CDO Magazine’s final Executive Boardroom Dinner of 2025 took place on December 11 at McCormick & Schmick’s on Chicago’s Wacker Drive, bringing together senior data, analytics, and AI leaders for a candid discussion on “AI: What It Really Takes to Get from Pilot to Production (securely.)”

With the year drawing to a close, the conversation reflected a broader shift across enterprises, moving past experimentation toward execution. Attendees examined adoption hurdles, operational constraints, production-grade architectures, evolving ROI expectations, and the realities of scaling AI across cloud and hybrid environments.

Sharing his experience, Patrick Chew, AIT Worldwide Logistics VP, AI & Data Science, says, “The CDO Magazine gathering stood out for the depth and candor of the discussion. AI initiatives are clearly having a more tangible impact across organizations. While value creation and realization remain uneven for some, the collective learning from these journeys is increasingly meaningful. Hearing how my peers are applying more structured approaches to address common challenges was especially valuable.”

For Chew, the conversation has moved beyond why or how AI initiatives are being pursued. “The more consequential question is about what we are learning from them. Those lessons should inform how we approach 2026, specifically on what we need to do differently across use cases, architecture and integration, data enablement, process discipline, change management, partnership models (both internal and external), and managing executive expectations on its delivery while avoiding obvious pitfalls,” he adds.

Furthermore, Chew stresses the need to remember that AI will always be artificial. He says, “We are the original. The battle attempting to make it original will never happen, close at best. We just have to enjoy this journey to its fullest while we continue to maintain dominance over AI harvesting its insight without degrading our cognitive ability.”

Ranjana Vadakkepatti, American Medical Association Director, Data Architecture, notes, “There is something powerful about being in a room with peers who openly share what’s working, what’s not, and what they have learned along the way. Grateful for the chance to learn from leaders navigating the same real-world data and AI challenges.”

Vadakkepatti shares her takeaways:

• Collective clarity: Peers are aligned, AI value comes from execution not experimentation but with governance and security as enablers.
• Proven path: MVPs with clear ownership and ROI are winning over endless POCs.
• True differentiator: Adoption and business context, not tools separate momentum from noise.

According to Sabrykrishnan Loganathan, Peloton Interactive Strategy Advisor, AI & App Security, in 2026, AI is moving up from the “cool experiment phase” to the “business value space.” He says, “ROI, talent, and data are top of mind for executives aiming to ensure AI projects deliver real impact on the P&L. Also, AI governance and data governance are not blockers, they are revenue enablers or revenue protectors. If you don’t have it then it is equivalent to driving a car at full speed without a braking system.”

Loganathan underscores, “Skill up talent, educate teams with proper governance policies, enable them with secure tools, invest in robust data layers, insist on observable and explainable AI, and connect every POC or project to business value using clear unit economics.”

Sid Raina, Medline Industries Vice President, AI & Data Analytics, “thoroughly enjoyed” the event. “It was incredibly insightful to hear peers share real-world challenges around AI adoption — spanning data, skills, governance, and organizational readiness. A big thank you to CDO Magazine for creating such an engaging forum and enabling meaningful discussions on these critical issues across industries,” he says.

Lexy Smith, CDO Magazine Program Director, reflects, “The Executive Boardroom Dinner was an incredible privilege. Being surrounded by senior data leaders who openly shared their AI experiences, real-world use cases, and the challenges they face in an ever-evolving technology landscape was invaluable. The depth of insight in that room reminded me just how powerful collaboration can be as we shape the future of data and AI together.”

Moderator Paul Mason, Pure Storage Global Alliances Senior Director, sums it up, “The discussion highlighted the thoughtfulness with which today’s data leaders are approaching the real challenges of data and AI. It impressed upon us at Pure Storage that trusted, well-governed data is essential to enabling responsible, scalable AI outcomes.”

Special thanks to Pure Storage for making the CDO Magazine Executive Boardroom Dinner such a resounding success.

*Patrick Chew is a member of the CDO Magazine Global Board.

Executives attending the CDO Magazine Chicago Executive Boardroom Dinner included: 

Vuslat Acar, Mastercard VP, Mastercard Services; Carmin Ballou, ALAS VP & Chief Data & Innovation Officer; Xun Chen, Abbvie VP & Global Head, Data & Statistical Sciences; Patrick Chew, AIT Worldwide Logistics VP, AI & Data Science; Anusha Dwivedula, Morningstar Director, Product Management, Analytics; Scott Friesen, Echo Global Logistics EVP, Strategic Analytics; John Krane, Schwab Director & Head, Margin & Trade Risk Modeling; Sabrykrishnan Loganathan, Peloton Interactive Strategy Advisor, AI & App Security; Meet Mehta, Motorola Solutions Director, Information Technology; Gokula Mishra, former Direct Supply VP, Data Science; Christian Moreno, Encore Director, Data & Analytics; Prasannal Nithyanandam, former Volkswagen Financial Services Head, Data & Advanced Analytics; Sid Raina, Medline Industries VP, AI & Data Analytics; Brad Rosenberg, former Inland Investments Manager, Data Management; Kader Sakkaria, Gallagher Global Head, Data Technology & CoE; Suemee Shin, Northern Trust SVP, Core Data Services Product Management; Frank Sung, Loop Capital Markets VP, Data Management; Ranjana Vadakkepatti, American Medical Association Director, Data Architecture; Andrea Acosta, Pure Storage Americas Alliance Director; Sara Knox, Pure Storage Enterprise Account Executive; Paul Mason, Pure Storage Global Alliances Senior Director; Dan Sabatello, Pure Storage District Manager; Anthony Losanno, CDO Magazine SVP, Sales; Lexy Smith, CDO Magazine Program Director; John Vulopas, CDO Magazine Sr. Account Director.