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Belgium 21-10-25 Squad Only Physical english

AI in Practice ; What it really takes to move from pilot to production

Every organisation has a handful of AI pilots. But very few have scaled them. The models are accurate. The vision is clear. But something’s always in the way; lack of infrastructure, unclear ownership, security concerns, or just plain fatigue. This is a conversation for people in the messy middle of the AI journey, those navigating the leap from promising prototypes to operational value.

Belgium 21-10-25 Invitation Only Physical english

CIONET Round Table - From Disconnected Data to Unified Insight ; Building a 360° customer view to unlock commercial growth

In today's competitive landscape, customer expectations have never been higher. They demand a personalised, seamless experience at every touchpoint, from initial marketing contact to post-sale service. Unified data is at the heart of creating engaging customer experiences and is meant to fuel the 360 profile. However, for many organizations, a complete picture of the customer is fragmented, with critical data scattered in disconnected systems and departments. This exclusive roundtable will bring together Digital Leaders active in multiple industries to discuss a critical challenge: breaking down data silos to build a true 360° view of the customer. We will explore how to solve the complex integration challenges that prevent a unified view, and how to transform disparate data into a single source of truth. Join us to: Discover how to overcome the technical hurdles of integrating critical business systems, such as ERP and CRM platforms, to unify customer data. Explore real-world case studies on how organisations have successfully created unified customer insights to enhance personalisation and boost commercial and operational efficiency. Discuss best practices for turning fragmented data into actionable insights that can anticipate customer needs, drive revenue growth, and foster long-term loyalty. This is a unique opportunity for Digital Leaders who are ready to transform their customer engagement strategy and unlock the full potential of their data.

Belgium 22-10-25 Invitation Only Physical english

The End of the Firewall

Enterprises are questioning whether private networks and stacked firewalls are still worthwhile investments. A newer approach operates on the open internet with Zero Trust, eliminates perimeter complexity, and reframes cybersecurity as a business performance metric for boards and audit committees. This is a closed-door, peer discussion, not a lecture. We’ll examine the promise and its pitfalls: Are the promised savings significant, or are they too good to be true? What risks do you introduce? How does this collide with your installed base, legacy OT, entrenched processes and team competencies, and how do you overcome that without breaking operations or credibility with the board? Two senior leaders from global companies will spark the dialogue with lived experience: Kurt De Ruwe, CIO AkzoNobel Frank Bolata, CIO Syensqo

October 21, 2025 Squad Session Squad Only Physical english

AI in Practice ; What it really takes to move from pilot to production

November 4, 2025 Squad Session Squad Only Virtual english

From Backlog to Value ; Prioritising what matters when everything feels urgent

You’ve got a roadmap, a backlog, and a lot of pressure. Every team wants their feature. Every stakeholder claims urgency. And your developers? They just want to deliver something meaningful. But how do you prioritise in a way that serves the business, and keeps the team sane? If your backlog keeps growing and your outcomes stay flat, this session helps you turn intent into value, without losing control.

November 18, 2025 Squad Session Squad Only Physical english

Business Process Driven Architecture ; Designing systems that follow how your organisation actually works

Too often, architecture is drawn top-down, neat boxes, elegant flows, and little connection to the way teams really work. But what if we flipped it? What if our systems evolved from the actual processes, pains, and needs that drive the business? If you’re tired of systems that look good on slides but frustrate in practice, this session will ground the conversation where value is created, at the process level.

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Reviving BestPlaces: an unexpected rebound

BestPlaces leveraged Jasper's API to give their content a much-needed facelift, witnessing an astounding 800% surge in traffic as a result.

“AI is a tool in my belt that keeps the website relevant for our audience”

Al Olsen CTO

There's nothing quite like the dread a company feels when a sudden Google algorithm update decimates its traffic. BestPlaces, a trusted website for location-based information, learned this the hard way. Providing data-driven content about the best places to live, work, and visit - from cost of living comparisons to crime rates to school quality - BestPlaces saw a marked decline in traffic that threatened its place in the market.

Challenges and Setbacks

BestPlaces excelled at presenting complex, location-based data in a digestible format. But the algorithm change hampered its reach, engagement, and by extension, its reputation. The situation needed urgent intervention. The goal? Not simply to recover lost ground, but to rebound stronger and better than ever before.

Tackling Traffic Drop with Jasper's API

When the going gets tough, the tough get innovative. BestPlaces leveraged Jasper's API to give their content a much-needed facelift. The API allowed BestPlaces to streamline and automate their content creation by integrating directly into their content platform. This resulted in the automated creation of over 80,000 header paragraphs that uniquely described different locations across the US. A mammoth task, executed to perfection, without compromising on the authenticity of the content.

The Payoff: A Remarkable 800% Increase in Traffic

Taking a calculated risk that paid off splendidly, BestPlaces witnessed an astounding 800% surge in traffic, surpassing all previous records and re-establishing its prominence in a fiercely competitive marketplace. This strategic shift not only successfully reinstated the website's reputation but also liberated the marketing team's valuable time, allowing them to channel their efforts toward fostering creativity and further driving traffic through captivating feature articles. As a result, the website experienced sustained growth and continued to captivate an ever-expanding audience.

Leading the Race: BestPlaces Trumps Competition

The story doesn't end with recovery. Today, BestPlaces has emerged as a formidable contender in the race for traffic. By exploring the capabilities of AI and tuning Jasper queries to produce unique content, BestPlaces not only draws a greater influx of visitors but is surpassing some of its long-time competitors.

This remarkable achievement is a testament to the incredible power of strategic, innovative thinking - a power unleashed and amplified by the game-changing capabilities of Jasper's API. With its cutting-edge technology and visionary approach, BestPlaces continues to pave the way for success in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

BestPlaces' journey is proof that no matter how steep the decline, with the right tools and a willingness to adapt to the ever-shifting climate and market, making a comeback is not just possible — it's inevitable.

BestPlaces is a trusted website for location-based information, providing data-driven content about the best places to live, work, and visit - from the cost of living comparisons to crime rates to school quality. BestPlaces guides over three million visitors per month as a free resource to find their home.

Headquarters: Portland, Oregon USA

Company Size: Small Business (1-25 employees)

Industry: Software

Technologies

Jasper

CIONET Business Circles

Healthcare Circle

Digital Transformation is redefining the future of health care and health delivery. All stakeholders are convinced that these innovations will create value for patients, healthcare practitioners, hospitals, and governments along the patient pathway. The benefits are starting from prevention and awareness to diagnosis, treatment, short- and long-term follow-up, and ultimately survival. But how do you make sure that your working towards an architecturally sound, secure and interoperable health IT ecosystem for your hospital and avoid implementing a hodgepodge of spot solutions? How does your IT department work together with the other stakeholders, such as the doctors and other healthcare practitioners, Life Sciences companies, Tech companies, regulators and your internal governance and administrative bodies?

Telenet Business Leadership Circle

The Telenet Business Leadership Circle powered by CIONET, offers a platform where IT executives and thought leaders can meet to inspire each other and share best practices. We want to be a facilitator who helps you optimise the performance of your IT function and your business by embracing the endless opportunities that digital change brings.

Les Rencontres

Découvrez la dynamique du leadership numérique aux Rencontres de CIONET, le programme francophone exclusif de CIONET pour les leaders numériques en Belgique, rendu possible grâce au soutien et à l'engagement de nos partenaires de programme : Deloitte, Denodo et Red Hat. Rejoignez trois événements inspirants par an à Liège, Namur et en Brabant Wallon, où des CIOs et des experts numériques francophones de premier plan partagent leurs perspectives et expériences sur des thèmes d'affaires et de IT actuels. Laissez-vous inspirer et apprenez des meilleurs du secteur lors de sessions captivantes conçues spécialement pour soutenir et enrichir votre rôle en tant que CIO pair. Ne manquez pas cette opportunité de faire partie d'un réseau exceptionnel d'innovateurs numériques !

Female Leadership Circle

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. Our mission is to shine the spotlight a little brighter on female role models in IT, Tech & Digital, and to empower each other through this inner network community.