Gunter Van Craen - CDIO at Bekaert - Embracing Digital Transformation

Find out more:
Poland 5-12-25 Invitation Only Physical Polish
Liderzy biznesowi pokładają ogromne nadzieje w agentach AI, widząc w nich szansę na zbudowanie przewagi konkurencyjnej. Rzadko jednak pada zasadnicze pytanie: czy cyfrowy fundament organizacji – dane, integracje, systemy – jest na to gotowy? Czy obecna strategia integracji wspiera ambicje biznesowe, czy je spowalnia? Podczas naszego biznesowego śniadania CIONET, organizowanego we współpracy z Digia (Finlandia) i Savangard, przyjrzymy się trendom, które dziś definiują architekturę i integracje w Europie i w Polsce. W gronie ok. 20 liderów IT porozmawiamy m.in. o tym: Czy strategia integracji danych i aplikacji powinna uwzględniać przyszłe zastosowania AI? Jak przekształcić kluczowe dane w powtarzalne „data products”, które przyspieszają dostarczanie wartości biznesowej? W jakim kierunku ewoluują platformy integracyjne – iPaaS i API Management? Cloudification - jakie lekcje wynoszą firmy, które przeszły takie transformacje z legacy do nowoczesnej integracji w chmurze? Jak zorganizować „integration core team”, który wzmacnia rozproszone i coraz bardziej niezależne zespoły technologiczne? Spotkanie odbędzie się w kameralnej atmosferze Centrum Praskiego Koneser (CHPTR) i będzie prowadzone w formule dyskusyjnej – z myślą o praktykach zajmujących się modernizacją architektury, integracją systemów i przygotowaniem IT na kolejne lata.
Read More
Poland 8-12-25 Invitation Only Physical Polish
W wielu firmach monitoring wydaje się działać poprawnie, dopóki nie spojrzymy na to, czego nie widać: luki między narzędziami, brak wspólnego obrazu usług, opóźnienia między zdarzeniem a decyzją. W takiej sytuacji trudno wcześnie wykryć degradację, oszacować wpływ incydentów na klientów czy przewidzieć ryzyka, które uderzają w biznes, zanim IT zdąży zareagować. Podczas CIONET Executive Roundtable, którego partnerem jest Spluk, porozmawiamy o tym, ile organizacje tracą na rozproszonym monitoringu i jak wiele można zyskać, gdy staje się on spójnym systemem, a nie zbiorem narzędzi. Zastanowimy się, jak połączyć dane z aplikacji, infrastruktury i biznesu w jeden obraz, który realnie wspiera szybkość reakcji, stabilność usług i jakość decyzji.
Read More
International 9-12-25 Public Virtual english
The CIONET Awards 2026: Part 1, the premier celebration of excellence in digital mission and leadership. During this event the spotlight falls on two of the most critical arenas in modern enterprise: Applications & Architecture and Data & AI. Prepare for a dynamic session where each nominee will present their groundbreaking achievements.
Read More
Brazil 9-12-25 Country Members Physical portuguese
Cerimônia de Premiação CIONET BRASIL 2025.Reconheceremos as Empresas Líderes em Excelência Tecnológica em Projetos e os Líderes Digitais do Ano 2025.Quando?09 de Dezembro de 2025A partir das 18:30Onde?Sheraton São Paulo WTC HotelInscrições online: https://www.cionet.com/pt-br/events/pr%C3%AAmios-cionet-brasil-2025
Read More
Netherlands 9-12-25 Invitation Only english
At this exclusive CIONET Executive Roundtable, hosted in partnership with It’s Value, we will explore how Technology Business Management (TBM) principles can help CIOs and IT leaders make data-driven financial decisions that drive measurable business value.
Read MoreNetherlands 9-12-25 Invitation Only Physical english
Digital transformation and ongoing economic uncertainty are intensifying the pressure on IT leaders to do more with less. In this environment, gaining precise control over IT costs—while continuing to deliver effective, efficient, and innovative technology operations—is more critical than ever. At this exclusive CIONET Executive Roundtable, hosted in partnership with It’s Value, we will explore how Technology Business Management (TBM) principles can help CIOs and IT leaders make data-driven financial decisions that drive measurable business value. Key Discussion Themes Turning data insights into smarter IT investment decisions Setting priorities for cost optimisation and maximising ROI Quantifying and communicating the business value of IT initiatives Evaluating the principles of FinOps and the implications of public, private, and hybrid cloud environments for cost management Embedding effective change management to drive adoption and alignment Achieving tangible business outcomes from AI initiatives while maintaining fiscal discipline The evening will also feature a fireside chat with Sunil Anand, Global Head of Technology Business Management at National Grid. Sunil will share practical lessons and key milestones, retracing the National Grid cost management journey. This dinner offers a unique opportunity to: Exchange experiences with peers facing similar challenges Gain insights from TBM experts and industry practitioners Reassess your own IT financial strategy in a relaxed, collegial setting Join us for an evening of insight, discussion, and connection—designed to help you strengthen IT’s role as a true business value driver.
Read More
Belgium Dec 4, 2025 Invitation Only Physical english
CIONET is committed to highlighting and celebrating female role models in IT, Tech & Digital, creating a leadership programme that empowers and elevates women within the tech industry. This initiative is dedicated to showcasing the achievements and successes of leading women, fostering an environment where female role models are recognised, and their contributions can ignite progress and inspire the next generation of women in IT.
Read More
International Dec 9, 2025 Public Virtual english
The CIONET Awards 2026: Part 1, the premier celebration of excellence in digital mission and leadership. During this event the spotlight falls on two of the most critical arenas in modern enterprise: Applications & Architecture and Data & AI. Prepare for a dynamic session where each nominee will present their groundbreaking achievements.
Read More
Netherlands Dec 9, 2025 Invitation Only Physical english
Digital transformation and ongoing economic uncertainty are intensifying the pressure on IT leaders to do more with less. In this environment, gaining precise control over IT costs—while continuing to deliver effective, efficient, and innovative technology operations—is more critical than ever. At this exclusive CIONET Executive Roundtable, hosted in partnership with It’s Value, we will explore how Technology Business Management (TBM) principles can help CIOs and IT leaders make data-driven financial decisions that drive measurable business value. Key Discussion Themes Turning data insights into smarter IT investment decisions Setting priorities for cost optimisation and maximising ROI Quantifying and communicating the business value of IT initiatives Evaluating the principles of FinOps and the implications of public, private, and hybrid cloud environments for cost management Embedding effective change management to drive adoption and alignment Achieving tangible business outcomes from AI initiatives while maintaining fiscal discipline The evening will also feature a fireside chat with Sunil Anand, Global Head of Technology Business Management at National Grid. Sunil will share practical lessons and key milestones, retracing the National Grid cost management journey. This dinner offers a unique opportunity to: Exchange experiences with peers facing similar challenges Gain insights from TBM experts and industry practitioners Reassess your own IT financial strategy in a relaxed, collegial setting Join us for an evening of insight, discussion, and connection—designed to help you strengthen IT’s role as a true business value driver.
Read More
Italy Dec 10, 2025 Invitation Only Physical italian
Questa roundtable esclusiva offrirà a CIO, CISO e Leader di ITOps/Engineering un confronto diretto per individuare le migliori strategie di Innovazione che, attraverso l'observability, ottimizzino il Return of Investment.
Read More
Belgium Dec 11, 2025 Country Members Physical english
Imagine being able to monitor, simulate, and optimise an entire city, factory, or supply chain in real time. Next-generation digital twins are making this vision a reality, transforming how we manage and understand complex systems. By creating dynamic virtual replicas of physical assets and processes, digital twins allow organisations to predict issues, optimize performance, and make data-driven decisions with unprecedented accuracy.This event will explore how digital twins are being used across industries to revolutionize the way we operate and maintain large-scale, intricate systems—whether it’s the infrastructure of a smart city, the efficiency of a factory floor, or the resilience of global supply chains.Examples of Digital Twins in Action:Smart Cities: Urban planners can use digital twins to simulate traffic flow, monitor energy usage, or predict the impact of weather events on infrastructure. This enables cities to optimize resources and improve the quality of life for their citizens.Factories of the Future: Manufacturing plants are leveraging digital twins to monitor equipment in real time, prevent downtime, and optimize production lines. With predictive analytics, factories can avoid costly breakdowns and improve overall efficiency.Supply Chain Management: Complex supply chains, spanning continents and industries, can be modeled as digital twins to track shipments, simulate disruptions, and optimize logistics. Businesses can reduce inefficiencies and respond faster to market demands.Key Themes:Real-Time Monitoring and Simulation: How digital twins provide real-time insights into complex systems, allowing for dynamic response and optimization.Predictive Power: Leveraging AI and data analytics, digital twins help organisations predict and mitigate issues before they happen, from equipment failures to supply chain bottlenecks.Scalability Across Ecosystems: Digital twins aren’t limited to individual assets—learn how they can be scaled across entire ecosystems like smart cities or global supply chains for maximum impact.Building Trust and Security: With digital twins handling critical infrastructure and sensitive data, what are the security and governance frameworks needed to ensure trust in these virtual systems?Why You Should Attend:Next-generation digital twins are no longer just a concept—they are revolutionizing industries by offering a new way to manage complexity. Whether you’re looking to optimize a city, factory, or supply chain, this event will provide practical insights into how digital twins can transform your organisation’s operations and drive future innovation.
Read More
Netherlands Dec 11, 2025 Invitation Only Physical dutch
Navigating tommorrow's threatscape: Cybersecurity insights for digital leaders. Op 28 november in de 3D Makers Zone in Haarlem.
Read More
Belgium Dec 4, 2025 Invitation Only Physical english
CIONET is committed to highlighting and celebrating female role models in IT, Tech & Digital, creating a leadership programme that empowers and elevates women within the tech industry. This initiative is dedicated to showcasing the achievements and successes of leading women, fostering an environment where female role models are recognised, and their contributions can ignite progress and inspire the next generation of women in IT.
Read More
International Dec 9, 2025 Public Virtual english
The CIONET Awards 2026: Part 1, the premier celebration of excellence in digital mission and leadership. During this event the spotlight falls on two of the most critical arenas in modern enterprise: Applications & Architecture and Data & AI. Prepare for a dynamic session where each nominee will present their groundbreaking achievements.
Read More
Netherlands Dec 9, 2025 Invitation Only Physical english
Digital transformation and ongoing economic uncertainty are intensifying the pressure on IT leaders to do more with less. In this environment, gaining precise control over IT costs—while continuing to deliver effective, efficient, and innovative technology operations—is more critical than ever. At this exclusive CIONET Executive Roundtable, hosted in partnership with It’s Value, we will explore how Technology Business Management (TBM) principles can help CIOs and IT leaders make data-driven financial decisions that drive measurable business value. Key Discussion Themes Turning data insights into smarter IT investment decisions Setting priorities for cost optimisation and maximising ROI Quantifying and communicating the business value of IT initiatives Evaluating the principles of FinOps and the implications of public, private, and hybrid cloud environments for cost management Embedding effective change management to drive adoption and alignment Achieving tangible business outcomes from AI initiatives while maintaining fiscal discipline The evening will also feature a fireside chat with Sunil Anand, Global Head of Technology Business Management at National Grid. Sunil will share practical lessons and key milestones, retracing the National Grid cost management journey. This dinner offers a unique opportunity to: Exchange experiences with peers facing similar challenges Gain insights from TBM experts and industry practitioners Reassess your own IT financial strategy in a relaxed, collegial setting Join us for an evening of insight, discussion, and connection—designed to help you strengthen IT’s role as a true business value driver.
Read More
Italy Dec 10, 2025 Invitation Only Physical italian
Questa roundtable esclusiva offrirà a CIO, CISO e Leader di ITOps/Engineering un confronto diretto per individuare le migliori strategie di Innovazione che, attraverso l'observability, ottimizzino il Return of Investment.
Read More
Belgium Dec 11, 2025 Country Members Physical english
Imagine being able to monitor, simulate, and optimise an entire city, factory, or supply chain in real time. Next-generation digital twins are making this vision a reality, transforming how we manage and understand complex systems. By creating dynamic virtual replicas of physical assets and processes, digital twins allow organisations to predict issues, optimize performance, and make data-driven decisions with unprecedented accuracy.This event will explore how digital twins are being used across industries to revolutionize the way we operate and maintain large-scale, intricate systems—whether it’s the infrastructure of a smart city, the efficiency of a factory floor, or the resilience of global supply chains.Examples of Digital Twins in Action:Smart Cities: Urban planners can use digital twins to simulate traffic flow, monitor energy usage, or predict the impact of weather events on infrastructure. This enables cities to optimize resources and improve the quality of life for their citizens.Factories of the Future: Manufacturing plants are leveraging digital twins to monitor equipment in real time, prevent downtime, and optimize production lines. With predictive analytics, factories can avoid costly breakdowns and improve overall efficiency.Supply Chain Management: Complex supply chains, spanning continents and industries, can be modeled as digital twins to track shipments, simulate disruptions, and optimize logistics. Businesses can reduce inefficiencies and respond faster to market demands.Key Themes:Real-Time Monitoring and Simulation: How digital twins provide real-time insights into complex systems, allowing for dynamic response and optimization.Predictive Power: Leveraging AI and data analytics, digital twins help organisations predict and mitigate issues before they happen, from equipment failures to supply chain bottlenecks.Scalability Across Ecosystems: Digital twins aren’t limited to individual assets—learn how they can be scaled across entire ecosystems like smart cities or global supply chains for maximum impact.Building Trust and Security: With digital twins handling critical infrastructure and sensitive data, what are the security and governance frameworks needed to ensure trust in these virtual systems?Why You Should Attend:Next-generation digital twins are no longer just a concept—they are revolutionizing industries by offering a new way to manage complexity. Whether you’re looking to optimize a city, factory, or supply chain, this event will provide practical insights into how digital twins can transform your organisation’s operations and drive future innovation.
Read More
Netherlands Dec 11, 2025 Invitation Only Physical dutch
Navigating tommorrow's threatscape: Cybersecurity insights for digital leaders. Op 28 november in de 3D Makers Zone in Haarlem.
Read MoreAdoption success. New workspace solution for a professional service company
Driving faster business results for our customers as their employees start spending more time at the office.
Overview
Adopting new collaboration technology presents a challenge for some organisations, leaving many employees confused. But success is dependent on people accepting and changing their behaviour. That can be more challenging when you’re trying to encourage your people to use the in-room technology – something they haven’t been used to whilst they’ve worked remotely.
To achieve a successful uptake of the new technologies, our customer needed a user adoption programme that would drive behaviour changes needed. That’s where we came in.
The challenge
Organisations need digital workplace transformation now more than ever, so their people can collaborate from anywhere. But with around 80% of deployments failing to deliver the expected business value and the added difficulties of getting employees to come into the office to use the new technology, this is a new type of challenge.
The customer wanted to migrate to a new video infrastructure. They had a mixture of various legacy end points and wanted a new single vendor platform under a BT managed service. This would enable video end points to be seamlessly integrated with Microsoft Teams and provide a better user experience. They also needed a new way to book and schedule video meetings as their existing service was slow and outdated.
When migrating to a new infrastructure, there needs to be a behaviour change. It’s therefore key that we drive usage through awareness, education and coaching to bridge the gap in user experience. It was essential to the customer to build a video culture as part of their major digital transformation which had already seen the launch of Office 365, Microsoft Teams Enterprise Voice and providing all employees with new laptops.
The BT user adoption team provided amazing support… our adoption lead was proactive and driven to deliver results. She worked to provide clear communication, support plans and materials in a highly nebulous space. In addition to adding great business value, the team worked as collaborative partners and were a pleasure to work with.”
The solution
It takes the right experience and knowledge to position change successfully. We started with our discovery and planning stages to understand how to drive the change that the customer wanted. Our team worked alongside our technical solution architect and service delivery manager to understand the solution and understand the impact from the experts that designed it. We needed to identify the behaviour change required, based on what technology is available and what users are doing now. It’s equally as important to understand the agreed support model in place. Who would support the end-users should they experience any issues whilst in the meeting rooms? This needed to be promoted to the users.
Driving awareness and creating excitement was critical, especially as the use of meetings rooms was one of the key drivers behind why people would return to the office. Our dedicated adoption specialist provided advice on how to position the benefits of the new rooms and what channels to use to the promote the message internally. Ensuring this covered the common question: are the rooms fit for purpose for the new hybrid meetings? The specialist built tailored launch emails which were sent company-wide with compelling messages on what’s new, the next steps and best practice.
Education on the new service was crucial to enriching our support. We provided quick start guides on using the meetings app integrated with rooms and support on the various in-room devices. We needed to ensure we covered all devices, and that the right device guides were in the right rooms. Based on our experience and expertise we also provided frequently asked questions which were ideal not only for end-users but also the end user support team. Quick and easy access to this user support content was key so we made the accessible using QR codes in the meeting rooms.
To ensure continuous learning we recommended how to keep assets updated so they reflected any changes to the video user interface. We provided source files to enable them to make these updates.
The result
The migration to the new video infrastructure, the introduction of new devices and a booking system was successfully achieved with minimal disruption. Our adoption specialist received positive feedback from the leading professional services company and all assets were set-up and ready to use upon employees return to the office. Today, the organisation is working with us to drive an even more embedded video culture as more of their people return to the office and face-to-face meetings.
We’ve become the organisations trusted partner and main provider of cloud collaboration tools. Our user adoption teams continue to support this customer to help them develop a truly unified communications experience for their users.
119 Views 0 Likes Read More

Embark on a culinary journey through the ever-evolving world of digital leadership with our third edition of the CIONET Cookbook: Recipes for Digital Success. Unveiling the intricate trilemma faced by today’s Master Chefs, our trailblazing European CIOs address a challenge at the nexus of customer interests, digital transformation strategies, and IT modernisation. Their secret? Synchronising the gearing between customer, business, and technology to create a frictionless movement through the digital landscape.
The CIONET Cookbook uses the analogy of a five-star restaurant to explain the importance of optimally integrated technology, with the CIO as Master Chef. In order to provide the best service to its customers, a top restaurant must have the right atmosphere, an inviting menu, a well-equipped kitchen, talented and committed front-of-house and kitchen staff and smooth-running processes that ensure an enjoyable experience for diners.
The role of the CIO has evolved from managing systems to shaping outcomes: growth, resilience, and competitive edge are now won or lost in the technology arena. Today ’ s CIOs must balance stability with innovation, control costs while attracting scarce talent, and modernise legacy infrastructure while adopting emerging technologies.
As AI transitions from a specialised tool to an all-pervasive force, understanding its profound implications for our human lives is no longer merely academic but an urgent imperative for social well-being and strategic preparedness.
Geopolitical tensions have dominated the headlines for over two years now. In this context, the cyber threat landscape is also evolving rapidly. The protection and security of critical infrastructure – both physical and digital – is becoming increasingly important.
In our new app, our members connect with other digital leaders from around the world to find better solutions to their challenges.
Connect with digital leaders like you
Share ideas, best practices, and new resources
Experience inspiring and thought-provoking content and conversations you can’t find anywhere else
Make better, more well-informed decisions about the topics that are most important to you
Head of IT Germany and Regional Office Lead Munich, Microsoft
IT Director, IT Thinker
Vice president IT & Compliance, VisionaryRCM (A Carlyle Grp Company)
CIONET’s mission is to help IT executives become more at ease and above all more successful in their jobs. So they can do more than just keep up with change but ultimately define it. CIONET opens up a whole new universe of opportunities in IT management.
With the largest membership of corporate digital leaders across Europe, Latin America, US and Australia, CIONET has the expertise and pioneering vision to solve or address any IT management challenge.
From our local and global events, from our publications and research to our executive education programmes, everything we do is aimed at making sure digital leaders maximise their potential.
with digital leaders who share your interests, who face the same challenges, who care about the same topics.
stories, experiences, and ideas around our shared mission.
from our exclusive events, publications and research.
inspiration, thought-provoking conversations, expert perspectives and exclusive first-hand content each and every day
and make better, more well-informed decisions on how to lead your digital business.
your potential. Realise your ambitions.
You can either send us a registered handwritten letter explaining why you'd like to become a member or you can simply talk to us right here!
Would you like to know more about CIONET, membership or partnership opportunities? Do you have feedback or any other question? Send us a message!