal discussion. 🔗 https://www.cionet.com/events/ciofest/5

April 30, 202620 min

Kurt De Ruwe - On Leadership in the Agentic Era - CIOFEST interview

As we catch our breath from an incredible week of CIOFEST 2026 across Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, Germany, and Italy, one message is echoing through the halls of digital leadership: The Agentic Era isn’t just coming; it’s already operational. To help our community navigate this massive shift, we are thrilled to launch an exclusive interview with one of Europe’s most pragmatic tech pioneers: Kurt De Ruwe, CIO at AkzoNobel. Kurt isn't just experimenting with AI; he is scaling it. At AkzoNobel, they have moved far beyond simple chatbots to a "Silicon Workforce" that executed 1.5 million agentic tasks last year alone. From automating complex offboarding processes to providing real-time intelligence for customer service, Kurt’s team is redefining what it means to be an "Agentic Enterprise." Watch the full interview to find out how Agentic AI is reshaping customers, platforms and leadership! Are you ready to move "Beyond Pilots"? The conversation continues! On April 28th, CIOFEST heads to Barcelona, and on May 14th, we land in London. Join us to hear more from leaders like Kurt as we redefine leadership in the Agentic Era. 🔗 Register for Barcelona & London: https://www.cionet.com/events/ciofest/5

March 12, 202640 min

Esmeralda Waterreus - former VP, Global Head of EPG at Philips - The New CIO Playbook

What happens when you take an organization with 600+ siloed projects and 150+ decision-makers and distill it down to a laser-focused, value-driven engine? 🚀 Meet Esmeralda Waterreus, the current CIO at Pharming and former VP & Global Head of the Enterprise Portfolio Group at Philips and a nominee for the European CIO of the Year at #CIONETAwards2026. Esmeralda stepped into a massive challenge: transforming how a global giant invests in digital. By shifting the accountability from IT back to the business and moving from annual budgets to a quarterly "agile cadence," she didn't just cut noise—she tripled cost savings and drove massive top-line growth. Hendrik Deckers, Founder of CIONET, sat down with Esmeralda in Amsterdam to uncover the "human side" of high-stakes digital transformation in this latest #LeadershipDeepDive. 💡 What you’ll find in this episode: - The 96% Success Rate: By discontinuing 75% of existing projects and focusing only on what delivered true patient and consumer value, Esmeralda’s team at Philips boosted on-time delivery from roughly 50% to a staggering 96%. 📈 - Predictive over Reactive: Esmeralda believes the future of AI isn't just in delivery—it’s in prediction. AI will help leaders decide what to build before a project even starts by calculating where the most value lies. 🤖 - The "Umbrella Effect": A leader’s job is to provide trust and protection. Esmeralda uses the "umbrella effect" to shield her teams from corporate noise, allowing them to focus, experiment, and—most importantly—be brave enough to fail. ☂️ 🏆 Join the Celebration of Top Digital Leadership! Want to hear more from the leaders redefining the digital landscape? Don't miss the big reveal of the winners! 📅 When: 25 March 2026 📍 Where: London Register here: https://www.cionet.com/events/cionet-awards-2026-part-3 Let’s see who takes home the trophy! 🥂

March 3, 20261 hr 20 min

Leadership Deep Dive with Felipe Peñacoba Martinez - CEO of PagoNxt Payments Hub

What happens when you take the "Challenger" mindset of Revolut and plug it into a global banking giant like Santander? ⚡️ Meet Felipe Peñacoba Martinez, the CEO of PagoNxt Payments Hub. After helping scale Revolut to over 50 million customers and securing its status as a "significant bank" supervised by the ECB , Felipe has returned to his roots to lead one of the most ambitious transformations in the financial world. Hendrik Deckers, Founder of CIONET sat down with Felipe to uncover how he bridges the gap between "move fast and break things" and "highly regulated global banking" in the next #LeadershipDeepDive interview. Here are three "Golden Nuggets" from our deep dive: - The "Hammer and Nail" Trap: Don't look at AI just for the sake of it. If you start with the solution before you've defined the problem, every tool looks like a hammer and every project looks like a nail. 🔨 - The 80% Rule: At Revolut, Felipe saw how AI-powered chatbots now resolve 80% of customer queries instantly. That’s not just cost-saving; it’s a total reimagining of customer satisfaction. 🤖 - The "Lucky" First Time: Getting it right on the first try is often just luck. Felipe argues that you learn more from failing three or four times because then you actually understand why it eventually works. 📈 Felipe is a nominee for the European CIO of the Year at #CIONETAwards2026, and his insights on cloud-native architecture, talent acquisition, and digital transformation are a masterclass for any tech leader. 🏆 Join the Celebration! Want to hear more from the leaders redefining the digital landscape? Don't miss the big reveal! 📅 When: 25 March 2026 📍 Where: London 👉 Register here to join the CIONET Awards 2026 https://www.cionet.com/events/cionet-awards-2026-part-3 Let’s see who takes home the trophy! 🥂 #DigitalLeadership #Fintech #CIO #CTO #Innovation #BankingTransformation #PagoNxt #Revolut

February 26, 20261 hr 22 min

Leadership Deep Dive with Michał Paprocki - Group CIO at Euroclear

Is your CIO a "Swiss Army Knife" or just a cost center? If you're still viewing IT as a back-office "black magic" shop, you're already behind. Meet Michał Paprocki, Group CIO at Euroclear and a #CIONETAwards2026 nominee, who is fundamentally redefining the role of the modern digital leader. Michał isn't just "running systems"; he's managing 35% of the total workforce and oversight of 40% of the cost base for a global settlement house moving the GDP of Belgium twice a day. How does he do it? By becoming the "Great Enabler." 🚀 The Euroclear Transformation Masterclass: D² FMI Strategy: Moving beyond traditional settlement into a "Data and Digital" powerhouse using blockchain and AI to satisfy evolving client needs. The "Obeya" Method: Implementing a visual management "cockpit" for the entire Executive Committee to ensure total transparency and strategic alignment. AI for the People: Rolling out Co-pilots to every single employee with a bold target of 20% productivity savings. Digital Native Bonds: Launching a production-grade blockchain platform that issued a €1 billion digital bond for the World Bank. 💡 Michał's Secret Sauce for Leadership: Michał recruits for two non-negotiable traits: Curiosity and Courage. As he puts it (channeling his inner Master Yoda), "You must unlearn what you have learned." In a world of generative AI and quantum leaps, complacency is the only true knockout criterion. 🏆 Witness the Future of Digital Leadership Want to hear more about how the world's top digital leaders are pivoting from infrastructure to innovation? Listen to the full #LeadershipDeepDive interview! #CIONET #DigitalLeadership #CIO #CTO #Innovation #FinTech #Blockchain #AI #Euroclear #Leadership #CIONETAwards2026 @CIONET Belgium

February 24, 20261 hr 20 min

Leadership Deep Dive with Vanessa Escrivá - Group Chief Technology and Data Officerat Mapfre

From Greek Gods to 35% Cost Reductions: How Vanessa Escrivá is Rewriting the Insurance Playbook! What do Zeus, Athena, and a 35% reduction in TCO have in common? They are all part of the massive digital revolution led by Vanessa Escrivá, Group Chief Technology and Data Officer at Mapfre! In an industry often tethered to legacy, Vanessa has steered a global giant present in over 100 countries through a transformation that is nothing short of legendary. Forget "IT as a support function"—Vanessa has turned technology into the very heart of the business. The Mapfre Masterclass: The "Reef" Ecosystem: Moving away from monoliths to a modular, microservices-driven "SaaS" model for global operations. Atena (Athena): A global data platform powered by Snowflake that treats data as the "visionary key" to the future. Zeus Engineering: A Greek God-inspired platform standardising how internal and external providers develop software. Hybrid Cloud Mastery: Balancing the best of on-prem and cloud with a strict 50/50 split to avoid vendor lock-in. The Secret Sauce? Vanessa isn't just about the tech; she’s about the people. Her philosophy is simple: The team comes before the strategy. By fostering an "ESFJ" leadership style—open, transparent, and intensely practical—she has bridged the gap between complex IT languages and business goals. "I really believe that IT is not support anymore... it is the company." 🏆 Meet the Nominee & Get Inspired! Vanessa’s journey from IT Auditor to Group CIO is a blueprint for the next generation of digital leaders. Want to hear more about how she decommissioned legacy systems with "Big Bang" courage and why she believes the days of massive outsourcing are over? Don’t miss out! Watch the #LeadershipDeepDive interview as we celebrate the visionaries shaping our digital world.

February 6, 202624 min

Simone Rizzo - CISO at CCR - Rebuilding Security: Simple, Clean, and Independent

In the newest CIONET Podcast episode, Simone Rizzo, CISO at CCR Commercial Refrigeration, who is a nominee in the CIONET Awards 2026 in the Cybersecurity category, sits down with Daniel Eycken to discuss the journey leading a high-stakes "clean, controlled, and compliant" separation following the acquisition by Haier Europe. Don’t miss the panel where Simone and other CIONET Awards 2026 nominees will share more about their cybersecurity journeys 👉 https://hubs.la/Q03_RQGl0! Operating across 20 countries with over 3,000 employees, CCR faced a monumental challenge: rebuilding a security stack from scratch while maintaining total operational stability. For Simone, this wasn't just a technical migration—it was an opportunity to replace complexity with a "simple and clean" architecture designed for the future. What you will find in this interview: 🚀 The "Simple & Clean" Mantra: Why avoiding complexity is the ultimate defense in a rapidly evolving threat landscape. 🚀 Security by Design: Using regulatory pressures like NIS2 and the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) as catalysts for independent, modern architecture. 🚀 The Power of Co-Design: Moving away from "imposing" controls to working side-by-side with networking and infrastructure teams. 🚀 Identity as the New Boundary: How re-establishing identity services and segregation of duties dramatically improved CCR’s risk posture. 🚀 From Remediator to Predictor: Why the next generation of CISOs must focus on protecting the service-based business models of tomorrow. Don’t forget to register for the Virtual Awards Ceremony on February 12th — powered by our partner, Splunk — to find out who wins CIONET Awards in the Cloud & Infrastructure and Cybersecurity categories 👉 https://hubs.la/Q03_RQGl0!

February 3, 202634 min

Navigating Cybersecurity in Banking: Insights from BNP Paribas

In the highly regulated and rapidly evolving world of banking, how do you maintain a competitive edge while ensuring impenetrable security? In the latest CIONET Podcast, we are joined by Krzysztof Słotwiński, Chief Security Officer at BNP Paribas Bank Polska and a CIONET 2026 Award Nominee in the Cybersecurity category. With over 20 years of experience across international financial institutions, Krzysztof is a leading voice on the intersection of innovation and resilience. Key takeaways from this episode: 🔹 Resilience by Design: How BNP Paribas integrates security into the very fabric of its digital transformation projects. 🔹 Navigating Complexity: Strategies for managing cybersecurity, business continuity, and open banking in a multi-market environment. 🔹 The Human Element: Why fostering a security-first culture is as vital as the most advanced technical defences. 🏆 Join us for the CIONET Awards 2026 Krzysztof is a finalist in the prestigious Cybersecurity category. To hear from him and our other visionary nominees—and to find out who will take home the top honours—make sure to join our online celebration. Register now for the CIONET Awards Part 2 Online Ceremony on 12th February. Connect with our global community, engage with the nominees, and be there when the winners are announced! 👉 Register your place here: https://www.cionet.com/events/cionet-awards-2026-part-2 #CIONET #CyberSecurity #DigitalLeadership #FinTech #BankingInnovation #CIONETAwards #DigitalTransformation #CSO #TechLeaders