CIO.com today announced its inaugural US winners of the Next CIO Awards, recognizing a new generation of rising technology executives who are redefining leadership, accelerating innovation, and driving measurable business outcomes across their organizations.
The Next CIO Awards honor senior IT leaders, digital executives, and transformational technology changemakers who demonstrate exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and business impact as they help shape the future of enterprise technology. Winners were selected for their ability to lead transformative initiatives, champion innovation, modernize operations, and advance AI and data strategies.
“These leaders represent the future of the CIO profession,” said Richard Smith, head of event content for the CIO 100 Awards & Conference. “The inaugural Next CIO Award winners are not only delivering meaningful technology outcomes today but also setting the standard for the next era of IT leadership.”
Fourteen Next CIO winners will be recognized at CIO 100 Awards & Conference, August 17-19 at the Omni PGA in Frisco, TX. The event will bring together technology executives, industry innovators, and business leaders to celebrate emerging leadership and discuss the evolving role of technology in driving enterprise growth and transformation. Learn more and register for the CIO 100 Awards & Conference.
Leading technology companies supporting the event include PwC, Moveworks, Zoho, KPMG, Cloudflare, HPE, Apptio an IBM Company, Celonis, AVM Consulting, Couchbase, IANS, Starburst, Thales, Tricon Infotech, and Unisys. Learn more about sponsorship opportunities here.
2026 Next CIO Award Winners
- Collin Campbell, Cushman & Wakefield
- Rob Ewing, The Hartford
- Oliver Galicki, Memorial Hermann Health System
- Amyn Gillani, Academy Sports + Outdoors
- Trista Huang, Blackstone Real Estate – Hotels and Resorts
- Jerry Imsand, Tennessee Dept. of Finance & Administration Strategic Technology Solutions
- Kari Johnson, City of Scottsdale, Arizona
- Erik Langhans, The Hartford
- David O’Brien, Covenant Health
- Peter Robinson, Avnet
- Ajit Singh, The Friedkin Group, Inc
- Tipu Swaran, Paalam Labs
- Igor Valentim, IDB Invest
- Kerry Wang, Aetna, a CVS Health Company
About the Next CIO Awards
The Next CIO Awards recognizes emerging technology leaders who are driving innovation, business transformation, and operational excellence within their organizations. The program celebrates rising executives who exemplify strategic leadership, technical expertise, and a commitment to advancing the future of enterprise IT.
For more information about the Next CIO Awards, including future nominations, sponsorship opportunities, and event registration, visit: https://event.foundryco.com/cio100-symposium-and-awards/awards/.
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Source: News