Southern California Leadership Summit

Designed for C-level executives, data leaders, and innovators, this summit will dive deep into emerging trends, data analytics, and cutting-edge approaches to data governance. Gain expert, vendor-neutral insights to help you craft a future-proof data strategy, streamline operations, and drive business growth.

Grow the Future of Data & AI Where Palm Trees Touch the Sky.

California

Join us on October 22, 2025, at The Hilton in Santa Monica, CA, for the CDO Magazine Southern California Leadership Summit—an electrifying gathering of AI and Data Executives shaping the future of enterprise intelligence. As the pace of AI innovation accelerates and digital transformation becomes mission-critical, this summit will deliver the strategies, insights, and peer connections needed to unlock data’s full potential. Discover how data leaders are enabling smarter, faster decision-making by integrating and interpreting diverse data sources to power analytics, drive visualizations, and uncover actionable insights that optimize business outcomes. Explore how to scale AI solutions with precision—balancing strategic execution, responsible governance, and continuous innovation in an era of exponential change.

Why Attend?

✔ High-Caliber Networking: Connect with California's top data minds and Fortune 500 executives.
✔ Strategic Takeaways: Gain vendor-neutral insights to future-proof your data infrastructure.
✔ Expert Perspectives: Hear from industry leaders on the cutting edge of data governance, analytics, and AI innovation.
✔ Proven Practices: Learn how leading organizations are using data-driven strategies to fuel growth and success.

Top AI and Data Trends happening in 2025!

AI-Driven Decision Intelligence
Organizations are embedding AI into core decision-making processes to enhance speed, accuracy, and strategic foresight.
Data Fabric Architecture
Adaptive data fabric solutions are enabling real-time access, integration, and governance across hybrid and multicloud environments.
Responsible and Transparent AI
Ethical AI practices, explainability, and compliance are becoming standard as regulations tighten and trust becomes critical.
Synthetic Data for Model Training
Synthetic data is being widely adopted to overcome data scarcity, improve privacy, and enhance AI model performance.
Edge AI and Real-Time Analytics
AI is moving closer to the data source—at the edge—for faster insights and reduced latency in industries like manufacturing and healthcare.
AI-Augmented Data Engineering
Automation and AI are transforming data pipelines, reducing manual effort and accelerating time to insight.
Generative AI for Business Ops
GenAI is moving beyond chat to reshape business workflows, content creation, customer service, and software development.

Reserve Your Seat

Join this exclusive gathering in California and elevate your role in shaping the future of data. Register now to secure your seat at the table!

We are building some of the top-level experts and peer-to-peer executives in the data industry to represent the Leadership Summit.

Manish Agarwal VP, Data and Analytics Skechers	Myra Chen Director, VP, Insights and Analytics Capital Group	Das Dasgupta, Ph.D. Chief Data & Analytics Officer Starbucks
Monica Kedsierski VP, Global Data, Analytics and AI (former) Herbalife	James Lin Head of AI/ML Innovation Experian	Manzoor Mohideen AVP, Data Strategy, Data Architecture and Data Governance Pacific Life
Ghada Richani Managing Director, Data & Technology Strategy & PMO Bank of America	Greg Townsend SVP, CDO and Analytics Officer AltaMed Health Services

Here is what you can expect from the Day:

8:00am Check-In & Breakfast
8:30am Welcome
8:45am Opening Keynote
9:25am Networking
9:50am Sessions
10:40am Networking
11:00am Sessions
11:50am Networking
12:10pm Lunch
12:40pm Luncheon Keynote
1:20pm Networking
1:40pm Sessions
2:30pm Networking
2:50pm Closing Keynote
3:30pm Prize Drawing & Reception

Focus Group

Hilton Santa Monica Hotel & Suites

The Santa Monica Courthouse and near the iconic Santa Monica Pier. Third Street Promenade shops and fine dining, and views of the seaside landscape from the top of the Pacific Park ferris wheel are within six minutes. Enjoy our event space, outdoor pool, cabanas, fitness center, and on-site dining.

Location:

Address: 1707 4th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Phone: (310) 395-3332

Parking Information:

Coming Soon.

Hear from 2024 CDO Magazine Data Leaders

“The true test of our technological prowess will not be in the sophistication of the algorithms we create, but in the wisdom and ethical considerations we embed within them.”

Ameet Shetty

CDO, Equifax

"Data and AI leaders agreed that the pace of AI innovation demands faster, smarter action — especially around ethics, governance, and human readiness. Building adaptive governance frameworks, embedding ethical guardrails into daily operations, and elevating data and AI literacy — starting at the C-suite — are now essential for responsible scaling. To win in the age of AI, organizations must rethink roles, bridge business and tech, and turn literacy into leadership.”

Ioana Mazare

SVP & General Manager, The Data Lodge