Empowering Beyond Summit 2026

EBS26 will be an incredible platform for visionary insights from influential leaders across industries. A thrilling exploration into harnessing new age tech along with disruptive business models to help Global 2000 firms navigate an uncertain business environment. This exclusive and immersive event will connect executive peers and incredible thought leaders on how to leverage the power of tech enabled services to drive sustained success.

THE EMPOWERING BEYOND EXPERIENCE

Days of Immersive Experiences

+ C-Level Executives

+ Thought Leaders

+ Inspiring Sessions

Empowering Beyond Summit 2026 Agenda

Sunday, May 3rd

Time

Session

3:00PM – 5:00PM

INNOVATION WORKSHOPS

Collaborative whiteboard discussions with an intimate gathering of industry leaders to ideate around leveraging disruptive technologies to drive innovation and success.

WORKSHOP: AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE

WORKSHOP: BFSI

WORKSHOP: HEALTHCARE & AI

WORKSHOP: AI/Retail/Travel & Transportation/Media

5:00PM – 7:30PM

Dinner

Monday, May 4th

Time

Session

8:00AM – 10:30AM

The Avafit Experience

An energizing and inclusive way to kick off EBS26.
Vista Lawns at the Waterfront Hotel.

Start your morning with networking and healthy breakfast in a relaxed outdoor setting, followed by a full group warm-up to set the tone for the day. From there, guests can choose from a range of wellness activities, including yoga, beach walks, and massage sessions—designed to suit every pace and preference.

1:00PM – 1:15PM

OPENING REMARKS – WELCOME TO AVASANT’S 2026 EMPOWERING BEYOND SUMMIT!

(Breakwater Ballroom)

Anupam Govil – Managing Partner, Avasant
Taylor Yahne – MC

1:15PM – 1:45PM

Opening Keynote

(Breakwater Ballroom)

1:45PM – 2:15PM

FIRESIDE CHAT – THRIVING IN THE AI ERA: STEERING HUMANS, AI AND MACHINES THROUGH CONTINUOUS DISRUPTION

(Breakwater Ballroom)

George Mathew – Managing Director, Insight Partners
Philip Guido – Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, AMD
Anupam Govil – Managing Partner, Avasant (Moderator)

2:15PM – 2:45PM

FIRESIDE CHAT – RETHINKING TECH MODERNIZATION: TURNING COMPLEXITY INTO COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

(Breakwater Ballroom)

Holland Barry – Chief Technology Officer, DXC Technology
Bharat Amin – Co-chair Distinguished Fellow Program, Board of Trustees – The Aerospace Corp. (Moderator)

2:45PM – 3:15PM

BREAK

3:15PM – 3:50PM

PANEL DISCUSSION – LEAPFROGGING ENTERPRISE TRANSFORMATION: FROM AUTOMATION TO AUTONOMY

(Breakwater Ballroom)

Brian Kelly – VP, Global Strategic Sourcing, Prudential
Eric Iverson – Chief Executive Officer, United Talent Agency
Shobhit Patnaik – Partner, Avasant (Moderator)

PANEL DISCUSSION – THE QUANTUM EFFECT: PREPARING FOR THE COMPUTING DISRUPTION

(Coastal Ballroom)

Florenta Teodoridis – Associate Professor of Management and Organization, USC
David Steuerman – Architect of Impactful Public-Private Partnerships, UCLA
Shael Roopchand – Senior Director, Avasant
Jim Rinaldi – Distinguished Fellow, Avasant (Moderator)

3:50PM – 4:25PM

PANEL DISCUSSION – HOW AI IS REWRITING THE HEALTHCARE PAYOR PLAYBOOK

(Breakwater Ballroom)

Kirk Mitchell – Sr. Manager, Vendor Management Organization, BlueCross and BlueShield Association
Josh Zalen – SVP and Chief Information Officer, Independent Health
Ajoy Ranga – CDO, UST
Nishant Verma – Managing Partner, Avasant (Moderator)

PANEL DISCUSSION – CYBERSECURITY IN THE AGE OF AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS: SECURING AI-DRIVEN ENTERPRISES

(Coastal Ballroom)

Jay Weinstein – Distinguished Fellow, Avasant (Moderator)
Laura Mc Canlies – CIO, IFC
Soleil Dolce – CISO, CVS Health
Maylee Sanchez – CIO, Health Choice Network

4:30PM – 4:50PM

CXO DEEP DIVE – FROM MODELS TO STEWARDSHIP: REFRAMING THE AI CONVERSATION

(Breakwater Ballroom)

Max Chan – SVP and Global Chief Information Officer, Avnet

AVASANT RESEARCH INSIGHTS – UNVEILING ENTERPRISE TECH AND AI SPEND FOR 2026/2027

(Coastal Ballroom)

Dave Wagner – Senior Research Director, Avasant
Ruth Steinberg – Partner, Avasant

4:50PM – 5:25PM

PANEL DISCUSSION – FORTIFYING AEROSPACE & DEFENSE: CONVERTING RESILIENT SUPPLY CHAINS INTO MARKET ADVANTAGE

(Breakwater Ballroom)

Rachel Yegiaian – Divisional CIO and IT Business Partner Lead, Boeing
Naresh Lachmandas – Partner and Distinguished Fellow, Avasant (Moderator)

PANEL DISCUSSION – CEO INSIGHTS: FUTUREPROOFING BUSINESS AGAINST GEO-POLITICAL AND MARKET UNCERTAINTIES

(Coastal Ballroom)

Ray Barnard – Distinguished Fellow, Avasant
Erica Hausheer – Distinguished Fellow, Avasant
Fred Pond – Distinguished Fellow, Avasant (Moderator)

5:25PM – 5:55PM

CLOSING KEYNOTE

(Breakwater Ballroom)

5:55PM – 6:00PM

DAY 1 WRAP UP & CLOSING REMARKS

(Breakwater Ballroom)

Anupam Govil – Summit Chair and Managing Partner, Avasant

6:00PM – 7:30PM

Closing Reception

(Breakwater Ballroom)

7:30PM – 9:00PM

Dinner

Tuesday, May 5th

Time

Session

8:05AM – 8:15AM

OPENING REMARKS – WELCOME TO DAY 2!

(Breakwater Ballroom)

Anupam Govil – Summit Chair and Managing Partner, Avasant

8:15AM – 8:45AM

OPENING KEYNOTE

(Breakwater Ballroom)

Gamiel Gran – Chief Commercial Officer, Mayfield

8:45AM – 9:20AM

PLENARY KEYNOTE – FUTUREPROOFED: BUILDING RESILIENCE IN UNCERTAINTY

(Breakwater Ballroom)

Kevin Parikh – CEO & Chairman, Avasant

9:20AM – 9:50AM

FIRESIDE CHAT – BUILT TO LAST: TRANSLATING BOARDROOM STRATEGY INTO OUTCOMES IN AN EVERCHANGING WORLD

(Breakwater Ballroom)

Aayush Bhatnagar – Global Head, Customer Experience, Sysco
Anupam Govil – Managing Partner, Avasant (Moderator)

9:50AM – 10:20AM

FIRESIDE CHAT – FUTURE OF SOURCING: REIMAGINING SERVICES IN THE AGE OF AUTONOMOUS DELIVERY

(Breakwater Ballroom)

Venu Lambu – CEO, LTM
Andre Sole – Managing Partner, Avasant (Moderator)

10:20AM – 10:50AM

BREAK

10:50AM – 11:10AM

CXO DEEP DIVE – POWERING DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE: FUELING AI’S EXPLOSIVE GROWTH

(Breakwater Ballroom)

John Hopkins – President and CEO, NuScale

RESEARCH INSIGHTS – THE NEXT TEN YEARS: MOONSHOTS THAT WILL DEFINE THE FUTURE

(Coastal Ballroom)

Chandrika Dutt – Research Director, Avasant

11:10AM – 11:45AM

PANEL DISCUSSION – LEVERAGING AI AND FINTECH FOR ENABLING THE BANK OF THE FUTURE

(Breakwater Ballroom)

Ramin Mobasseri – Head of Agentic AI Delivery, Wells Fargo
Girish Gajwani – VP, Technology, Barclays
Ajay Bhandari – SVP and Regional Head, US Banking, Infosys
Robert Joslin – Managing Partner, Avasant (Moderator)

PANEL DISCUSSION – GCCS AS INNOVATION HUBS: BALANCING COST, TALENT, AND GLOBAL EXPANSION

(Coastal Ballroom)

Arindam Mukhopadhyay – MD, Citi Finance
Joseph Martinez – GCPO, DTCC

11:45AM – 12:20PM

PANEL DISCUSSION – DE-RISKING SUPPLY CHAINS: HARNESSING AI TO OFFSET VULNERABILITIES IN A VOLATILE MARKET

(Breakwater Ballroom)

Jishnu Mullick – Principal, Deloitte
Mike Wheeler – Partner, Avasant (Moderator)

PANEL DISCUSSION – HUMAN FIRST: HOW PEOPLE AND CULTURE POWER AI TRANSFORMATION

(Coastal Ballroom)

Doris Tetz Carpenter – Chief Culture and Transformation Officer, Adventist Health
Sabina Dankwa – Global Head of Technology Communications, Marketing, and Philanthropy, Morgan Stanley
Walter Yosafat – Distinguished Fellow, Avasant (Moderator)

12:20PM – 12:50PM

KEYNOTE – THE HOLY GRAIL OF TRANSFORMATION: HARMONIZING CLOUD, DATA AND AI

(Breakwater Ballroom)

Rashmi Kumar – Chief Digital Transformation Officer, Medtronic

12:50PM – 1:50PM

LUNCH

1:50PM – 2:25PM

PANEL DISCUSSION – THE AI-POWERED RETAIL ENTERPRISE: REIMAGINING FROM FACTORY TO CONSUMER

(Breakwater Ballroom)

Jubin Thomas Mundackal – VP, Global Data, Retail and Product Systems, Capri Holdings
Ann Marie Ippoliti – SVP, Digital Commerce, Consumer Marketing, and Global Analytics, Michael Kors
Kerry O’Donnel – Head of AI, Interparfums, Inc
Harvey Gluckman – Partner, Avasant (Moderator)

PANEL DISCUSSION – MODERNIZING TRAVEL IN AN UNCERTAIN WORLD: DRIVING CUSTOMER JOURNEYS & OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE

(Coastal Ballroom)

Carlos Hernandez – Managing Partner, Avasant (Moderator)

2:25PM – 3:00PM

PANEL DISCUSSION – REVOLUTIONIZING HEALTHCARE DELIVERY THROUGH MEDTECH AND AI

(Breakwater Ballroom)

Pawanjit Singh – Chief Information Officer, Centria Autism
Mandeep Maini – Distinguished Fellow, Avasant (Moderator)

PANEL DISCUSSION – THE RISE OF PHYSICAL AI: FROM ROBOTICS TO AUTONOMOUS MACHINES

(Coastal Ballroom)

3:00PM – 3:20PM

CXO DEEP DIVE

(Breakwater Ballroom)

PANEL DISCUSSION – SUSTAINABILITY’S FUTURE: MOVING FROM REGULATORY MANDATES TO MARKET ADVANTAGE

(Coastal Ballroom)

Chitra Rajeshwari – Executive Director and Principal, Avasant Foundation (Moderator)
Daniella Foster – SVP and Global Head of Sustainability, Bayer
Ann Tracy – CSO, Colgate Palmolive
Mike Wheeler – Partner, Avasant

3:20PM – 3:50PM

COFFEE & SNACK BREAK

3:50PM – 4:20PM

FIRESIDE CHAT – THE AGENTIC ORGANIZATION: DESIGNING THE NEW OPERATING MODEL FOR INTELLIGENT ENTERPRISE

(Breakwater Ballroom)

Eric Shea – Partner, PwC
Akshay Khanna – Managing Partner, Avasant (Moderator)

4:20PM – 4:50PM

CLOSING KEYNOTE – LEADING IN THE FUTURE: WHEN AI AND GEOPOLITICS REDEFINE THE ORG CHART

(Breakwater Ballroom)

Mark Minevich – Strategic Partner, Mayfield, and AI Evangelist and Author

4:50PM – 5:00PM

CLOSING REMARKS

(Breakwater Ballroom)

Anupam Govil – Summit Chair, and Managing Partner, Avasant

5:00PM – 7:00PM

Closing Reception

(Breakwater Ballroom)

FEATURED SESSIONS

EMPOWERING BEYOND SUMMIT 2026 SPEAKERS

Keynote Speakers

CXO Deep Dive Speakers

Session Speakers

NOTE FROM SUMMIT CHAIR, ANUPAM GOVIL

Empowering Beyond Summit is a premium event where C-level executives from large enterprises come together to learn, ideate and co-create. We curate content that is ahead of the business and technology disruption curve to help you capture the next wave of opportunity.

Join us in 2026 for an engaging leadership experience with high-value takeaways to elevate your enterprise.

Anupam Govil
EB Summit Chair
Managing Partner, Avasant

Empowering Beyond Summit 2026 Sponsors

EMPOWERING BEYOND SUMMIT 2025 GALLERY

EMPOWERING BEYOND SUMMIT 2025 SESSION RECORDINGS

Inspiration Applied

Advancing AI

Rewiring the Enterprise through Gen AI

EMPOWERING BEYOND SUMMIT 2025 KEYNOTES

Kevin S. Parikh
Chariman & CEO, Avasant

Pradeep Gupta
VP Gen AI & Computing

Brian Solis
Head of Global Innovation, ServiceNow, 9x Bestselling Author

Anupam Govil
Managing Partner, Avasant

Philip Guido
Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, AMD

Olivia Gambelin
AI Ethicist, Ethical Intelligence

ABOUT EMPOWERING BEYOND

Empowering Beyond Summit (EBS), Avasant’s flagship annual event, brings together over 350 senior level executives representing innovative companies across industries, for two days of visionary insights, meaningful engagement, and immersive experiences.