Addressing the data dynamic – working inside and outside the corporate envelope

About

In today’s rapidly shifting market landscape, the need for real-time, data-led decision-making has never been greater. Business leaders are under pressure to respond to change with agility, intelligence, and confidence — and data is central to that response.

Our Community Event on 10th July explores how organisations are moving beyond internal silos to harness a broader, richer ecosystem of information. From supply chain signals and customer behaviour to external partners and environmental factors, success increasingly depends on integrating data from both inside and outside the corporate envelope.

Our theme, “Addressing the Data Dynamic”, will explore how CIOs, CDOs and digital leaders are adapting their data strategies to improve resilience, efficiency, and innovation across the enterprise.

Key discussion points will include:

Aligning data strategy with real-time business needs
Leveraging external data sources and third-party insights
Applying AI, automation, and analytics to unlock value
Navigating governance, ethics, and data sharing responsibly

The evening will feature an in-depth interview with a headline data leader from a major UK organisation, followed by a panel discussion with senior executives who are reshaping how their businesses think about and act on data.

As ever, CIONET events are designed to offer more than just content. Expect meaningful conversations, practical insights, and the chance to connect with over 100 senior IT and digital leaders in an informal, welcoming setting.

Speakers and Panellists

Find out more about the speakers and our panellists

Craig Walker

Chairman | Moderator

CIONET UK

Craig graduated in the summer of 1981 from the University of Surrey with a BSc.

Hons in Chemical Engineering. He joined Shell as an IT programmer in London.

Over the next 17 years, his career in IT management progressed and saw him spend

10 years as an expatriate in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Colombia.

In 1998, he moved to KPMG as an Associates Partner to learn about other

industries, cultures, and ways of working. In 2005, after what he describes as the

best 6-year training course Shell let him go on, he returned in 2005 to Shell as CIO

for the African Downstream businesses based in Cape Town. After 3 years he

became Global CIO of Shell Trading and Shipping based in Houston, Texas and

then, in 2014, became Global CIO of Shell Downstream based in London.

He is a high energy leader who has spent most of his career leading large-scale

digital transformations. As Global CIO of Shell Downstream business, his team

delivered billions of dollars of savings and value, created new ways of working,

enabled faster business strategy realisation and ultimately reduced the IT budget by

45%, creating more reliable and secure solutions, and delivering the next generation

of transformative technology. While these global transformations were technology

driven, they were highly business focused. His success can be attributed to

recognising the complexities of large-scale change and including all the key

stakeholders in business and IT to ensure a level of buy-in and energy such that they

were able to fundamentally transform the businesses.

He retired from Shell in 2020, and joined Salesforce as an SVP, Strategic Advisor to

the office of the CEO, where he worked with c-suite to help them refine and deliver

their business strategy. He advised hundreds of customers, building strong

relationships and helping drive transformational change through bringing technology and people together.

He has now retired for a second time and is now busier than ever having teamed up

with five ex-KPMG colleagues, who have a lifetime of experience, knowledge and a

track record of success, to create Veles Consulting which has the tag line “Our

Experience, Your Success”. There are delivering a range of services including

Strategic Business Advice, NED/Virtual Board Services, Company Review,

Leadership Development and Transformational programmes. He is enjoying working again with old friends and colleagues.

He also chairs the Institute of Coding, which is dedicated to delivering free technical

skills learning to disadvantaged people in the UK, as well as participating on several

advisory and executive boards.

He has a passion for business, developing people, enjoying his family, travelling,

good food and wine, and life.

Femi Bamisaiye

Chief Technology and Operating Officer

Nest

A seasoned strategic technology, operations, and board executive, Femi Bamisaiye is Chief Technology and Operating Officer at Nest Pensions one of the UK’s largest pension providers. He was previously Chief Information Officer, UK General Insurance for Aviva, delivering the critical technology priorities underpinning its corporate growth strategy.

Femi joined Aviva from HomeServe PLC where he was CIO with responsibility for
technology and change strategy and delivery across their UK business.
Before this, Femi was at Royal Mail where he was Divisional CIO for Parcelforce and
Royal Mail International.

Femi spent six years at the London 2012 Olympics organising committee (LOCOG) and was a core member of the team that designed, built, and delivered the technology and timing & scoring for the London 2012 Olympic Games. With overall responsibility for implementing the key business systems that supported the planning and delivery of the Games he saw the organisation grow from 100 people to the 200,000 needed to deliver the event and then helped shut it down.

Femi’s earlier career involved roles across Manufacturing with Rexam PLC and the
Telecommunications sector with IBM Global Services. He grew up in Nigeria and has lived and worked on five continents. He has a degree in Economics and an MBA in
International Business.

Femi is also a Non-Executive Director at the Institute of Directors, having joined the
board of the IoD in February 2019 attracted by its purpose to make better directors for a better world. He is Chair of the Remuneration committee and a member of the Nomination Committee.

Explore the program

Program

Registrations for this event will close on 30 June

Cognizant

           
          18:00 
        
                Arrival with drinks, canapes & bowl food
        
          19:00 
        
                Warm Welcome
        
          19:05 
        
                Keynote
        
          19:30 
        
                Break 
        
          19:45 
        
                Panel discussion with distinguished leaders and Q&A
        
          20:45 
        
                Drinks reception, desert & cheese
        
          21:30 
        
                Carriages

Venue

Hosted at Cognizant HQ.

Cognizant

Digital Britain

Addressing the data dynamic – working inside and outside the corporate envelope

About

Speakers and Panellists

Program

Venue

CIONET UK: Community Events 2024

Partners

Not a CIONET member yet?

Follow us

Addressing the data dynamic – working inside and outside the corporate envelope

About

Speakers and Panellists

Craig Walker

Craig Walker

Norma Dove-Edwin

James Glavey

Femi Bamisaiye

Femi Bamisaiye

Nick Barth

Program

Venue

CIONET UK: Community Events 2024

Partners

Not a CIONET member yet?

Follow us