A Global Gathering of Digital Leaders

CIOFEST 2025 lit up Milan on March 20, 2025, at the elegant Residenza Vignale, bringing together the brightest minds in IT and digital leadership. As a globally synchronized event across all CIONET locations, CIOFEST set the stage for an electrifying exchange of ideas, strategies, and forward-thinking leadership insights.

With a blend of pre-recorded international discussions and engaging local panels, the event was a powerhouse of knowledge, focusing on the evolving role of the CIO in a digital-first era. Whether you’re an aspiring IT leader or a seasoned CIO, the takeaways from this event are game-changing.

A Grand Welcome & A Milestone Celebration

The event kicked off with an inspiring address by Hendrik Deckers, Founder & Executive Chairman at CIONET, and Francesco Tondi, Country Manager of CIONET Italia. This year marked a significant milestone - the 20th anniversary of CIONET, a testament to two decades of shaping the global CIO community. The opening discussions reflected on how the CIO role has evolved from a purely technical position to a key strategic leadership function driving business transformation.

Panel Discussions:

CIO Career Paths
A high-impact local panel, moderated by Paolo Pasini, Associate Professor of Practice, Information Systems and IT/Digital Management at SDA Bocconi, brought together top CIOs to unravel their career trajectories:
Francesco Ciuccarelli, Chief Innovation & Technology Officer at Alpitour World, Sergio Faranda, CIO at DHL Supply Chain Italy, Gionata Tedeschi, General Manager Innovation & Technology at Gruppo 24 ORE, and Donatella Paschina, Former CIO, Business Mentor, Strategy & Planning Advisor shared personal milestones, shedding light on key career moves and leadership growth.
Giuseppe Pasceri, CEO at SUBITO.IT offered a CEO’s perspective on digital leadership, highlighting the pivotal moments when technology expertise translated into executive influence.

Key Takeaway: A successful CIO career isn’t just about tech mastery - it’s about navigating business strategy, leadership, and influence.

Provocative Statements Discussion

A spirited debate ensued around bold statements challenging traditional CIO roles:

• CIO as Strategist: “CIOs who define themselves primarily by technology are already obsolete. The modern CIO is a business strategist first, technologist second.” Panelists weighed in on this shift, reinforced by global insights from an international panel.
• CIO as Influencer: CIOs need to become masters of influence, not just within their organizations, but across entire ecosystems. Building strategic partnerships will be crucial for success.
• Measuring Digital Impact: How can CIOs effectively measure and demonstrate the business benefits and returns of new digital initiatives? The discussion explored the CIO's role as a Pivot of Digital Innovation and a Business Value Enabler, focusing on strategies to translate digital investments into tangible business outcomes.

Key Takeaway: CIOs must reinvent themselves as business influencers, strategic visionaries, and measurable impact creators.

Next Generation CIOs

The final part of the panel focused on the next generation of CIOs, offering practical advice on how future IT leaders can strengthen their influence, develop essential skills, and transition into broader executive roles. The discussion provided actionable insights for those looking to navigate the evolving landscape of IT leadership and drive business success beyond traditional technology functions.

Key Takeaway: The CIO of the future is a cross-functional leader, shaping business strategy beyond IT boundaries.

Strategic collaborations

Stefano Mainetti, Executive Chairman at Adesso.it and Flavio Radice, Country Leader at Stefanini EMEA, tackled the transformation of business partnerships in IT. Moving beyond traditional vendor-client relationships, the discussion emphasized the need for CIOs to foster strategic alliances that drive measurable business value.

From Insight to Action: Q&A & Networking

The event concluded with an engaging Q&A session, followed by a networking cocktail where attendees exchanged ideas, forged new connections, and explored potential collaborations.

Key Takeaway: The power of networking cannot be underestimated - your next career move could start with a single conversation.

CIOFEST 2025 underscored a critical shift: CIOs are no longer just tech leaders - they are business visionaries, value creators, and strategic powerhouses. As digital transformation accelerates, staying ahead requires a mindset shift from technology management to business leadership.

For those charting their CIO career, the insights from this event serve as a blueprint for success in the future of IT leadership. The journey isn’t just about mastering technology - it’s about shaping the future of business through innovation, strategy, and influence.

CIOFEST was symbolically celebrated with a grand cake-cutting ceremony, where CIONET's Founder Hendrik Deckers marked the occasion by cutting the cake, adding a sweet touch to the milestone event.

CIONET is proud to have carried its mission for 20 years and is committed to continuing its journey of empowering CIOs and digital leaders for many more years to come.

Our sincere gratitude extends to all the panellists, Business Partners and all participating Digital Leaders for their invaluable insights at this event! 

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Did you attend the event? Share your thoughts and key takeaways in the comments below!