CIONEXT is just around the corner! Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to get to know one of our panellists – Tom Tanghe, General Manager ITC EMEA at Daikin Europe – and watch his full #LeadershipDeepDive interview. Have you already registered to join us on April 3rd at 15:00 CET? Now’s the time 👉 www.cionext.com/21!

In this episode, Hendrik Deckers discusses with Tom how IT is becoming a core business enabler rather than just a support function, and shares his practical and business-focused vision: creating value, staying close to the field, and avoiding rigid long-term plans.

Tom stresses the need for IT leaders to understand the business deeply, and for business leaders to become more tech-literate. Looking ahead, he sees CIOs needing to balance long-term strategic roadmaps with agile responsiveness to user feedback and shifting priorities - what he calls operating at "two speeds." The CIO role, in his view, is increasingly about orchestrating this collaboration, enabling innovation, and ensuring that technology serves both operational excellence and business transformation.

Curious about the tech aspects? Watch the full interview to find out about predictive sales tools and the 23 initiatives that harness the power of AI, the status of cloud adoption, and why low-code/no-code is addressed with a healthy dose of skepticism at Daikin!

Tom Tanghe - General Manager ITC EMEA at Daikin Europe - Reinventing the CIO Role

This February, CIONET hosted CIONEXT | Mastering Complexity, powered by Hitachi Vantara. We’re thrilled to present a new episode of our #LeadershipDeepDive series, featuring Kalman Tiboldi, CTO and Founder at GemOne–TVH.

In this insightful conversation, Hendrik Deckers explores why mastering technological complexity is essential to future-proofing businesses. Kalman shares how TVH is transitioning away from legacy systems toward a capability-based architecture, built on a composite model that focuses internal development on core differentiating systems.

He emphasizes the importance of simplification—untangling legacy “spaghetti” architectures and removing unnecessary layers. Data, he says, must be treated as a strategic asset: governed centrally and managed via data fabric and virtualization to ensure AI readiness without duplicating datasets.

On the infrastructure side, TVH is executing a cloud-first strategy, gradually moving toward full cloud adoption while currently operating in a hybrid environment.

For Kalman, AI is not the destination, but a tool—used to improve decision-making, boost productivity, and turn static manuals into intelligent knowledge sources. Looking ahead, he envisions AI agents automating business logic and enabling autonomous enterprises, while preserving the unique role of human intuition.

Curious to learn more? Watch the full interview now!

Kalman Tiboldi - Founder at GemOne-TVH - Why Complexity Is the Real IT Challenge

In this episode of the CIONET Podcast, Hendrik Deckers interviews Radosław Maćkiewicz, CEO of COI – Polish Centre for Information Technology, who is a nominee for the CIONET Awards 2026 (Applications & Architecture). Register here to find out who wins this prestigious title: https://www.cionet.com/events/cionet-awards-2026-part-1!  

Radosław unpacks Poland’s public-sector digital transformation—most visibly mObywatel (mCitizen), the national digital wallet and reflects on how COI:
- Reorganized ~700 engineers into 46 cross-functional product teams
- Shifted decisively to Agile with clear KPIs and product ownership
- Elevated delivery quality using DORA metrics (and dramatically improved time to restore)
- Boosted NPS from ~20 to 47 and raised app store ratings via continuous citizen feedback 
- Built API-first platforms and a reusable design system aligned with eIDAS 2.0
- Drove adoption to ~11M mObywatel users with an ambition of 20M by 2035

Beyond tech, Radosław highlights the human side: emotional engagement, trust, and empowerment as the foundation for change—plus the importance of investing in the Product Owner role to keep ministries, market feedback, roadmaps, and support aligned.

Don’t miss the panel where Radosław will share his accomplishments: https://www.cionet.com/events/cionet-awards-2026-part-1!  

#CIONET #CIONETAwards #CIONETAwards2026 #DigitalLeadership #CIO #CDO #CTO #CXO #Data #AI #Applications #Architecture #CIOCommunity

Radosław Maćkiewicz - CEO at COI - Empowering Citizens Through Digital Innovation

In this episode of the CIONET Podcast, Hendrik Deckers interviews Jesús Oliva, Head of Data & AI at Moeve, who is a nominee for the CIONET Awards 2026 in the Data & AI category. Register here to find out who wins this prestigious title 👉 https://www.cionet.com/events/cionet-awards-2026-part-1!

Jesús shares the story of how he took Moeve from foundational data challenges to leading the way in industrial AI implementation, delivering tens of millions in value. He emphasizes the importance of value over volume in AI projects and shares how his team proved that AI could drive tangible business results, including a 300% ROI from their first pilot.

Throughout the conversation, Jesús reveals how Moeve prioritized data democratization and AI accessibility to create a data-driven culture across the organization. He discusses the three pillars that guided the transformation: building robust data foundations, democratizing data access, and demonstrating tangible business value through AI.

Jesús also dives into the modular approach that underpins Moeve’s AI strategy, stressing how modularity in AI development ensures scalability and sustainability across projects. He further explains how Moeve’s responsible AI practices, coupled with their AI governance framework, have ensured the company’s AI initiatives are ethical and effective at scale.

Don’t miss the panel where Jesús will share more about his AI journey, powered by our trusted partner, Splunk 👉  https://www.cionet.com/events/cionet-awards-2026-part-1!

Jesús Oliva, Head of Data & AI at Moeve - From Data Challenges to AI Leadership

In this episode of the CIONET Podcast, Hendrik Deckers interviews Giuseppe Ficara, Senior Director and Global Head of Data and AI at Amplifon in Milano, Italy, the nominee in the Data & AI category. Register here to find out who wins this prestigious title 👉 https://www.cionet.com/events/cionet-awards-2026-part-1!

Giuseppe is leading a transformative data and AI initiative at Amplifon, a global leader in hearing care with over 20,000 employees. Giuseppe shares the story of how Amplifon moved past foundational data challenges following a complex cloud migration to spearhead a critical AI-driven phase of data governance. The company faced a deficit in internal knowledge after integrating 16 different data platforms over four years. He explains that the transformation was essential to transition Amplifon from a reactive to a proactive data governance model.

Giuseppe emphasises the dramatic results of their AI-first approach, including a 90% reduction in the effort and cost of the data governance program by leveraging AI for the 'back office' definition work and asking human stakeholders only to review the output. Their efforts also led to a 15% reduction in cloud spending for the data ecosystem by optimizing data pipelines. Throughout the conversation,

Giuseppe reveals how Amplifon prioritised the engagement of the final stakeholder to successfully build the new capability. He discusses the three core objectives: reducing technical debt, internalising knowledge, and changing the data governance approach. He further explains how setting up the AI ​​platform and architecture has created a long-term capability for scaling AI responsibly in compliance with regulations like the AI ​​Act. 

Don’t miss the panel where Giuseppe will share more about his AI journey, powered by our trusted partner, Splunk 👉  https://www.cionet.com/events/cionet-awards-2026-part-1!

Giuseppe Ficara - The Untold Story of Amplifon's Data & AI Transformation.

In this episode of the CIONET Podcast, Hendrik Deckers interviews Hanna Huber, CTO of Flix Tech, who is a nominee for the CIONET Awards 2026 (Applications & Architecture). Register here to find out who wins this prestigious title: https://www.cionet.com/events/cionet-awards-2026-part-1!  


Hanna Huber, CTO of Flix Tech, shares her career journey and the transformation at Flix, which operates in 44 countries. She discusses the need for a new tech operating model to support business growth and the importance of managing tech costs. Hannah emphasizes collaboration with tech teams and business units, the value of visual communication, and the significance of understanding complexities in leadership. She also identifies future challenges and offers advice for leaders.


Don’t miss the panel where Hanna will share her accomplishments: https://www.cionet.com/events/cionet-awards-2026-part-1!

Hanna Huber - CTO at Flix Tech - Transforming Technology at Flix

In this episode, Hendrik Deckers sits down with Rajat Dhawan, Group Chief Digital & Technology Officer at Soho House, who is a nominee for the CIONET Awards 2026 in the Data & AI category. Register here to find out who wins this prestigious title 👉 https://www.cionet.com/events/cionet-awards-2026-part-1!

Together, they explore how Soho House - one of the world’s most iconic hospitality brands - transformed into a data-driven, AI-powered global leader — without losing its uniquely human, high-touch identity.

Over his six-year journey, Rajat has led a wholesale cultural, digital, and technological transformation, modernising over 300 legacy systems, building a world-class data and AI capability, and reshaping how Soho House understands, engages, and serves its 200,000+ members worldwide.

Don’t forget to join the online Awards Ceremony that we’re organising together with our partner - Splunk - where Rajat will talk more about this impressive journey https://www.cionet.com/events/cionet-awards-2026-part-1!

Rajat Dhawan - Group CDTO at Soho House - How Data & AI Enhance Member Experiences

Watch the newest episode of the CIONET Podcast, where Claudio Balbo, Senior Director and Head of IT Architecture at Intesa Sanpaolo, discusses one of the most ambitious core banking transformations in Europe. Claudio is a Nominee in the Applications & Architecture category and a speaker at CIONET Awards: Part 1 on 9 December 2025 at 15:00 CET. Save your seat now to find out who wins this prestigious title  👉 https://www.cionet.com/events/cionet-awards-2026-part-1

In this episode, Claudio shares his journey in tech and his pivotal role in designing and implementing isytech – a cloud-native core banking platform that is revolutionizing the way Intesa Sanpaolo operates. Watch the full episode to find out more about:

🔹 Cloud-Native Core Banking: The strategic shift from legacy systems to modern, scalable cloud solutions.
 🔹 AI Adoption: How AI is becoming a critical part of the transformation, driving productivity and enhancing system capabilities.
 🔹 Leadership in Large-Scale Digital Transformations: Insights on leading teams, managing change, and balancing innovation with feasibility.
 🔹 Building the IT Future: How the bank is future-proofing its infrastructure, ensuring long-term sustainability.

Claudio emphasizes the importance of strategic thinking, team empowerment, and consistency in execution to successfully navigate digital transformations.

Secure your spot to discover who will win the CIONET Awards 2026 — and hear from Claudio and other Europe’s top digital leaders at CIONET Awards Part 1, powered by our partner Splunk 👉  https://www.cionet.com/events/cionet-awards-2026-part-1

Claudio Balbo - SD & Head of IT Architecture at Intesa Sanpaolo - Revolutionizing Core Banking

In this episode of the CIONET Podcast, Hendrik Deckers interviews Angélique Bidault-Verliac, the Chief Data & Performance Officer at SNCF Connect & Tech, the nominee in the Data & AI category during the #CIONETAwards2026.

Register here to find out who wins this prestigious title: https://www.cionet.com/events/cionet-awards-2026-part-1!  

Angélique is the force behind the evolution of SNCF Connect & Tech from its strong digital foundation to becoming a data-driven and AI-augmented organisation. This transformation powers the SNCF Connect platform, which is used daily by millions of people in France. Angélique's work spans critical areas including customer data, performance management, and AI innovation, driving significant business impact. Angélique shares her career journey, which is rooted in a core conviction: data must be used to solve an issue or fix something important, not collected merely for pleasure5. This problem-solving approach is central to her belief that data should help people make better decisions.

The conversation spotlights two major, impact-driven applications her team delivered:
- My Retrainspective: This initiative, which began as an internal hackathon, provided customers with a "year-in-journey" retrospective. It compared the kilometres travelled by train to the CO2 emissions saved versus driving. The result was phenomenal, with over 5.6 million visits in one day, showcasing its high customer engagement and reputational return.
- The Full Train Alert: Developed to address customer frustration over full trains, this feature allows users to subscribe to an alert for when a seat becomes available. The project was a great success, boosting client satisfaction, with one in two subscribers later booking a train.
- She concludes by identifying the next big challenge as moving from mass segmentation to true one-to-one personalisation using AI, a goal that places even higher demands on data quality. She also stresses the ongoing need to challenge and test the output of AI tools to ensure accuracy and responsibility.

Don't miss this inspiring talk about driving transformative change in the heart of French mobility!

Angélique Bidault-Verliac - CDPO, SNCF Connect & Tech - Data, AI, and Customer-First Transformation

In this episode of the CIONET Podcast, Hendrik Deckers interviews, Carla Milovanov, the Group CIO at Landal, the nominee in the Applications & Architecture category during the #CIONETAwards2026 powered by Splunk.

Register here to find out who wins this prestigious title: 👉 https://www.cionet.com/events/cionet-awards-2026-part-1!  

Carla Milovanov shares her experiences in integrating two holiday park brands. She discusses the challenges of cultural integration, the need for a unified architecture, and the role of technology in enhancing customer experience. The conversation covers the importance of governance, stakeholder management, and strategic decision-making in managing large-scale transformations, while also addressing the impact of digital transformation and AI in the hospitality industry.

Don’t miss the panel where Carla will share her accomplishments!

Carla Milovanov - Navigating Transformation: Insights from Landal's CIO

In this episode of the CIONET Podcast, Hendrik Deckers interviews, Raul Jimenez, Head of Data, AI & Integration Platforms at Sika, the nominee in the Data & AI category during the #CIONETAwards2026.

Register here to find out who wins this prestigious title: https://www.cionet.com/events/cionet-awards-2026-part-1!  

Raul’s CV is seriously impressive, boasting over two decades of international experience. He's been at the helm, steering digital transformation, innovation, and technology strategy across a wide range of industries globally. From being knee-deep in software engineering to project leadership and executive advising, he’s seen the whole picture.

Crucially, he’s recognised for building and successfully scaling complex enterprise platforms. His focus is spot on: embracing federated models, leveraging emerging technologies, and, most importantly, making sure everything is tightly aligned with the business strategy. Raul doesn't just manage technology; he cleverly bridges technical expertise with strategic vision, turning big, innovative ideas into real, lasting organisational impact.

Sika transforms its data and AI governance by centralising initiatives and establishing core platforms for data, AI, and integration. The organisation addresses connectivity issues, builds a data platform, and implements an AI governance framework. It shifts from project-based to product-based management, focusing on foundational data and processes. The future vision includes a cognitive enterprise system that leverages AI across all functions, ensuring competitiveness in the digital landscape.

Raul Jimenez - Transforming Data and AI Governance at Sika

CIONET is the leading community of senior digital and IT executives around the world. With a membership of CIOs, CDOs, CTOs and IT leaders from the world’s leading companies, CIONET has the expertise and pioneering vision to solve or address any digital or IT management challenge. CIONET develops, manages and moderates a global community and next-generation platform with an integrated array of both offline and online tools and services designed to provide real-time support for digital and IT executives.

Tom Tanghe - General Manager ITC EMEA at Daikin Europe - Reinventing the CIO Role

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