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Belgium 01-10-2026 Squad Only Virtual english

Letting Teams Build Safely with Low-Code, No-Code, and AI Tools. ; How to enable business-led development while keeping security, architecture, and support under control.

Low-code, no-code, and AI tools are giving business teams more ability to build solutions themselves. The challenge is setting the right boundaries before fast local solutions become important operational assets. Three pressure points need attention. - Boundaries must be clear: teams need to know what they can build alone and what requires IT, security, or architecture review. - Supportability matters when a quick solution becomes business-critical. - Risk control remains necessary around data access, compliance, security, process dependency, and maintenance. The working question is simple: how do we enable business-led development while keeping security, ownership, and support under control? If you are trying to enable this safely, let’s compare approaches with others facing the same balance.

Belgium 06-10-2026 All Members Physical english

The Token Trap: Reclaiming Control of Enterprise AI

As enterprise AI transitions from experimental Proofs of Concept (POCs) into real implementations, digital leaders are encountering a shared challenge: consumption-based public cloud token billing models do not fit neatly into traditional IT budgeting. Daily token consumption can rise unexpectedly, pushing expenses through the roof while arbitrary caps quickly kill momentum for innovation. For many CIOs, this raises an open strategic question: How do we keep costs under control while further stimulating innovation? During this interactive CIONET roundtable, we will explore among peers how to navigate AI tokenomics. Rather than treating public cloud LLMs as the default path, we will investigate how different execution environments, ranging from hybrid cloud setups and targeted on-premise models to specialised edge hardware, can help balance cost with performance. This session is intentionally designed as an open peer-to-peer exchange; a space to compare notes, challenge current ways of working and architectural setups, and discuss practical approaches to building predictable, scalable AI models.

Belgium 08-10-2026 All Members Physical english

The Permanent (R)evolution

Every large organisation has been through a major transformation, and most through several. The word transformation is misleading because it suggests a beginning and an end. But organisations that do well are the ones that have given up on the idea of arriving and realise that constant change has become the new norm, and missing a single cycle leaves you permanently behind. This evening, two leaders will share how they think about this, coming from opposite directions. John Porter led Telenet through a sustained period of reinvention spanning the pandemic, a full reorganisation into tribes, M&A, and a shift to a performance driven culture. Along the way, the IT department was dissolved and technology was embedded inside autonomous tribes that run as small businesses. There is no CIO at Telenet. It is Telenet Group’s purpose to become a digital-first, customer-centric organisation. To deliver on this ambition, it has embarked on a transformation journey built on three pillars: (i) the implementation of a scaled-agile operating model (organisation), (ii) the acceleration of digitisation and automation underpinned by optimised IT systems, platforms, and strategic technology partnerships (digitisation), and (iii) a performance leadership culture focused on accountability, ownership, and a change mindset (culture). Kris Vervaet, on the other hand, has just become CIO at KBC, the bank whose mobile app has been ranked best in the world three times and whose AI assistant Kate now handles 70% of customer queries on its own. But Kris is no ordinary CIO: he ran DPG Media Belgium as CEO, and KBC went looking for someone who has led transformation rather than someone who manages technology. So while one organisation got rid of the CIO role, the other reinvented it, and both are thriving. The conversation will range across organisational and IT redesign, the rise of digital-first customer experience, the impact of AI on how every business is run, and the harder questions of culture, talent and leadership. The question for every leader in the room is what that tells you about your own role, your own operating model, and the pace at which you are prepared to keep evolving.

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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

Cyber Circle

CIONET’s Cyber Circle: a new three-event programme exclusively focusing on the most urgent, complex, and high-impact challenges in cybersecurity today. Launched in 2026, this initiative brings together CISOs, CIOs, and senior IT executives with a strong interest in cybersecurity for three curated gatherings each year. As part of CIONET’s trusted executive community, the Cyber Circle provides a confidential, peer-driven environment to exchange insights, share real-world experiences, and address evolving cyber threats. Each session is designed to foster strategic dialogue, strengthen resilience, and elevate cybersecurity as a core driver of business value.

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.