October 21–22, 2026 · Telekom Academy, Athens, Greece
One day of keynotes and panels on the main stage, with hands-on academies running alongside and through the second day.
Part of the Disrupt AI Summit Series, the Gen AI Leadership Forum is one of the AI events 2026 brings to Athens for decision-makers. The agenda below runs hour by hour, with every session, speaker and academy.
The full AI conference schedule: the main stage on 21 October and four academies across both days.
The AI conference agenda is in progress — sessions and speakers are still being added.
Registration
Welcome to the Gen AI Leadership Forum 2026, the hub for decision-makers shaping executive leadership and organisational transformation in the AI era — where strategy meets execution, and intelligence becomes competitive advantage. In this energizing opening session we set the stage for a day where leaders, innovators and changemakers come together to shape how AI redefines the future of business.
Explore how CEOs and executive teams can drive AI transformation across the enterprise. This panel dives into strategic frameworks for aligning leadership vision with AI initiatives, overcoming organizational resistance, and fostering cross-functional collaboration. Participants will gain insights into creating a unified approach that maximizes enterprise-wide impact.
Get Tickets →AI transformation succeeds only when executive leadership unites technology, operations, and business functions. This panel explores strategies for breaking silos, fostering collaboration across departments, and building a cohesive AI roadmap that aligns with corporate objectives. Leaders will learn practical approaches for achieving organization-wide alignment.
The EU AI Act is reshaping enterprise AI deployment. This session explores how organizations can transform regulatory compliance into a competitive advantage through proactive governance and risk alignment — translating AI Act requirements into operational systems, including governance workflows, documentation, and compliance structures embedded into daily AI operations. It also covers real-time monitoring, auditing, and risk mitigation frameworks to ensure continuous compliance and enterprise resilience as AI systems and regulations evolve.
Coffee Break
Embedding AI as a strategic differentiator requires a leadership mindset tuned to innovation, experimentation, and intelligent risk-taking. This panel explores how C-level executives can foster cultures that embrace AI, drive cross-functional collaboration, and accelerate organizational learning to maintain a competitive edge.
Organizations are moving beyond generative tools to agentic AI systems that act autonomously within business processes. This panel explores how leaders can harness agentic AI to drive decision-making, operational efficiency, and strategic advantage, while maintaining human oversight and accountability.
Lunch Break
AI transformation is often framed around opportunity and productivity — but every new capability introduces a parallel expansion of risk. This panel explores how enterprises can understand cybersecurity not as a separate function, but as an embedded cost of AI adoption itself, addressing new vulnerabilities across data pipelines, decision systems, and autonomous workflows. It also examines how security must be designed into AI architectures from the outset rather than retrofitted afterward — building AI systems, workflows, and data pipelines that are inherently resilient to attack, with adversarial awareness and systemic protection embedded throughout the AI lifecycle.
Most organizations agree that upskilling is critical — but few succeed in executing it effectively at scale. This panel explores real-world approaches to building AI literacy and capability across large enterprises.
Get Tickets →Investors, operators, and market analysts debate which sectors are poised to generate the next wave of billion-dollar AI opportunities. Panelists will share perspectives on what differentiates hype from real opportunity, how to identify scalable business models early, and where they are placing bets today.
As AI models become increasingly accessible and commoditized, the source of competitive advantage is shifting toward how organizations design, embed, and scale AI-driven products. This panel explores what it truly takes to build defensible AI products in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Get Tickets →The most successful organizations are no longer thinking in terms of standalone products — they are building AI-powered value systems embedded across the enterprise. This session examines how AI reshapes product strategy, customer experience, and operational models simultaneously.
Event Closure
Registration
Understand why RAG fails on complex queries and how knowledge graphs solve logical, numerical, and relational gaps. Covers RAG limitations, KAG components, knowledge graph fundamentals.
Get Tickets →Coffee Break
Implement the full 6-step ingestion pipeline — from raw document to a queryable, mutually indexed knowledge graph in TypeScript. Covers Milvus, Neo4j, BERT NER, mutual indexing.
Get Tickets →Build a smart query planner that routes to the right retrieval strategy and fuses vector and graph results optimally. Covers query routing, semantic vs structural, 60/40 result fusion.
Get Tickets →Lunch Break
Build three real-world systems — academic research assistant, legal case-law search, and customer support system — each powered by hybrid GraphRAG.
Get Tickets →Optimise, harden, and monitor the GraphRAG system with resilience patterns, tuning, and production-grade observability. Covers HNSW tuning, 4-level fallback chain, circuit breakers, p50/p95/p99.
Get Tickets →Decision framework for when to use each approach (Pure RAG vs KAG vs GraphRAG) and curated next projects to consolidate skills.
Get Tickets →Registration
Reframes AI transformation from a technology project to a fundamental leadership challenge — and the new capabilities C-level executives actually need. Executives examine what changes in their own role when intelligence becomes a shared resource, how to set direction without waiting for certainty, and how to communicate an AI agenda the rest of the organisation can act on.
Get Tickets →The gap between where your organisation is today and where it needs to be to compete — assessed across vision, financial commitment, and alignment. Participants work through a structured self-assessment, identify the two or three gaps that actually block progress, and leave with a clear picture of where their organisation stands against peers.
Get Tickets →Coffee Break
Ethics and governance as revenue drivers and risk mitigators — with CEO/board oversight delivering 3.6× greater impact. The module covers who owns accountability, how oversight is structured in practice, and how to keep controls proportionate so governance protects the business without stalling it.
Get Tickets →Building an AI-ready culture — psychological safety, experimentation, and human-AI collaboration models that actually stick. Executives look at why adoption programmes stall, what behaviour leadership has to model first, and how to design teams where people and systems each do what they are best at.
Get Tickets →Lunch Break
The most critical strategic module — moving from “10% more efficient” to “how can AI fundamentally change how we create and capture value?” The session pushes past incremental gains into pricing, channels, and operating models, and asks which parts of the business would look different if intelligence were assumed rather than added.
Get Tickets →Real-world transformations across financial services, manufacturing, and retail — focused on leadership decisions, not technical implementations. Each case is unpacked for the choices that mattered, the trade-offs accepted, and what the leadership team would do differently a second time.
Get Tickets →Where strategy becomes action — executives build a customised, prioritised roadmap with success metrics and governance, peer-reviewed on the spot. Participants leave with a document they can take into their next leadership meeting, not a set of notes.
Get Tickets →Registration
What GenAI is and how LLMs “think” — tokens, context windows, and the realities behind the myths. Compare Claude, ChatGPT and Gemini. Participants leave able to say what these systems can and cannot do, and to pick the right one for a given task instead of defaulting to whichever is open in the browser.
Get Tickets →The anatomy of an effective prompt — role, context, task, format. Iterative prompting, prompt patterns, and common mistakes (and fixes). The session works on real requests brought into the room, so each participant walks out with a handful of prompts that already do their own job.
Get Tickets →Coffee Break
Draft professional emails at scale, generate and refine reports and executive summaries, and adapt tone for clients, leadership and teams. The focus is on keeping the writing recognisably yours while cutting the time spent on the first draft.
Get Tickets →Summarise PDFs and long documents, extract insights from complex information, run competitive intelligence, and spot hallucinations. Participants practise checking an answer before trusting it, which is the difference between faster research and confidently wrong research.
Get Tickets →Lunch Break
Automatic meeting summaries and action items, AI-assisted task planning, integrations with spreadsheets, CRM and email. The module moves from one-off prompts to repeatable steps that keep running after the training ends.
Get Tickets →Why AI gets things wrong and how to catch it, what to never share with a public tool, team norms, and your personal 90-day AI strategy. Each participant leaves with a written plan naming the tasks they will hand over first and the ones they will keep.
Get Tickets →Registration
How AI agents differ from chatbots, implementing the ReAct loop, and managing agent state in TypeScript. Participants build a working loop from scratch, so the difference between a prompt chain and an agent that decides its own next step becomes concrete rather than theoretical.
Get Tickets →Coffee Break
Design and register custom tools that connect agents to external APIs, databases, and services using LangGraph. The session covers how to describe a tool so the model reaches for the right one, what happens when it does not, and how to keep a failed call from taking the whole run down.
Get Tickets →Build agents that remember user preferences across sessions using a four-tier memory stack with Redis and Pinecone. Participants decide what belongs in each tier, what should expire, and see how memory changes the quality of a second conversation with the same user.
Get Tickets →Lunch Break
Orchestrate specialised multi-agent systems with resilient communication, error handling, and production monitoring. The focus is on what breaks once more than one agent is involved, and on the guardrails that keep the system recoverable instead of merely restartable.
Get Tickets →Three deliverables: Customer Support Agent, Multi-Tiered Memory System, Multi-Agent Research System (Researcher → Writer → Reviewer). Time is set aside to finish rather than only to start, so everyone leaves with code that runs on their own machine.
Get Tickets →Key takeaways & resources, plus a short map of what to build next, ordered by how much each project teaches for the hours it costs.
Get Tickets →Not yet. The AI conference agenda is in progress: sessions and speakers are still being added, and the page is updated as each one is confirmed. The dates, the venue and the four academies are already fixed.
On 21 and 22 October 2026 at Telekom Academy in Athens, Greece. It runs inside the Disrupt AI Summit Series and it is built for decision-makers: day one is the main stage with the GraphRAG academy alongside, day two is academies only.
Day one opens with registration at 09:00; the main stage closes at 18:15 and the GraphRAG academy at 18:30. Day two opens at 09:30 and the academies close between 17:00 and 18:15. Every session carries its own time in the schedule above.
Day one runs keynotes and panels on the main stage, with the GraphRAG academy alongside. Day two is academies only: Executive Leadership, Productivity, and AI Agents & Autonomous Systems, running in parallel.
The main stage follows three tracks — Gen AI Leadership, The Intelligent Economy and AI-Led Transformation — across governance, talent, agentic systems, cyber resilience and AI investment. The agenda themes page lists the pillar behind every session.
Each academy runs as a full day with a limited group, so you follow the one your ticket covers rather than moving between rooms.
Yes. Every ticket includes the main-stage sessions on demand after the event, so nothing is lost while you are in an academy.
By role: GraphRAG and AI Agents are for engineers, Productivity is for business teams, Executive Leadership is for the C-suite. The AI conference schedule above shows the modules of each one, and every academy has its own page.
CEOs and founders with the product, engineering, data and transformation leaders who run AI inside their companies. Who Should Come breaks the room down by role.
Every session on the Gen AI Leadership Forum agenda runs once and seats are limited on both days, so the AI conference schedule fills from the front. Book before it does.
Speaker bio
Experienced Chief Information Security Officer and Data Protection Officer with a demonstrated history of working in many diversified industries. Responsible for years for the security strategy of Information Systems, Operational Technology and the correct use of Personal Data.
Working experience in IT field since 1986. 10 years as Software and Networking engineer, 18 years as an IT Infrastructure, Operations & Security Manager for many diversified industries and the rest as a CISO and DPO.
Holder of CISSP, CISM and ISO27001 LA certifications, BSc in Informatics, BSc in Electrical Engineering and MBA from the Athens University of Business and Economics.
Listed in Cyber Defense Media Group’s Top Global CISOs in 2024, 2023 and 2022: Recognized for exceptional leadership in cybersecurity. CISO Platform TOP 100 for 2022: Honored for significant contributions to the field of information security.
General Manager - Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Adriatics, Microsoft
Yanna Andronopoulou on LinkedInSpeaker bio
Yanna is a firm believer in the power of technology to enhance our world and drive business success. She enjoys inspiring and leading high performing teams focusing on innovation and value generation for all stakeholders in an ecosystem. A continuous learner, a citizen of the world, a woman in tech advocate, and a mentor of future talent. Leading the Culture and Inclusion Network across Europe South Multi-country Cluster, she is fostering a culture where everyone feels supported, valued, and empowered to thrive.
Currently, she has the privilege of leading a diverse team, across 12 South European markets, that collaborates with customers and partners, to successfully leverage AI transformation and achieve meaningful impact.
20+ years of experience in Leadership positions in multinational environments, cross industry knowledge, outstanding results.
Data & AI Team Leader, Metis |Gen AI Trainer, Product-Led Hub
Georgios Papachristou on LinkedInSpeaker bio
Georgios is a dedicated ML/AI Engineer and Data Scientist specializing in the creation and deployment of Machine Learning solutions. His expertise extends beyond theory, and includes applications productization (code quality, CI/CD, testing and automated model deployment).
Over the years, he has had the opportunity to contribute to a variety of projects, each with its unique technology stack and requirements. His collaborations range from Machine Learning to Big Data streaming applications, working with both on-premises and cloud-based technologies such as Databricks and Azure.
In addition to his technical skills, he has a solid background in statistics and machine learning theory, including regression and classification methods. He is passionate about uncovering hidden insights in large datasets and using them to help businesses make better decisions and deliver superior products.
He is well-versed in object-oriented programming and has a strong foundation in software engineering principles.
Sr. S/W Engineer, ENTERSOFTONE |Gen AI Trainer, Product-Led Hub
Alexandros Fotiou on LinkedInSpeaker bio
Alexandros is a Senior Software Engineer with 15 years of versatile experience in full-stack development. He specializes in C#/.NET, React.js, Python, WebGL, and AI development, including agent-based systems, RAG workflows, and Mastra AI SDK integration.
He also brings strong DevOps expertise with Azure, enabling scalable and secure deployments. A creative problem solver, he combines deep technical knowledge with intuitive UX/UI design, consistently staying ahead of industry trends to deliver modern, engaging applications.
CTO, Natech Banking Solutions |Gen AI Trainer, Product-Led Hub
George Nikolaropoulos on LinkedInSpeaker bio
Accomplished architect and team leader who inspires innovation and drives success and growth. Has a background in banking, insurance, maritime, and marketing research industries. Always interested in product development, tech strategy, and artificial intelligence. Passionate about creating a culture of trust, collaboration, and creativity with a focus on making customers’ lives better.
Currently focused on growing and leading engineering teams that create products normal people find impossible, deliver on time, and show respect.
Head of AI Development Platform |Lead Gen AI Trainer, Product-Led Hub
Vassilis Karabalis on LinkedInSpeaker bio
With over a decade of experience in technology leadership, I currently serve as the Head of AI Development Platform at ENTERSOFTONE.
My journey includes successful tenures as a Senior R&D Manager in HCM Payroll systems and a Technology Director in the media industry, where I consistently delivered transformative technological solutions. My expertise spans software architecture, AI implementation, and team leadership, complemented by a proven ability to build and mentor high-performing development teams.
I’ve successfully led multiple enterprise-level projects, focusing on innovative solutions that drive business growth and technological advancement. My approach combines technical expertise with strategic vision, enabling organizations to leverage cutting-edge technology while fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation.
I’m particularly passionate about mentoring emerging talent and creating collaborative environments that spark creativity and drive exceptional results.
Speaker bio
Vangelis Gongolidis is Chief Technology Officer at Insurancemarket one of Greece’s leading digital insurance platforms, where he leads technology, product, automation, and AI transformation initiatives.
With a background in Computer Science and extensive experience in building and scaling digital products, Vangelis focuses on turning emerging technologies into practical business capabilities. His current work includes AI-native product development, intelligent automation, autonomous agents, data platforms, and the modernization of technology and product operating models.
He is particularly interested in how AI changes not only software development, but also organizational design, decision-making, customer experience, and the role of technology leaders.
Vangelis brings a strong business-oriented approach to technology leadership, working at the intersection of strategy, product, engineering, and operations to create measurable business impact.
Partner, Technology Consulting, Ernst & Young
Panagiotis Papagiannakopoulos on LinkedInSpeaker bio
After a 4 years’ period working for an Oil & Gas Company in the IT & Security domains, Panagiotis joined EY in 2008.
He is a highly experienced member within EY’s Consulting Practice, specializing in Technology services , Cyber Security, Data Protection & Privacy, and Cloud Infrastructure services,
He is currently leading the Cybersecurity Services in Europe Central South Business Unit, while he is also leading the alliances of Microsoft, CrowdStrike, and Tanium.
He holds a BSc degree in Informatics, a MSc degree in Information System from Athens University of Economic and Business, while he is CISSP, CISM, CDPSE, CISA, ISO 22301 LA, and ISO 27001 LA certified.
Finally, he is a frequent speaker in conferences, and business events, while he is an occasional lecturer at the Athens University of Economics and Business.
Speaker bio
Petros Tsonis is Chief Technology Officer and Executive Committee member at Ethniki Insurance, Greece’s largest insurer, with full P&L accountability for Technology, Data & AI, and Cybersecurity. He runs AI in production across core insurance operations — claims automation, anti-fraud, and intelligent document processing — inside a fully regulated environment governed by the EU AI Act, DORA, and GDPR.
A C-level technology executive with 25+ years across regulated industries, he led the Technology function through a complete Private Equity ownership cycle, contributing to enterprise value creation and a successful exit, and now leads its integration into the Piraeus Group following the acquisition by Piraeus Bank.
His earlier career combines deep technical roots with large-scale international delivery: Chief Information Officer at Allianz Greece, Global Delivery Partner for a Dow Jones 30 account at IBM, and national-scale government technology at Information Society SA. He holds an M.Sc. in Advanced Information Systems from the University of Glasgow and a B.Sc. (Hons) in Computer Science from Brunel University of West London.
His current focus is the gap between AI pilots and production at scale — and how AI shifts from a productivity tool to an autonomous partner embedded in core operations.
