The CIO's New Mandate – Empowering People, Driving Value, Leading with Resilience
In a world of relentless technological disruption, agility defines success. For CIOs, the challenge lies in cutting through the AI noise to identify what truly transforms their organizations. The CIO Xchange 2026 Saudi Arabia Edition, set to be held in AlUla on 10 November, brings together visionary leaders who are mastering this shift – not by experimenting at the edges, but by driving the AI Pivot to Scale.
Saudi Arabia is experiencing one of the fastest digital transformations globally. According to IDC, 96% of organizations in the Kingdom have achieved digital maturity, with 62% identifying as digitally native or mostly digital.
With data and AI as core enablers of Vision 2030, the Kingdom has been globally recognized for its AI leadership and its role in actively shaping global policy through its seat on the UN AI Advisory Body. As AI becomes a national priority for Saudi Arabia, CIOs are evolving into enterprise-wide transformation leaders, orchestrating AI value, partnering with business and HR leaders, and ensuring measurable ROI.
In 2026, Saudi CIOs’ ability to lead value realization from AI will define competitive advantage. They must also prepare for the sharp shift from AI experimentation to enterprise-wide scaling, embedding trust, readiness, and alignment with Saudi Arabia’s long-term digital priorities. This is their opportunity to step forward as orchestrators of transformation.
The 2026 Edition of the Saudi CIO Xchange will focus on leadership, culture, collaboration, and strategic execution enabling CIOs to navigate the evolving AI wave and lead with trust.
Why Attend?
The IDC CIO Xchange 2026 is the premier gathering for KSA’s CIOs and IT leaders, designed to address the rapidly evolving landscape of digital business strategy, technology leadership, and enterprise transformation. This event will bring together CIOs, digital innovation leaders, and industry experts for immersive dialogue, peer benchmarking, and hands-on workshops, focusing on aligning technology investments with business goals, navigating regulatory complexity, and driving sustainable growth in a dynamic digital era.
Building adaptive, resilient technology foundations that empower organizational agility and sustained growth.
Leveraging AI and agentic AI to drive intelligent automation, elevate productivity, and enable data-driven decision-making.
Addressing the complexities of legacy modernization, technical debt, and fragmented IT environments.
Embedding trust, security, and compliance as core principles in every technology and business decision.
Leading with vision by aligning digital investments to strategic business outcomes and delivering measurable stakeholder value.
