AI & Data Xchange
Governance to Growth: Scaling Trustworthy AI Across the Enterprise
The era of data and artificial intelligence is not tomorrow’s challenge; it is today’s imperative. Across Europe, organizations are rapidly shifting from pilot programs to operationalizing AI, yet success depends on more than just technology. IDC research shows that while more than 64% of European organizations are already investing significantly in or deploying generative AI, many struggle to turn that investment into measurable business outcomes.
The foundation of true AI value lies in enterprise data: the quality, governance, integration and management of data determine whether AI becomes a differentiator or a cost center. At this event, peer-to-peer exchange meets analyst-led insight to help you build the data-driven intelligence that powers real value. Discover how to scale AI responsibly, govern agentic systems, align data strategy with business strategy and enable a culture of intelligent transformation.
Agenda
AI & Data Xchange
Day 1
Group Innovation Challenge: Agents 360
Networking Dinner
Day 2
From Governance to Growth: Scaling Trustworthy AI for Enterprise Impact
Keynote Speaker
Neil Ward-Dutton
VP Global Enterprise AI and Agentic AI Strategies, IDC
From AI-Possible to AI-Proven
See how organizations move beyond AI pilots by aligning governance, data, sovereign AI infrastructure, and business goals to turn potential into proven, repeatable value, with support from Dell Technologies and NVIDIA. The session will end with a live demonstration of how we can bring strategy to life by building a tailored AI prototype in hours.
Sascha Meier
Head of EMEA Presales Solutions Architects, Dell Technologies
How to Spot Real AI Opportunities in Everyday Work
Paolo Finardi
Head of Data Science & AI, Plenitude
Owning and Controlling AI Usage at Enterprise Scale
AI is moving into core enterprise workflows, and most organizations already have access to models. The challenge is no longer access, but control.
In practice, model usage is often fragmented, with limited visibility into how models are used, what data they access, and how costs evolve. This leads to inefficiencies such as idle GPUs, duplicated usage, and unpredictable spend.
This keynote focuses on how organizations can regain control by centralizing model access through a Model-as-a-Service approach. This makes it possible to understand usage, enforce governance, and optimize cost, while keeping AI deployments private and under enterprise control.
Myriam Fentanes
Principal Product Manager, Red Hat
Coffee and Networking
Shadow AI Is Already Running Your Company – why you can’t wait to act and which options to consider
Industry IT departments are stuck in analysis mode. This creates a false sense of control: while strategy is being aligned. AI has already entered daily operations—in ways that are neither centrally managed nor fully visible.
Engineers, planners, purchasers, and developers are already using AI to debug issues, summarize information, generate content, and support decisions, an activity that is largely invisible to management, creating a blind spot: the organization is evolving in fragmented ways while leadership assumes there is still time to evaluate options.
This gap drives the current hesitation across the industry. Leadership sees uncertainty and delays decisions, while employees move ahead pragmatically. Over time, this creates increasing exposure without corresponding oversight.
The task now is to surface and shape what already exists: make usage visible, focus on areas with proven impact, and secure the processes that matter most. This requires a shift in leadership from control to enablement.
AI is already part of daily operations. The question is whether companies take ownership of this development or allow it to unfold without direction.
Thomas Herbstreuth
Head of Digital Services Unit, KSB
Building an AI Value Playbook
Most organisations have AI projects running. Few can answer the question that matters most: what are we getting for the money?
This presentation tackles that problem directly, drawing on real experience building and operating an AI governance framework across a live enterprise portfolio. It is an account of what was built, why, how it works in practice, and what proved harder than expected.
The session covers the core components of an AI value playbook: a tiered classification model that applies proportionate governance to both new and existing projects, a four-checkpoint governance gate that must be passed before any AI initiative moves forward and a three-layer measurement framework that distinguishes between adoption, performance and value metrics.
Ali Millar
Senior Manager, EMEA Strategy, Insight
The Next Wave of AI: What Leaders Need to Prepare for Now
As AI rapidly evolves, business leaders must look beyond current use cases to understand what’s coming next. This session explores the next wave of AI—from emerging technologies to shifting capabilities—and what it means from a strategic and board-level perspective. Drawing on deep analysis of both technology and business trends, it highlights key signals, future scenarios, and the decisions leaders need to start making today to stay ahead.
Ludvig Strand
Emerging Tech and AI Future Analyst, Axel Johnson
Group Innovation Challenge: Agents 360
Networking Lunch
Roundtable Discussions
A: AI to production – why so hard? What have we learned 3 years after ChatGPT?
B: AI Adoption: Mastering the Human Side of AI Success
C: From Data to Dollars: Using Real-Time Data and AI to Lift Revenue and Customer Experience
D: Open by Default: Sharing Field Lessons in Building Agentic AI Without Vendor Lock-In
E: The AI Winners’ Playbook
F: Data strategy vs. reality: how do we really improve what matters in the Data space
G: What Are We Doing to Get Our Data Ready for AI Agents
Coffee and Networking
Workshop Session
Parallel Sessions
2:45 pm – 3:30 pm
1: Decision Intelligence at Work
Michelle Colley
AI Business Development Lead, Services EMEA, Dell Technologies
Arash Ghazanfari
CxO Advisor, UK & Europe, Dell Technologies
2:45 pm – 3:30 pm
2: From Hype to How: Maturing and Scaling AI
Jamie Mahmut‑Emerson
Senior Product Practitioner, Insight AI
Andy Young
Client CTO, Insight
2:45 pm – 3:30 pm
3: How to land AI skills in your organisation
Marc Dowd
Vice President, Executive Advisory, IDC
Tom Schwieters
VP Executive Advisory, Europe, IDC Hungary
Coffee and Networking
Group Innovation Challenge Presentations
Networking & Personal Time
Welcome Reception and Gala Dinner
Day 3
Key Takeaways from Day 1
Neil Ward-Dutton
VP Global Enterprise AI and Agentic AI Strategies, IDC
Driving Business Value with AI: A Practitioner’s Perspective
Lavinia Guadagnolo
Data and AI Business Adoption Lead, Generali
Ewa Zborowska
Research Director, IDC
When Systems Decide : Rethinking the Role of Architecure in a AI world
In recent years, enterprise architecture has shifted from governance and control to influence and enablement. But AI is changing the game once again.
We are entering a world where systems increasingly decide, recommend, and act—sometimes faster than humans can fully understand.
In this context, architecture can no longer be about enforcing standards or designing static roadmaps. Its true value lies in shaping how decisions emerge and ensuring the ecosystem is AI-ready and flexible in the face of change.
This keynote reframes architecture as a discipline of influence, decision design, and adaptability—essential for navigating AI-driven complexity.
Ibrahima Ndiaye
CTO, RATP Group
Shaken, Not Stirred: Selling spirits to passengers you’ll never see again
Yemeng Hu
Global Data Analytics and Insights Lead, Bacardi
Ewa Zborowska
Research Director, IDC
Coffee and Networking
Workshop Session 2
Parallel Sessions
10:30 am – 11:15 am
Measuring AI ROI: KPIs, Value Frameworks, and Business Alignment
10:30 am – 11:15 am
Crack the code to an AI-ready future – Escape with Red Hat
Andreas Bergqvist
EMEA Sales Specialist AI, Red Hat
10:30 am – 11:15 am
The Token Budget Challenge
Alessandro Perilli
Vice President, Enterprise AI Strategies, IDC
Change Break
Supporting Organization’s Infosec Risk Management through Data-Informed Approaches
In an era defined by data growth and agentic AI, effective risk management requires more than traditional controls. Dušan Tomić of WIPO presents a strategic shift toward data-informed security—where access decisions are driven by context, visibility, and governance. Discover how integrating IAM, master data, and data catalogs enables organizations to reduce exposure, strengthen compliance, and build a foundation for secure AI adoption
Dusan Tomic
Senior Information Management & Security Officer, United Nations
AI without governance is not a competitive advantage — it is a liability
Marc Dowd
Vice President, Executive Advisory, IDC
From AI-possible to AI-proven – Results and Reflections
Dell Technologies and NVIDIA unveil the results of their live AI prototype demonstration and reflect on the journey from concept to execution. This session will highlight key insights, lessons learned, and feedback gathered during the event, offering a practical perspective on turning AI potential into proven success.
Sascha Meier
Head of EMEA Presales Solutions Architects, Dell Technologies
IDC Closing Keynote and Feedback Session
Main Themes
Data Value Reinvention in the Age of AI
Organizations are shifting from thinking about “using AI” to “leveraging data for AI value,” integrating data maturity practices like cataloging, lineage, and observability to fuel model performance and business impact.
Scaling AI: From Pilot to Enterprise Deployment
Moving beyond experimentation, leaders create robust MLOps pipelines, governance frameworks, and change strategies to embed AI into core operations at scale with sustainability and reliability.
Trust, Transparency and Responsible AI
Embedding fairness, bias mitigation, auditability, and explainability across the AI lifecycle helps build user confidence, regulatory alignment, and long-term trust in intelligent systems.
Data Sovereignty, Governance and Interoperability
Balancing data residency, regulatory constraints, and cross-border flow requires hybrid cloud strategies, shared governance models, and interoperable architectures that meet business needs.
Generative and Agentic AI: The Next Frontier
As generative and agentic models go beyond assistance, leaders focus on guardrails, cost/risk trade-offs, hybrid model design, and alignment with existing AI systems.
People, Culture and AI Readiness
Success requires preparing teams with AI literacy, reskilling, cross-functional collaboration, and leadership that navigates resistance and embeds data-driven habits into daily workflows.
Neil Ward-Dutton
Event Sessions
Day 3 9:00 am
Key Takeaways from Day 1
Day 2 8:45 am
From Governance to Growth: Scaling Trustworthy AI for Enterprise Impact
Ewa Zborowska
Ewa Zborowska, an experienced technology professional with over two decades of expertise in the European IT services and cloud market. Since 2003, she has been a member of the IDC team, based in Warsaw, focusing on IT services research. In 2018, she joined the European team with a specific emphasis on cloud and AI.
Ms. Zborowska’s interests encompass a broad spectrum, from exploring new technology delivery models to delving into the relationship between business and IT, and understanding the societal and individual impacts of technology. She has authored numerous market publications and reports and advises on IDC projects throughout Europe. She also participates in IDC’s and third-party conferences as a keynote speaker, panelist, and moderator.
Prior to her role at IDC, Ms. Zborowska worked at Statistics Poland (formerly the Central Statistical Office) and worked at an IT company. She holds a degree in Management from the University of Łódź in Poland and has completed postgraduate studies in forecasting and foresight at Collegium Civitas University in Warsaw.
Event Sessions
Day 3 9:45 am
Shaken, Not Stirred: Selling spirits to passengers you’ll never see again
Day 3 9:10 am
Driving Business Value with AI: A Practitioner’s Perspective
Paolo Finardi
Event Sessions
Day 2 9:30 am
How to Spot Real AI Opportunities in Everyday Work
Lavinia Guadagnolo
Event Sessions
Day 3 9:10 am
Driving Business Value with AI: A Practitioner’s Perspective
Ibrahima Ndiaye
Event Sessions
Day 3 9:25 am
When Systems Decide : Rethinking the Role of Architecure in a AI world
In recent years, enterprise architecture has shifted from governance and control to influence and enablement. But AI is changing the game once again.
We are entering a world where systems increasingly decide, recommend, and act—sometimes faster than humans can fully understand.
In this context, architecture can no longer be about enforcing standards or designing static roadmaps. Its true value lies in shaping how decisions emerge and ensuring the ecosystem is AI-ready and flexible in the face of change.
This keynote reframes architecture as a discipline of influence, decision design, and adaptability—essential for navigating AI-driven complexity.
Dina Capelle
Ludvig Strand
Event Sessions
Day 2 11:10 am
The Next Wave of AI: What Leaders Need to Prepare for Now
As AI rapidly evolves, business leaders must look beyond current use cases to understand what’s coming next. This session explores the next wave of AI—from emerging technologies to shifting capabilities—and what it means from a strategic and board-level perspective. Drawing on deep analysis of both technology and business trends, it highlights key signals, future scenarios, and the decisions leaders need to start making today to stay ahead.
Dusan Tomic
Event Sessions
Day 3 11:45 am
Supporting Organization’s Infosec Risk Management through Data-Informed Approaches
In an era defined by data growth and agentic AI, effective risk management requires more than traditional controls. Dušan Tomić of WIPO presents a strategic shift toward data-informed security—where access decisions are driven by context, visibility, and governance. Discover how integrating IAM, master data, and data catalogs enables organizations to reduce exposure, strengthen compliance, and build a foundation for secure AI adoption
Yemeng Hu
Event Sessions
Day 3 9:45 am
Shaken, Not Stirred: Selling spirits to passengers you’ll never see again
Thomas Herbstreuth
Event Sessions
Day 2 10:35 am
Shadow AI Is Already Running Your Company – why you can’t wait to act and which options to consider
Industry IT departments are stuck in analysis mode. This creates a false sense of control: while strategy is being aligned. AI has already entered daily operations—in ways that are neither centrally managed nor fully visible.
Engineers, planners, purchasers, and developers are already using AI to debug issues, summarize information, generate content, and support decisions, an activity that is largely invisible to management, creating a blind spot: the organization is evolving in fragmented ways while leadership assumes there is still time to evaluate options.
This gap drives the current hesitation across the industry. Leadership sees uncertainty and delays decisions, while employees move ahead pragmatically. Over time, this creates increasing exposure without corresponding oversight.
The task now is to surface and shape what already exists: make usage visible, focus on areas with proven impact, and secure the processes that matter most. This requires a shift in leadership from control to enablement.
AI is already part of daily operations. The question is whether companies take ownership of this development or allow it to unfold without direction.
Myriam Fentanes
Event Sessions
Day 2 9:50 am
Owning and Controlling AI Usage at Enterprise Scale
AI is moving into core enterprise workflows, and most organizations already have access to models. The challenge is no longer access, but control.
In practice, model usage is often fragmented, with limited visibility into how models are used, what data they access, and how costs evolve. This leads to inefficiencies such as idle GPUs, duplicated usage, and unpredictable spend.
This keynote focuses on how organizations can regain control by centralizing model access through a Model-as-a-Service approach. This makes it possible to understand usage, enforce governance, and optimize cost, while keeping AI deployments private and under enterprise control.
Johan Robinson
Andreas Bergqvist
John Bradshaw
James Graham
Sascha Meier
Sascha Meier, born in 1980, has been with Dell Technologies since 2007 and currently serves as the Head of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Presales Solutions Architects. In his role as a CTO Ambassador, Sascha plays a pivotal part in shaping and discussing technology strategies with key customers and prospects. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical and Communication Technologies (Dipl. Ing. FH).
Event Sessions
Day 3 12:25 pm
From AI-possible to AI-proven – Results and Reflections
Dell Technologies and NVIDIA unveil the results of their live AI prototype demonstration and reflect on the journey from concept to execution. This session will highlight key insights, lessons learned, and feedback gathered during the event, offering a practical perspective on turning AI potential into proven success.
Day 2 9:10 am
From AI-Possible to AI-Proven
See how organizations move beyond AI pilots by aligning governance, data, sovereign AI infrastructure, and business goals to turn potential into proven, repeatable value, with support from Dell Technologies and NVIDIA. The session will end with a live demonstration of how we can bring strategy to life by building a tailored AI prototype in hours.
Michelle Colley
Michelle Colley has been part of the Dell Technologies family for 13 years and leading AI for EMEA Services since 2023. ‘Customer first’ is Michelle’s mantra, and she has owned key customer relationships in the UK Sales team leading enterprise customers to understand how Dell Technologies can continue to innovate and support their technology challenges. Now focusing on AI as a Business Development Manager, Michelle has seen a wave of growth through our Professional Services portfolio for AI & Data and provides leadership and direction to navigate this complex new opportunity across every Industry. Having had an extensive career of 26 years in the technology sector, this is the most dynamic and exciting time to be part of ‘now’.
Peter Barnes
Arash Ghazanfari
A seasoned technology executive and former CTO of Dell Technologies’ UK division, Arash focuses on driving business growth and shaping strategic client engagements. As a CxO Advisor across the UK and Europe, he works with Dell Technologies’ EMEA leadership to engage senior executives and line of business leaders from the company’s customers, helping them accelerate innovation, achieve growth and deliver measurable outcomes beyond traditional IT boundaries.
Rasmus Oelbye
Worked in IT since 1994 with companies including Dell, EMC, RSA Security, CA Technologies and BMC Software, and has focused on data center infrastructure and solutions since 2004. The majority of his career has been in commercial business development, helping customers adopt new technologies where they create real value. From 2015 to 2021, he worked across Northern Europe in Enterprise specialty sales, and since 2021 he has focused primarily on Denmark, later also covering Finland and the Baltics. His core focus is on large organizations, where modernizing data centers and IT strategy can enable innovation and business growth.
Jamie Mahmut‑Emerson
Jamie Mahmut‑Emerson is a Senior Product Practitioner at Amdaris with close to a decades experience working across enterprises, startups, and scale‑ups. With a background in the automotive industry, he now works closely with organisations to shape product strategy, guide decision‑making, and remains actively involved in execution to ensure ideas translate into real outcomes.
Jamie has spent the last six years working with AI‑enabled products, combining strategic thinking with hands‑on product leadership to help teams apply emerging technologies in practical, commercially grounded ways. He is known for an outcome‑focused approach to product development, operating comfortably between advisory work and delivery to drive meaningful, measurable impact.
Andy Young
Andy is an IT transformation and enterprise architecture leader with deep experience across global consultancies, high-profile clients, and world-leading cloud vendors. He specialises in partnering with large enterprise customers and senior stakeholders to modernise their architecture, shape technology strategy, and deliver major AI transformation outcomes.
Andy has a strong track record leading complex programmes across AI, infrastructure and application modernisation, underpinned by hands-on knowledge of the full systems development lifecycle. He builds trusted relationships with C-suite and senior leaders, aligning business priorities with technology strategies that deliver measurable value.
Knowledge Hub
5 Key Highlights on the European Observability Market in 2025
Observability is rapidly evolving as organizations across Europe embrace digital transformation, cloud adoption, and AI. As IT environments become more complex, traditional monitoring approaches are no longer sufficient.
The Agentic Business Future: Driving Resilience, Sovereignty, and Innovation in EMEA
As organizations navigate an era defined by economic uncertainty, geopolitical shifts, and relentless technological change, one truth stands out: the future belongs to those who can harness AI, automation, and sovereignty to build resilience, drive innovation, and unlock growth.
Shadow AI: How stealth productivity is strangling enterprise AI adoption. And creating a security nightmare…
Remember the good old days when “Shadow IT” was just about rogue Excel spreadsheets and unauthorized Dropbox accounts? But the times they are a-changing! Now we’re dealing with something far more insidious: Shadow AI.
Contact Us
Not the right event for you?
Don’t worry! We organize a variety of events designed to inspire original ideas, share the latest industry insights, and connect professionals like you. Simply sign up for event invitations, and we’ll notify you whenever a new event matches your interests.
Sign up