The Forward Planning Retreat for India's Enterprise IT Leaders
18-19 March, 2026 | Taj Surajkund Resort & Spa, Delhi (NCR)
THE FORWARD PLANNING RETREAT FOR INDIA’S ENTERPRISE IT LEADERS
18-19 March, 2026
Taj Surajkund Resort & Spa, Delhi (NCR)
2
Days of Conference & Networking
200+
Top IT Leaders as Delegates
6.5K
*Median Headcount Size
16.9Bn
*US Dollars in IT Spends
375Bn
*US Dollars in Total Revenue
CONNECT. COLLABORATE. CREATE.
At Big5 CIO Priorities 2026, technology and leadership converge to shape India’s digital decade. Now in its fourth edition, this two-day residential retreat will bring together 200+ business and technology leaders in the nation’s capital.
More than a conference, Big5 is an immersive retreat designed for decision-makers to engage with peers, analysts, and innovators in a uniquely curated environment. Through research-led insights, moderated dialogues, private meetings, and high-impact networking, delegates will leave not just informed—but inspired to lead with clarity and confidence in 2026 and beyond.
Featured Speakers: VISIONARIES WHO INSPIRE THE FUTURE
Leaders from Ketto, The/Nudge Institute, and TiE exemplify how purpose-led innovation can drive equitable progress, empower communities, and redefine technology’s role in shaping a more sustainable, inclusive, and better-connected future.
Shekhar Kapur
Globally Acclaimed Filmmaker & AI Pioneer
Acclaimed filmmaker, visionary storyteller, and global speaker, Shekhar Kapur blends creativity with technology, inspiring leaders to embrace imagination, innovation, and human values as essential drivers of transformation in the digital age.
Kunal Kapoor
Actor, Producer, Writer & Co-Founder, Ketto
Actor, entrepreneur, and co-founder of crowdfunding platform Ketto, Kunal Kapoor combines creativity, business acumen, and social impact—championing technology’s power to connect communities and enable change at scale.
Atul Dhawan
President, TiE Delhi, & Former Chairman, Deloitte South Asia
Atul Dhawan, President of TiE Delhi and former Chairman of Deloitte South Asia, is a renowned business leader who champions entrepreneurship, innovation, and ethical leadership as catalysts for India’s sustainable growth.
Atul Satija
Founder & CEO
The/Nudge Institute
Founder & CEO of The/Nudge Institute, Atul Satija is a social entrepreneur dedicated to uplifting millions through education and livelihood programs, demonstrating how purpose, leadership, and innovation intersect for meaningful impact.
Amit Gupta
Founder & CEO
Ecosystm Group
Founder & CEO of Ecosystm, Amit Gupta is a thought leader in technology research and advisory, helping global enterprises and partners translate data-driven insights into actionable business growth strategies.
Big5 Themes: TECH FOR GOOD. TECH FOR GROWTH.
The 2026 edition of Big5 CIO Priorities explores the evolving role of technology as both an accelerator of business growth and a force for positive change. Beyond enterprise transformation, Big5 celebrates Tech for Good—where innovation fuels inclusion, opportunity, and social impact.
Theme 2
Tech Ecosystem: Building Infrastructure for Innovation
A resilient and scalable technology ecosystem is critical for India’s emergence as a global innovation hub. AI infrastructure, cloud services, developer tools, APIs, and open-source platforms enable experimentation, scalable local solutions, and global relevance. Public-private partnerships and India-based R&D strengthen organisational and national capabilities.
Theme 1
Leadership & Policy: Driving Cohesive Digital Change
India’s digital transformation depends on unified strategies across government, industry, and enterprises, supported by agile regulation and cross-sector collaboration. Organisational and national leadership shapes the pace of AI and technology adoption, while clear policies provide confidence for investments, experimentation, and responsible innovation.
Theme 3
GCCs as Growth Architects: From Operations to Innovation Hubs
India’s Global Capability Centres are evolving from back-office functions into strategic engines of product, platform, and business growth. By owning GenAI, cybersecurity, and product R&D end-to-end, incubating India-first pilots, and developing talent for the future, GCCs are central to driving topline growth and organisational agility globally.
Theme 4
Digital Economy: AI-Enabled Inclusion, Impact, & Investment
India’s digital economy is expanding beyond metros into rural and semi-urban regions. By connecting startups, enterprises, and regulators, India is fostering an inclusive, ethical, and globally relevant AI ecosystem. Strategic investments in AI-first ventures, fintech platforms, and digital infrastructure are driving innovation in healthcare, education, and livelihoods, while initiatives like ONDC and vernacular/voice-first platforms expand access to the next 500 million consumers.
Theme 5
Future of Work: Human-AI Collaboration and the Digital Workforce
The AI-driven economy is redefining work. Organisations must foster a digital workforce where humans and AI collaborate seamlessly. Leveraging Agentic AI to automate routine tasks allows employees to focus on creative, strategic, and higher-value work. Upskilling, flexible career pathways, and AI-enabled decision support systems are essential for creating an agile, future-ready workforce.
LEADERS WHO DEFINE ENTERPRISE TECHNOLOGY AGENDAS
Big5 CIO Priorities brings together a handpicked community of India’s most forward-thinking enterprise leaders, carefully selected through in-depth research on their business priorities and planned technology investments for 2026.
Every delegate is a senior executive with strategic and financial decision authority, chosen for their active role in shaping technology-led business transformation. This ensures that every interaction at Big5 is relevant, outcome-driven, and anchored in real enterprise priorities — creating an environment where conversations spark action and ideas turn into impact.
WHERE INDIA’S GROWTH INDUSTRIES MEET DIGITAL AMBITION
Big5 CIO Priorities features representation from high-impact sectors driving India’s digital future — including automotive, BFSI, manufacturing, energy, pharma, and retail. The 2026 edition also sees a growing presence of digital-native businesses — organisations born in the cloud, built on data, and scaling through the power of AI.
The retreat focuses on enterprises reimagining customer value through innovation and technology-led agility, fostering meaningful collaboration between traditional industry leaders and next-generation disruptors. It is where India’s most ambitious businesses converge to define the digital playbook for the decade ahead.
THE POWERHOUSES OF INDIA’S DIGITAL ECONOMY
The Big5 community represents organisations of exceptional scale and ambition, with average team sizes exceeding 23,500 employees. Collectively, participating enterprises account for over USD 16.9 billion in IT spend and generate more than USD 375 billion in revenue — a true reflection of the strength and reach of India’s enterprise economy.
This is a gathering that mirrors the scale, influence, and aspirations of Indian industry, designed for partners who seek to engage with the nation’s largest and most progressive buyers of technology — the leaders shaping tomorrow’s digital landscape.
Marketing Opportunities
Big5 CIO Priorities offers partners a premium platform to engage directly with India’s most influential IT and business leaders. Unlike traditional events, Big5 provides highly curated interactions designed to build lasting relationships and drive measurable outcomes. From thought-leadership speaking opportunities and exclusive fireside chats to focused roundtables, live demos, and private 121 meetings, every format is crafted for maximum impact. For marketers, Big5 ensures brand visibility, meaningful connections, and the opportunity to be positioned as a trusted partner in India’s digital transformation journey.
Speaking Opportunity
Take the stage to deliver your organisation’s vision and leadership directly to India’s most influential CIOs and enterprise decision-makers. The Big5 stage allows you to highlight innovation, share strategic perspectives, and position your brand as a credible partner in India’s digital transformation journey. It is a unique opportunity to address this elite gathering and influence future investments at scale.
Fireside Chat
Participate in an intimate, dialogue-driven format where industry leaders and partners engage in candid discussions on critical topics shaping enterprise technology. Moderated by an Ecosystm Analyst for maximum relevance, fireside chats are designed to spark meaningful takeaways while reinforcing your organisation’s credibility and alignment with the priorities of India’s IT leadership.
Panel Discussion
Panels bring together experts, practitioners, and enterprise leaders to share diverse perspectives on a common challenge or opportunity. Your organisation can demonstrate expertise, credibility, and commitment to shaping industry dialogue through debate, cross-industry insight, and audience engagement. Ensure that your brand voice is heard as part of a wider, influential conversation on technology and business outcomes.
Roundtables
Drive thought leadership at your exclusive Roundtable—a closed-door exchange designed for deeper engagement with carefully selected delegates. Roundtables encourage open discussion, peer-to-peer learning, and meaningful interaction on a focused topic of your choice. For partners, roundtables deliver direct access to decision-makers in a trusted, small-group setting that fosters long-term relationships.
Demo Zone
Showcase your innovation in through immersive demonstrations at the dedicated Demo Zone. This format offers delegates a hands-on experience of your solutions in real-world contexts, turning ideas into tangible outcomes. With focused visibility and experiential engagement, the Demo Zone showcases your brand as a practical enabler of transformation—building credibility through evidence, interaction, and proof of value.
121Meetings
121Meetings are private appointments with decision makers of your choice, offering undivided time and enable personalised discussions. These curated interactions provide a confidential, trust-driven environment where business conversations translate into concrete opportunities. For partners, they are the most direct route to building meaningful relationships and advancing enterprise-level collaborations with India’s IT leaders.
5 Key Characteristics of Big5
At Big5, every element of the retreat is carefully designed to deliver lasting value for both delegates and partners. Beyond being a conference, it is a purpose-built environment where insights, relationships, and opportunities converge—ensuring that every participant leaves with actionable knowledge, stronger networks, and a clear roadmap for success in the year ahead.
Content Quality
Guided by global analysts from Ecosystm, the conference will turn the spotlight on technologies and business dynamics that will shape critical decisions required to succeed in a rapidly changing economic landscape.
Community Experience
An exclusive event for 121connects members, the retreat offers peers from India’s leading organizations the opportunity to leverage the power of trusted relationships and take critical decisions with confidence.
Concise Program
Designed in crisp capsules, the program will deliver research insights across the three-day program. Unique formats such as ‘Ask the Analysts’ add interactive dimensions to make the program more relevant and memorable.
Convenient Location
The venue offers easy access from across India, while providing a calm and secluded sanctuary, away from the bustle of the city. The focus on hospitality and obsession to detail makes every Big5 event remembered for its unique, curated experience.
Curated Engagements
The program is designed to be many events within one. It offers the option to address all the delegates or connect in private meetings. It allows discussions moderated by analysts and live demos at dedicated zones.
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POWERED BY INSIGHT. CONNECTED BY TRUST.
Big5 Priorities is the annual forward planning retreat for India’s enterprise IT leaders. Built around research inputs gathered from 121connects members, the programs deliver strategic insights by global analysts from our Singapore-based partner, Ecosystm, to enable forward planning by bringing global content to influential IT leaders in India. This exclusive gathering is ideal for networking and brainstorming with the Who’s-Who from across India in attendance.
121connects
121connects is a curated member base of India’s leading IT decision-makers. We believe in the power of relationships to enhance business outcomes. Our goal is to help IT decision-makers unlock the potential of trusted relationships and find effective solutions for their businesses. Our technology platform, combined with a personal concierge service, enables one-2-one connections with India's IT leaders based on shared interests, common responsibilities or similar industry expertise.
Ecosystm (Singapore)
Ecosystm is a Digital Research and Advisory Company with its global headquarters in Singapore. We bring together tech buyers, tech vendors and analysts onto one integrated platform to enable the best decision-making in the evolving digital economy. Ecosystm has moved away from the highly inefficient business models of traditional research firms and instead focuses on research democratization, with an emphasis on accessibility, transparency, and autonomy.
