Industry’s top CIOs, CISOs and digital transformation leaders gather to discuss AI, Industry 4.0 and cyber resilience while celebrating excellence through the CIO Accelerator X Awards 2026
The prestigious CIO500 & Accelerator X Awards 2026 Chennai Chapter commenced on Friday afternoon at The Leela Palace, Chennai, bringing together the region’s most influential technology leaders, digital transformation champions, cybersecurity experts, and industry innovators. The event witnessed the participation of more than 100 CIOs, CISOs, CTOs, and technology decision-makers, reaffirming Chennai’s status as one of India’s leading technology and manufacturing hubs.
The event began with registrations and partner booth visits at 2:00 PM, followed by a networking high tea that provided delegates with an opportunity to exchange ideas, discuss emerging technology trends, and explore innovative solutions showcased by ecosystem partners. The atmosphere was marked by enthusiasm and collaboration as industry leaders connected ahead of the formal proceedings.
The official inauguration started at 3:30 PM with a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony and welcome address by the emcee. Sanjay Mohapatra, Editor of Enterprise IT World, welcomed the audience and highlighted the growing role of technology leaders in driving business resilience, innovation, and digital transformation across industries.
The knowledge sessions opened with a keynote presentation on “Digital Manufacturing & Industry 4.0: Chennai as India’s Smart Factory Hub” delivered by Capt. Raghu Achat, Vice President – IT, Thejo Engineering Ltd. His session focused on how Chennai’s industrial ecosystem is embracing advanced technologies such as automation, data analytics, AI, and smart manufacturing to enhance operational excellence and global competitiveness.
The event also featured a presentation by Kannan Seshadri, Vice President – Cloud Business, Precision IT, who shared insights into accelerating enterprise transformation through cloud-driven innovation and scalable digital infrastructure.
One of the highlights of the evening was an engaging panel discussion on “Delivering Measurable Business Value from AI & Digital Investments.” Moderated by Sunil David, Digital Technology Consultant and former Regional Director – IoT, AT&T India, the session explored how enterprises can translate digital investments into tangible business outcomes.
The distinguished panel included Vijay Anand, Chief Information Officer, TRUST; Srinivasulu Thayam, CTO, Aravind Eye Care; Dr. Ramkumar Dilli, Vice President & CIO, RCG Global Services; and Giri Babu, IT Head, Aricent Technologies. The panelists shared practical experiences on AI adoption, digital transformation roadmaps, ROI measurement, and aligning technology initiatives with business growth objectives.
The cybersecurity segment of the conference featured a presentation by Rewan Kapur, Senior Manager – Enterprise Business, TechD Cyber Security Limited, followed by another insightful panel discussion addressing “Balancing Cyber Resilience with Cost & Complexity.”
Moderated by Dr. Aravind Gnanabaskaran, CISO and Global Head – Cybersecurity Services, X-Biz TechVentures, the discussion brought together leading security practitioners including Prabhakar Ramakrishnan, CISO, TNQ Technologies; Gowdhaman Jothilingam, Global CISO and Head of IT, LatentView; Gokulavan Jayaraman, Infosec Leader, M&M; and Srinivasan Balraj, Associate Director and Head of Corporate Information Security, Chargebee. The experts discussed the evolving threat landscape, risk management strategies, cybersecurity investments, and the importance of building resilient digital enterprises.
Further strengthening the cybersecurity agenda, Diptesh Shah, CISO, SNS, delivered a compelling presentation on mapping cyber risk to business risk, emphasizing the growing need for board-level visibility into cybersecurity decisions. The audience also participated enthusiastically in a cybersecurity quiz hosted by NK Mehta, CEO, SNS, adding an interactive dimension to the event.
The evening culminated with the much-anticipated CIO Accelerator X Awards 2026, where more than 100 technology leaders from across sectors were recognized for their outstanding contributions to digital innovation, cybersecurity excellence, business transformation, and technology leadership. The awards celebrated organizations and individuals who have successfully leveraged technology to create measurable business impact and drive industry advancement.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Sanjib Mohapatra, Publisher, Enterprise IT World, followed by a group photograph of the award winners and delegates. The celebrations continued with cocktails and dinner, providing attendees with additional networking opportunities and reinforcing the collaborative spirit that defines the CIO500 community.
The Chennai edition marked another successful chapter in the CIO500 journey, spotlighting visionary leadership and recognizing the professionals shaping the future of India’s digital economy.