UNLEASH CHRO Summit

This catalytic event will kick off with a visionary keynote and a powerhouse panel, followed by focused roundtable discussions tackling the biggest challenges facing today’s people leaders, and capped off with an elite networking opportunity you won’t want to miss.

The UNLEASH CHRO Summit offers a rare opportunity for senior HR leaders to engage in candid, peer-driven dialogue on the evolving forces reshaping the workplace. With expert-led discussions spanning AI integration, workforce planning, DEI, and employee experience, the summit is designed to spark fresh thinking and meaningful connections amongst the most senior figures in the industry.

Agenda at Glance:

• 11:00 AM – 11:10 AM I Welcome & Introduction
• 11:10 AM – 11:40 AM I Fireside chat – Driving HR Transformation Through Cross-Functional Collaboration
• 11:40 AM – 12:15 PM I Panel – The CHRO Playbook for 2026: Leading Through Transformation
• 12:15 PM – 1:30 PM I Networking Lunch
• 13:30 PM – 3:00 PM I Roundtables – Strategic Discussions on CHRO’s Key Challenges and Priorities
• 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM | Closing Remark
• 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM | CHRO Networking Reception

Agenda:

11:10 AM – 11:40 AM FIRESIDE | Driving HR Transformation Through Cross-Functional Collaboration

Transformation at scale requires more than technology, it demands collaboration across functions. In this fireside chat, Amy Kickham (CHRO) and Steve Bronson (CIO) share how Southern Glazer’s is breaking silos to reimagine HR, accelerate digital innovation, and deliver business impact.

Amy Kickham, CHRO, Southern Glazers
Steve Bronson, Chief Information Officer, Southern Glazers

Moderator: Darren Gest, Principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP

11:40 AM – 12:15 PM PANEL | The CHRO Playbook for 2026: Leading Through Transformation

The role of the CHRO has never been more criticalor more complex. Rapid advancements in AI, evolving employee expectations, disruptive market forces, and an intensified focus on leadership capability are transforming how organisations operate and compete In this high-impact panel, top CHROs from global industry leaders discuss the emerging realities shaping the year ahead and reveal how they are reimagining their people strategies to drive business performance. From building AI-confident workforces to redefining leadership accountability, and from activating cultures of continuous skills development to managing seismic shifts in workforce design, panelists will offer practical, experience-based insights from the front lines of HR transformation. Attendees will leave with actionable guidance on where to focus, what to prioritise, and how to elevate the strategic influence of HR at a time when organisations need it most.

Shurawl Sibblies, Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, Metlife
Maryjo Charbonnier, Chief Human Resources Officer, Kyndryl
Lisa Chang, CHRO, Coca-Cola

Moderator: Frank Congui, EVP, Human Capital Strategy and Executive Partnership, Randstad Enterprise

12:15 PM – 1:30 PM | Lunch & Networking

1:30 PM – 3:00 PM Roundtable 1 | One Workforce, Many Expectations: Skills Strategy and Talent Development Across

As we approach 2030, the future landscape of work is being reshaped by technological change, new ways of working, and shifting workforce expectations. A multigenerational workforce is bringing different values, motivations, and career priorities to the workplace, redefining how organizations attract, develop, and retain talent. To remain competitive, CHROs must align skills strategies, talent development and workforce planning with these evolving realities, anticipating future skill needs while designing talent practices that reflect flexibility, purpose, and inclusion across generations.

Jason Desentz, CHRO, Toshiba

1:30 PM – 3:00 PM Roundtable 2 | HR’s Strategy–Execution Gap: Why Transformations Stall—and How Leaders Can Break the Cycle

Despite significant investment in AI, skills, and workforce transformation, many initiatives stall at execution. This peer discussion explores common breakdowns, fragmented ownership, unclear accountability, and overestimated readiness, and what CHROs can realistically do to move beyond pilots and drive sustained impact when transformation is complex and nonlinear.

Kyle Lagunas, Founder, Kyle & Co

1:30 PM – 3:00 PM Roundtable 3 | The Dual-Edged Sword: EX in the Age of Flexibility, AI and Burnout

An exclusive opportunity for CHROs to exchange strategies for building a sustainable employee experience in an era defined by hybrid work, rising burnout and the growing influence of AI. This roundtable will explore how leaders can harness AI to enhance flexibility and support well-being, while staying vigilant to the risks of digital fatigue and over-automation. Join us to discuss how to create a human-centered workplace that balances innovation and engagement.

Stacia Garr, Co-founder and Principal Analyst, Redthread Research

1:30 PM – 3:00 PM Roundtable 4 | From Experimentation to Enterprise Impact: The CHRO Challenge in AI Transformation

This CHRO roundtable focuses on the practical challenges of leading AI transformation, from building an AI-ready workforce and reskilling at scale, to establishing ethical guardrails and cross-functional governance. Join peers for a candid discussion on aligning HR, IT, and the C-suite, maintaining trust and culture, and measuring what truly matters, productivity, engagement, and ROI, as AI reshapes workforce strategy.

Diana Scott, US Human Capital Centre Leader, The Conference Board

1:30 PM – 3:00 PM Roundtable 5 | Reinventing HR: Designing the Human & Machine Workforce for HR

Join the table to discuss how the HR landscape is blending human insight with new technologies, including the rise of Agentic AI. This session, designed specifically for CHROs, looks at how organizations are rethinking roles, workflows, and team structures to create a more adaptive, empowered workforce. It’s about redesigning HR for impact, where people and tools work in tandem to deliver value.

Ben Eubanks, Chief Research Officer, Lighthouse Research and Advisory

1:30 PM – 3:00 PM Roundtable 6 |Strategic by Design: Transforming HR’s Influence from People Partner to C-Suite Leader

As the business landscape grows more complex and fast-moving, HR leaders are being called to step beyond traditional people operations and take a more strategic seat at the leadership table. This roundtable invites CHROs to explore how HR can elevate its role, shaping business outcomes, driving organizational transformation, and influencing C-suite agendas. Join us to discuss how to reframe HR as a value-creating powerhouse at the core of enterprise strategy.

Katerina Berg, CHRO, On

1:30 PM – 3:00 PM Roundtable 7 | Driving Business Growth and Cost Efficiencies: The CHRO’s Strategic Imperative

In today’s volatile economic landscape, Chief Human Resources Officers are no longer just stewards of talent, they are pivotal drivers of business transformation. This roundtable explores how CHROs can strategically align workforce planning, talent development, and organizational design to deliver measurable business growth while optimizing cost structures.

Rebecca Wetteman, CEO, Principal Analyst, Valoir

1:30 PM – 3:00 PM Roundtable 8 | Polycrisis Anxiety: Building Employee Resonance for Resilience

An exclusive roundtable for CHROs and senior HR leaders to exchange perspectives on managing employee anxiety in the context of ongoing polycrisis, including economic uncertainty, geopolitical tension, climate pressure, and rapid technological change. This session will focus on how these overlapping pressures are impacting engagement, wellbeing, and retention, and how HR leaders are responding in practice.

Laurienne LeChelony, CHRO, EcoVadis

3:00 PM – 3:30 PM |Closing wrap-up from host and feedback from roundtable presenters

3:30 PM – 4:00 PM | CHRO Networking Reception