About

Digital value only lands when business behaviour changes.

Most of the technology available today can do the job it was bought for. So why do so many transformations still fall short? The launch goes well, the early numbers look healthy, and yet the following year people are back to their old ways of working.

This evening puts that idea to the test with people who have lived it, and asks what it really takes to turn a new way of working into a habit.

What we’ll explore

Why adoption fades after launch, and what keeps a new way of working going
Who really carries change through an organisation, and where leaders spend their time
Where accountability for adoption sits between IT and the rest of the business
How to show the board that the value in the business case has actually arrived
How to lead AI adoption when there’s no single launch date and habits form early

The format

We start with a fireside chat with Ben Walder, Head of Change, Innovation & AI at AIB UK, on what makes change stick in practice.

Next Alessandro Ventura and Norma Dove-Edwin will share how they lead change with their boards and executive peers, what has worked, and what they would do differently next time.

Join us for CIONET UK’s final session of 2026. Register now to save your place.

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.

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Alessandro Ventura

Global VP Technology Transformation

Unilever

Alessandro (Ale) Ventura is a global technology transformation executive with more than 25 years of experience turning complex enterprise change into measurable business value, with a current focus on ERP simplification, data foundations and AI-enabled transformation at scale.

As Global Vice President, Technology Transformation at Unilever, Alessandro leads the company’s CEO-sponsored global transformation programme, simplifying business processes, modernising enterprise platforms, strengthening data foundations and creating the conditions for enterprise-wide AI adoption.

His leadership track record includes programmes that reduced legacy application landscapes by more than 90%, delivered €100 million in annualized savings through technology simplification, modernised enterprise operating models and established foundations for AI at scale.

In his current role, Alessandro is accountable for technology strategy, transformation governance, investment prioritisation and executive stakeholder alignment across a multiyear global programme. He also leads the technology separation for Unilever’s €14 billion Foods business, overseeing architecture, data, platforms and transition governance for one of the company’s most significant business transformations.

Previously, Alessandro served as Chief Information Officer and Head of Market Operations for Unilever North America, the company’s largest market with annual revenues exceeding USD 11 billion. As a member of the North America Leadership Team, he was responsible for technology, analytics and shared services, leading major transformation initiatives, overseeing significant technology investment portfolios and driving large-scale digital adoption across the business.

He is recognised for translating ambitious strategic objectives into practical execution, aligning technology investments with business priorities and building high-performing, globally distributed teams. In recognition of his leadership and impact, he was named a finalist in the prestigious Global CIO ORBIE Awards in 2019.

Beyond his executive responsibilities, Alessandro is a member of the World Economic Forum’s MINDS Impact Council, where he contributes to the evaluation of AI impact initiatives across industries, and serves as a Non-Executive Director of technology startup Techstar.it, bringing an external perspective on innovation, governance and emerging technology.

Based in London, Alessandro is passionate about harnessing technology, data and artificial intelligence to simplify organisations, create sustainable value and deliver meaningful impact for business and society.

Explore the program

Program

Royal Society of Chemistry

           
          18:00 
        
                Welcome Networking Reception 
        
          19:00 
        
                Warm Welcome
        
          19:45 
        
                Panel discussion with distinguished leaders and Q&A
        
          20:45 
        
                Drinks reception & Networking
        
          21:30 
        
                Carriages

Venue

Taking place at the Royal Society of Chemistry, a prestigious venue in the heart of London. With its elegant surroundings, modern event spaces and central location, it provides the perfect setting for an evening of insightful discussion, networking and connection.

Royal Society of Chemistry