Our 2026 Summer Bar was the place to be! Almost 300 people came together for this ‘can’t miss event’ which delivered a stimulating keynote and panel discussion on sovereignty: an ever-growing priority for ICT decision-makers according to our 2026 Priorities Compass. We also presented the Compass results, before everyone enjoyed the walking dinner and opportunity to meet up with their peers.
Presentations, pictures and video from the Beltug Summer Bar of 21 September 2026.
21 / 09 / 26
We started off the presentations with an overview of the key priorities of Belgian CIOs and ICT decision-makers. Once again Artificial Intelligence (AI) dominated the rankings, while other topics high on the list include governance, digital sovereignty and dependence, cyber security, collaboration between CIOs and HR, and more. The priorities revealed in the Compass guide our working plan and shape the agenda for the year ahead.
You can explore the full results of the 2026 Priorities Compass (in FR and NL), as well as our working plan.
Our keynote speaker was Jo Caudron, Transformation Strategist, author and keynote speaker with Scopernia. He took us into the current ‘Worldshock’ and out through a new innovation paradigm. Worldshock is the result of a convergence of forces: geopolitical upheaval, the rise of AI, deglobalisation, climate pressure, and America’s retreat from global leadership. For Europe, this is not just a crisis, it’s an historic opening. Jo explained that the very shocks that seem to be breaking the world apart are, in fact, forcing Europe to become a potential superpower. A panel discussion with Jo, Karin Voets (CIO of VUB) and Danielle Jacobs (CEO of Beltug) explored what this means for Belgian ICT decision makers, and the role of Beltug in this theme.
You can read more in Jo’s recent essay on why Europe should not focus on racing towards the most powerful (and potentially dangerous) AI frontier model, but instead take the long view towards the best economic and societal adoption of what AI makes possible.
Danielle then shared an update on Beltug’s achievements and initiatives, all aimed at creating greater value for our members. And we finished the evening with a tasty walking dinner and lively informal discussions among peers.
Click here to see pictures of the event, and take a look at our ‘after movie’.
More information about this topic, including all downloadable documents, is available for Beltug members:
just login for easy and fast access.
Not yet a Beltug member? Our website offers plenty of exclusive insights and tools: read more about the benefits of a Beltug membership.
Click here to login.
The Beltug Team