-1.png)
Kalman Tiboldi - CTO & Founder at GemOne-TVH - Simplify or Die: Why Complexity Is the Real IT Challenge
Germany Sep 25, 2025 Country Members Physical english
Join us for an evening of thought-provoking discussions, real-world use cases, and insights from digital leaders, tech-pioneers and academics as we explore the dynamics of the human-machine relationship.
Read More-1.png)
Netherlands Sep 25, 2025 Invitation Only Physical dutch
Alleen op uitnodiging. How can organizations proactively ensure business continuity and IT resilience in 2025 amidst increasing disruptions?
Read More
Germany Sep 29, 2025 Country Members Virtual german
Unsere Wissensaustausch-Briefings "AI & Data Knowledge Transfer" zielen darauf ab, CIDOs und Senior Digital Leaders mit praktischen Anwendungen und umsetzbaren Erkenntnissen von Fachexperten zu vermitteln, die den Weg für transformative digitale Reisen ebnen.
Read More
Germany Sep 30, 2025 Country Members Physical german
Von der Theorie in die Praxis: Erst Business, dann Bier.Unstrukturierte Daten sind das verborgene Kapital vieler Unternehmen – und zugleich eine der größten Herausforderungen moderner IT. Gemeinsam mit CIOs, CDOs und CTOs der CIONET-Community sprechen wir zuerst bei WeWork München über Strategien, Technologien und echte Use Cases, um dieses Potenzial zu heben. Danach geht's weiter auf die Wiesn – für den offenen Austausch in bayerischer Atmosphäre.
Read More.png)
UK Sep 30, 2025 Invitation Only Physical english
This exclusive Jefferson dinner, hosted by Mendix and CIONET, brings together a hand-picked group of senior executives and digital leaders from across the UK financial sector.
Read More
Netherlands Sep 30, 2025 Invitation Only Physical dutch
Alleen op uitnodiging. Mastering Digital Sovereignty Control, trust and resilience in an era of geopolitical and regulatory shifts. From the Network to the Data.
Read More
MERGE increases operational efficiency and innovation with Jasper
MERGE has proven AI frees up time to focus on strategic thinking and creative ideation. Jasper empowers them to work smarter, faster, and more efficiently, ultimately driving better results for their clients.
As a revolutionary marketing and technology agency, MERGE was quick to see an opportunity to enhance its workflow using generative AI. Leading this digital charge was Mark Wollney, the Senior Vice President of Operations. To stay competitive in the changing marketing landscape, MERGE adopted AI as a supporting tool to empower creativity and productivity and deliver accelerated value to its clients.
The initial task was to single out the departments that could gain the most from the AI integration. The journey started with the launch of a pilot program involving initial testers from the writing, studio, and strategy teams.
Early results showed that employees across the board were empowered with more time back in their day, enhancing their productivity. As word spread about Jasper’s capabilities, it became clear that the potential went well beyond these teams and could impact the entire org.
MERGE shifted its focus to implementing and developing AI use cases tailored to address key challenges for CMOs, including enhancing customer experiences, refining content creation and personalization, analyzing market trends, and optimizing operations for better decision-making and growth acceleration.
MERGE assembled six groups of Jasper super-users across 20 different job functions to perform AI discovery on its primary platform. Jasper fits within a diversified technology strategy that includes multiple tools and approaches. The AI Council meets bi-weekly to record new use cases, propose innovative ideas, and discuss the strengths and limitations of AI systems, encompassing emerging trends in AI evolution.
Monthly, the council discusses potential AI use cases, sharing adopted ones within the organization and eventually with clients. Beyond these meetings, employees regularly share best practices in a group Slack channel as AI evolves daily. Simultaneously, they bring creative AI ideas to their Jasper partners, who then filter the most innovative solutions and workflows back to the Council. The AI Council also oversees the establishment of tool governance and requirements, aligning with their commitment to accountability and ethical practices.
MERGE’s bottoms-up approach to adoption is becoming a best practice across industries. They encouraged each user to identify their own challenges and explore how Jasper could address them. As Mark put it, “We’re not just integrating AI into our existing workflows. We’re exploring AI’s capabilities to define entirely new ones.”
Employees from different departments readily took up the tool, discovering new ways AI could make their work more productive and strategic. MERGE saw immediate value:
Mark's goal was to enable employees to focus their energies on high-impact, strategic work rather than repetitive routine tasks. The team saw a significant decrease in time spent on tasks like research, content creation, and responding to RFPs (Requests for Proposals) with Jasper’s Brand Voice and Google Search integration.
The AI-enabled employees at MERGE continued to share their Jasper experiences and insights via internal communication channels and developed a renewed culture of cross-functional collaboration and continuous learning.
Through their findings, MERGE has proven AI frees up time to focus on strategic thinking and creative ideation. It empowers them to work smarter, faster, and more efficiently, ultimately driving better results for their clients. Following the pilot's triumphant success, MERGE aims to integrate 50 more daily users and inspire other department leaders to tap into the power of Jasper.
MERGE is positioning itself at the forefront of technological innovation. They are committed to exploring and implementing AI solutions that drive growth, improve performance, and deliver exceptional value to their clients.
Wollney summarizes their approach to AI by stating “This isn't just about staying relevant in a rapidly evolving industry; it's about leading the way. It's about being progressive, proactive, and prepared for the future. With AI, we are not just keeping pace with change; we are driving it.”
Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois
Company Size: Enterprise (200+ employees)
Industry: Agency
Kalman Tiboldi - CTO & Founder at GemOne-TVH - Simplify or Die: Why Complexity Is the Real IT Challenge
.png)
Isabelle Droll - CIO for Airline, Corporate, Hotels & Resorts and Sustainability at TUI - Data, Diversity, and Destinations
.png)
Sharon Prior - CIO in transition - How Great Tech Leadership Begins with Business Thinking
-1.jpg)
José Antonio López, Group CIO at TOUS - Jewels, Data & AI: Inside the Digital Transformation of TOUS
.png)
Tom Tanghe - General Manager ITC EMEA at Daikin Europe - Reinventing the CIO Role
.jpg)
CIOFEST 2025 - From Order Taker to Proactive Disruptor
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.
.png?width=600&height=600&name=Anna%20Kopp%20(1).png)
