Insight Partners’ 2025 CIO Council Cohort Set to Shape the Future of Tech Innovation
Global software investor Insight Partners has announced its 2025 CIO Council, a selective forum of 15 senior technology leaders from enterprises including P&G, Liberty Mutual, Roche, and Wendy’s.
Now entering its fourth year, the CIO Council serves as a peer-exchange network where Global 2000 CIOs pressure-test strategies, share perspectives on emerging trends, and explore how enterprise IT can adapt to disruptive forces.
This year’s cohort will dissect the big questions shaping enterprise tech — how to harness agentic AI, harden risk management strategies, and navigate a volatile geopolitical landscape.
Exposure to venture-backed innovation
Over their 18-month tenure, members will also engage with venture capital perspectives, advising founders of portfolio companies and gaining visibility into next-generation enterprise software models. This blend of operational experience and early-stage innovation gives CIOs a vantage point on what could soon enter mainstream adoption.
Beyond networking
The CIO Council is supported by Insight’s Enterprise team, which connects more than 3,000 senior technology executives worldwide. Through curated communities, innovation briefings, and founder-led sessions, members gain structured ways to evaluate solutions and approaches before they scale.
For CIOs, participation reflects a growing recognition: navigating AI disruption, security risks, and global uncertainty can’t be done in isolation. Peer networks are becoming a strategic lever to accelerate decision-making and de-risk innovation bets.
Why this matters for CIOs
Unlike industry conferences that deliver one-off conversations, the CIO Council is structured for continuity. Members convene quarterly in virtual sessions and annually in person, building trusted relationships that help leaders cut through noise and benchmark decisions against peers. The 2025 cohort will address themes shaping not just enterprise IT strategy, but also boardroom agendas.
Leadership perspective: Learning, leading, and connecting
Members will engage with venture capital, advise Insight portfolio founders, and participate in quarterly virtual meetings and in-person gatherings.
The Insight Partners for Enterprise team supports the cohort with curated programs, Founders Days, and Innovation Briefings.
“As we launch our latest CIO Council cohort, we’re more inspired than ever by the momentum this community has built,” said Emmet B. Keeffe III, Managing Director at Insight Partners.
“What began as a forum for connection has evolved into a high-impact platform where CIOs and portfolio founders shape enterprise innovation together. We’re excited to welcome this new cohort of industry leaders and look forward to deeper collaboration on GenAI, cyber resilience, and the technology shifts that are redefining the global enterprise landscape.”
Since launching in 2022, Insight Partners for Enterprise has facilitated nearly 600 high-impact connections between Council members and Insight portfolio companies. These engagements provide founders with critical insights into enterprise-level needs and expectations, while offering council members the opportunity to shape solutions that address real enterprise challenges.
The Council has also participated in nearly 100 tailored Innovation Briefings, explicitly designed for their respective teams on curated, in-depth tech topics. These interactions have sparked long-term partnerships, resulting in pilot programs, commercial agreements, corporate venture investments, and strategic product feedback loops.
“As we welcome our fourth CIO Council cohort, it’s remarkable to see how the program has evolved in tandem with the CIO role itself,” said Alberto Padilla Rivera, SVP and Program Lead at Insight Partners.
“From navigating pandemic-era digitization to unlocking the potential of GenAI, this community continues to grow in impact by providing CIOs with a trusted forum to exchange ideas and amplify their voices on the technologies that will define the next decade.”
2025 Cohort Members
The 2025 cohort includes 15 new members representing a diverse cross-section of industries, geographies, and priorities:
- Baker Smith, Aramark
- Bhaskar Ramachandran, PPG
- Chris Taylor, Stellantis
- Cynthia Stoddard, Adobe
- Debra Bauler, DOW
- Jennifer Charters, Lincoln Financial
- Kamran Ziaee, Con Edison
- Katrina Redmond, Eaton
- Mark Sherwood, Wolters Kluwer
- Matt Spessard, Wendy’s
- Monica Caldas, Liberty Mutual
- Richard Jardim, CIBC
- Seth Cohen, P&G
- Tracey Schafer, Conagra
- Wafaa Mamilli, Roche
Members reflect: Voices from the council
The 2025 CIO Council brings together industry leaders to share experiences, navigate emerging technology trends, and exchange actionable insights.
Members reflect on the opportunities and challenges of leading in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.
“We’re at a transformational moment in the technological field. The landscape is changing how we innovate, operate, and grow as companies, and it’s more important than ever to learn together. I look forward to this opportunity to navigate the path forward with engagement from my peers.”
— Seth Cohen, Global CIO at P&G
“This is an exciting yet daunting time to lead as a CIO… Learning and sharing with peers from diverse backgrounds is powerful and helpful on our journeys.”
— Richard Jardim, EVP & CIO at CIBC
“I’m honored to be a part of Insight Partners’ 2025 CIO Council. I’ve been a part of ‘leadership councils’ in the past, but I firmly believe that this one will be very different, as it’s not designed to try to sell us a product or a service. I’m very impressed with this year’s council members and feel fortunate to be part of such a strong leadership team. This is going to be an exciting 18 months, and I’m looking forward to learning more from my peers and sharing our journeys, as well as our challenges, with each other.” Said Mark Sherwood, EVP & CIO at Wolters Kluwer
_______________________________________________________________________
About Insight Partners
Insight Partners is a global software investor that partners with high-growth technology, software, and Internet startup and ScaleUp companies, driving transformative change across industries. As of December 31, 2024, the firm manages over $90B in regulatory assets, has invested in more than 800 companies worldwide, and has seen 55 portfolio companies achieve an IPO.
Headquartered in New York City, with offices in London, Tel Aviv, and the Bay Area, Insight Partners works closely with visionary executives, providing tailored, hands-on software expertise from first investment to IPO.
To learn more about the CIO Council and view prior cohorts, visit: Insight Partners CIO Council.
Brief
The CIO Council program equips members to navigate emerging technology trends, engage with venture capital, and advise Insight portfolio founders. Council members participate in quarterly virtual sessions, in-person gatherings, and curated Innovation Briefings designed to drive tangible enterprise impact. Since its inception in 2022, the program has facilitated nearly 600 high-impact connections, sparking long-term partnerships, pilot programs, and corporate investments. Council members describe the program as a trusted forum for exchanging ideas and amplifying their influence on technologies that will define the next decade.
