The Future of Data & AI

Data & AI Think Tank

November 6, 2025 - New York City, NY

Visionaries

Grant Ecker
Grant Ecker

Founder Chief Architect Network / VP of Enterprise Architecture

Ecolab

Think Tank Speaker

Grant Ecker is the Founder and Chairman of the Chief Architect Network, and most recently the Vice President Chief Enterprise Architect at Danaher where he partnered closely with the architects across the company to lead strategy development, establish technology standards and to identify opportunities for modernization and transformation.  Prior to Danaher, Grant was the VP, Global Head of Architecture at Walgreens Boots Alliance, and he held a similar role at Medtronic. Earlier in Grant’s career he held architecture and management roles with expanding responsibility at Lowe’s and General Mills.  Grant is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, he received an MBA from University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management, and his BS in Computer Science from Washington University in St. Louis.  Grant is a board member of the Women in Architecture initiative and he holds various board advisory roles out of Chicago, Illinois. Please connect with Grant at

Sameer Patwardhan Forbes Media LLC
Sameer Patwardhan

SVP, Technology

Forbes Media LLC

Think Tank Speaker

Sameer is the SVP , Technology at Forbes Media LLC and leads their DevOps, Security , Corp IT , Engineering and QA . He has extensive experience in all facets of IT right from starting out as a C++, Java developer to DevOps , Security and Cloud infrastructure. Sameer is also a member of ISC2 and has CISSP and CCSP certifications. He loves to work out , to go on long walks , a Linux hobbyist and avid gardener

Amit Basu International Seaways
Amit Basu

VP, CIO & CISO

International Seaways

Think Tank Speaker

Amit Basu is the head of IT and IT Security at International Seaways (INSW). INSW, headquartered in New York City, is one of the largest tanker companies providing energy transportation services worldwide. Amit is a proven IT leader with over 25 years of experience in maritime IT and has pioneered several technology innovations in maritime. Over the last decade, Amit has led a digital transformation in INSW with a Cloud-Only IT strategy and is instrumental in designing a multi-layered cybersecurity framework promoting a cyber resilience culture. Amit holds an MBA as well as a Master of Science degree in Information Management from the Stevens Institute of Technology, New Jersey. He is also a Certified Information Security Manager from ISACA, certified in Cybersecurity Risk Management by HarvardX, Cybersecurity Oversight by Carnegie Mellon University, Maritime Cybersecurity by Lloyds Maritime, and Artificial Intelligence by MIT Sloan School of Management. Amit is an advisory board member for the Cybersecurity program at Pace University and Ithaca College, on the advisory board of Exium, and a member of the Governing Body of New York CIO Executive Summit.

November 6, 2025

Agenda

All times Eastern Time

8:30 AM-9:15 AM

Registration


9:15 AM-10:00 AM

Morning Networking


10:00 AM-10:05 AM

Opening Remarks


10:05 AM-10:30 AM
Keynote

The Future of AI Cyber Resilience: Winning in a World of Constant Threats

This keynote will explore what it means to build cyber resilience in today’s complex environment—where speed, adaptability, and business alignment are paramount. From securing hybrid and multi-cloud environments to integrating AI-driven threat intelligence, we’ll examine how leaders can future-proof their security strategies while enabling innovation. Learn how to shift from reactive defense to proactive resilience, ensuring your organization can not only withstand but thrive amid disruption.


10:35 AM-11:20 AM
Keynote Panel

Rearchitecting the Enterprise for Agentic AI: Control, Collaboration, and the Next Frontier of Automation

Agentic AI, autonomous systems that perceive, reason, and act with minimal human intervention is poised to redefine how work gets done. As these intelligent agents move beyond experimentation into enterprise-scale deployments, organizations must prepare to fundamentally rearchitect their digital environments.

This panel will explore how leaders can operationalize agentic AI to drive efficiency, creativity, and strategic advantage while preserving oversight, governance, and trust. Discussion topics will include designing workflows around autonomous decision-making, managing human-agent collaboration, and navigating emerging risks such as bias, security, and operational drift. Join us as we unpack what it truly means to lead in an era of intelligent, action-oriented AI and how to ensure these agents serve both your innovation goals and core business values.


11:20 AM-11:40 AM

Coffee Break


11:41 AM-11:55 AM
Disruptor

Unleashing Innovation: CIOs Driving New Business Models through Scalable GenAI

In this dynamic session, we explore the symbiotic relationship between business evolution and the strategic role of Chief Information Officers. Focused on scaling generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) for new business models, the discussion delves into how CIOs can harness the transformative power of AI to drive innovation and reshape business paradigms. Participants will gain insights into practical approaches for integrating scalable GenAI solutions, exploring its potential to revolutionize operational efficiency, customer engagement, and overall competitiveness. The session places a spotlight on the pivotal role of CIOs in navigating the intersection of technology and business strategy, showcasing how they can spearhead initiatives that propel organizations into the next frontier of success.

12:00 PM-12:35 PM
Fireside Chat

Bridging Strategy and Systems: Aligning Business Goals with IT Innovation

In a world of rapid digital disruption, the most successful organizations are those where business strategy and IT execution move in lockstep. This panel brings together business and IT leaders to explore how to align long-term growth objectives with the right mix of emerging technologies—from AI and cloud platforms to data-driven decision-making and modern application architectures.

Panelists will discuss how to break down silos between departments, drive innovation through collaborative planning, and build agile digital infrastructures that scale with evolving business needs. Expect insights on joint KPIs, governance frameworks, and the cultural shifts required to turn IT from a support function into a strategic growth enabler.


12:35 PM-1:30 PM

Lunch & Networking


1:30 PM-1:45 PM
Disruptor

IOT in 2025: Business Innovation Adoption

As businesses increasingly adopt the Internet of Things (IoT) to optimize operations and improve customer experience, CIOs play a critical role in evaluating the benefits and risks of IoT adoption. They must carefully assess the security risks associated with IoT devices and ensure data security is adequately addressed. Furthermore, CIOs must possess the necessary expertise to effectively integrate IoT devices with existing systems and address issues related to data management, network connectivity, and interoperability. By taking a strategic approach to IoT adoption, CIOs can help their organizations unlock the full potential of this transformative technology while mitigating risks and ensuring data security.

1:50 PM-2:35 PM
Panel

Strategic Shifts: Reimagining Engineering Talent Deployment and Management in the Age of GenAI

Unlock insights into the evolving landscape of talent deployment and retention as board expectations drive CIOs to rethink traditional IT talent models. Explore the impact of GenAI on coding processes and the software engineering lifecycle, and discover strategies for optimizing talent allocation and headcounts. Gain actionable insights into defining new roles, cultivating essential skills, and charting GenAI-centric career paths to align with organizational goals and stay ahead in a rapidly changing technological landscape.


2:40 PM-3:15 PM
Fireside Chat

Securing the Rise of Agentic AI: Trust, Control, and Resilience in Autonomous Systems

As agentic AI systems evolve from experimental tools to enterprise-grade digital workers—capable of making decisions, taking actions, and adapting in real time—they introduce a new paradigm of both possibility and risk. Unlike traditional automation, agentic AI operates with greater autonomy, raising urgent questions for security leaders: How do we ensure control? How do we manage risk when systems learn, act, and adapt independently?

This panel will explore the security implications of deploying agentic AI across business operations—from data privacy and decision integrity to real-time threat mitigation and adversarial AI risks. We'll dive into the intersection of governance, identity management, and AI observability, and how CISOs can build frameworks that safeguard both the systems and the outcomes.


3:15 PM-3:35 PM

Networking Break


3:35 PM-3:50 PM
Disruptor

Fostering Digital Trailblazers: A Strategic Imperative for CIOs in 2025

Addressing the multifaceted challenges faced by CIOs in the contemporary technological landscape, the imperative to develop transformational leaders takes center stage. The heightened demand for innovation, enterprise-wide transformation, and evolving technology capabilities poses significant hurdles for CIOs, often leading to an overburdened IT department. To navigate this complexity, the focus shifts towards fostering digital transformation leaders, referred to as digital trailblazers. Gartner highlights leader and manager development as a top priority for HR in 2025, emphasizing the need for CIOs to collaborate with HR in tapping into training and development programs. By cultivating leaders skilled in transformation and change management, CIOs can enhance their department's capacity to oversee initiatives, standardize platforms, and deliver faster results, ultimately reducing friction to change within the organization. Looking ahead to 2025, this strategic approach becomes essential for CIOs seeking to strike the right balance in their digital transformation programs, avoiding the pitfalls of overpromising and under delivering.


3:55 PM-4:30 PM
Fireside Chat

What’s AI Doing for You?

The terms "Artificial Intelligence" and "Advanced Machine Learning" are often thought of interchangeably. While there is a relationship between AI and AML, to say they are the same thing is an oversimplification and misclassification. Rather, one begets the other with AI being the basic principle upon which AML is developed. As AI begins to mature and migrate away from purely advanced mathematical operations into decision making paradigms, AML steps forward as the predictive ability of machines to process vast quantities of data. As data and analytics becomes foundational to the way every business operates, AI and AML will become foundational capabilities.

4:30 PM-4:40 PM

Closing Remarks & Raffle Giveaway


4:40 PM-5:30 PM

Cocktail Networking