Keynote Speakers 2026
Beyond Friction in Collaboration: How AI and Human Connection Move Work Forward with Zoom
Leo Boulton, Michelle Couture, Theresa Larkin, and Chris Morrissey from Zoom shared insights on reducing workplace complexity and meeting friction, which costs enterprises billions in lost productivity. They showcased next-generation tools like AI Companion, CX Insights, and unified workflows that streamline collaboration, accelerate decision-making, and empower teams to achieve focus, flow, and measurable business impact through intelligent automation and human connection.
The Concierge Economy with Amazon Connect
Pasquale DeMaio (AWS) explored how agentic AI from Amazon Connect is transforming customer experience by enabling personalized, proactive service at scale. He discussed how organizations can meet rising customer expectations while reducing costs, setting a new standard for concierge-level experiences in the future of customer service.
Harnessing AI to Power Business Outcomes with RingCentral
Kira Makagon, President & COO of RingCentral, showcased the company's voice AI portfolio through real customer stories. The keynote highlighted how RingCentral's AI solutions, including intelligent automation and AI-powered orchestration, enhance workflows and drive intelligence throughout conversations to improve customer engagement.
Enterprise AI: How We’re Doing It
Paul Rapier (Detroit Pistons) and Sean Johnson (Equitable) discussed the value of AI applications, deployment strategies, and lessons learned from their enterprise experiences. Hosted by Justin Robbins, the session provided candid insights into successes, challenges, and the future of AI in the next 12 months.
Fireside Chat: Building and Deploying an AI Tool Just for Your Enterprise
Andrew Mullins (CEO, Informa Connect), Lucy Gillam (Chief Commercial Officer, Informa Connect), and Justin Robbins discussed the development and deployment of Elysia, Informa’s bespoke AI assistant, tailored for its 14,000 employees worldwide. The session highlighted the business goals, technology drivers, and security considerations behind Elysia’s creation, as well as ongoing improvements to the tool. Attendees gained insights into aligning AI technology with business objectives and strategies for successfully rolling out AI solutions within enterprises.
Enterprise Panel: Hackers, Scammers, Deepfakers: Why Security Must Be an Obsession in the AI Future
AI is super-charging your security challenges. Hackers are targeting your collaboration/CX estate at every level: Your real-time meetings could be exposed to Deepfakes; your collaboration/CX infrastructure can be taken down or penetrated; and your systems can be the vector that attackers use to compromise customer databases and other critical enterprise data stores. And increasingly, it can all be done at the speed of AI. This keynote session provides a real-world perspective on the challenges and counter-measures presented by enterprise IT pros who are living the struggle.
The Real ROI of AI - Unpacking the Business Cases that Pay Off
Paul Magnaghi (Zoom), Kishan Chetan (Salesforce), Chang Chang (Cisco), and Eric Krapf discussed real-world examples of AI delivering transformative results and clear ROI. The panel highlighted success stories, quantifiable business cases, and projections for top AI use cases in 2026, offering insights to help enterprises maximize their AI investments confidently.
Does More Technology = Happier Customers?
Pasquale DeMaio (AWS), Matt McGinnis (Five9), Brian Spencer (Genesys), Andy Traba (NICE), and Sheila McGee-Smith debated the impact of AI and technology on customer satisfaction. The panel explored self-service preferences, agent burnout, tools for improving experiences, and strategies for deploying technology that benefits customers, agents, and the bottom line.
Collaboration: Securing and Advancing the Employee Experience
Rodney Hassard (Vonage), Shezan Kazi (Dialpad), and Amir Hameed (RingCentral) explored how enterprises can deliver high-quality meetings with advanced audio, video, and AI tools while ensuring compliance with governance requirements. The panel addressed the challenges of combating AI-driven security threats and deepfakes, emphasizing the need for secure, reliable, and cost-effective communications infrastructure. Industry leaders shared strategies for balancing these priorities in today’s evolving workplace.
EC Locknote
Enterprise Connect 2026 wrapped up with the always-popular Locknote session. Justin Robbins, Sheila McGee-Smith, Kevin Kieller, Dave Michels, and Zeus Kerravala discussed the week’s biggest industry trends and key takeaways.