CXO Junction ACA2026- West CXO Junction

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About Aspiring CXOs Awards

The Aspiring CXOs Awards 2026 (ACA) is an initiative designed to identify, recognize, and nurture exceptional talent in the fields of cybersecurity, risk management, and emerging technologies. Its primary goal is to inspire and empower the next generation of CXOs, who will play a pivotal role in strengthening global defenses against ever-evolving threats in the digital landscape.

Aspiring CXOs Awards a unique initiative uniting mentors and mentees to fasten the industry growth. Senior C-level executives like CISOs, CTOs, and CIOs, renowned for their expertise in IT, cybersecurity, and risk management, select mentees through a rigorous process based on their potential, dedication, and drive for growth. These mentees receive exclusive mentorship, gaining invaluable insights and guidance to excel in their professional journeys. The Mentors (CXOs) are eligible for the Leadership Award, while the Mentees (C1 level executives) are affiliated with the Aspiring CXOs Awards.

This is a year-long mentorship program and a Multi-partner event.

Who should attend the event?

CISOs, CIOs, CTOs, Head IT, DPOs, IT and Security Leads, Risk and Compliance Leads.

What We Do?

Solution Showcase

Networking with Industry Leaders

Exhibition Stalls

Learning & Knowledge Sharing

Ice Breaking Activities

Market Exploration

Awards & Felicitations

Mentorship from seasoned Industry Leaders

Personal Branding and Building a Reputation

Mentorship Program

40 exclusive C-level executives, including CISOs, CTOs, and CIOs, with a minimum of 22+ years of experience and extensive expertise in the IT, Cybersecurity, and Risk Management sectors, will serve as mentors in this program. They will carefully choose their mentees and provide them with valuable, personalized mentorship throughout the year.

Note: This mentorship program is thoughtfully curated by CXO Junction Media to foster leadership and knowledge-sharing within the industry. The selection criteria and guidelines ensure a seamless experience for both mentors and mentees. Professionals from OEM companies can participate in this program only through sponsorship opportunities. Join us in nurturing the future leaders of the industry!

40 exclusive emerging leaders, identified through a selective process led by the mentors, will be chosen for their potential, dedication, and commitment to professional growth. Mentees, including professionals at the GM IT, VP, Director, and C-1 levels, with a minimum of 15 years of industry experience, are encouraged to apply. The selected mentees will receive a year-long mentorship from their respective mentors, guiding them toward career excellence.

Note: This mentorship program is thoughtfully curated by CXO Junction Media to foster leadership and knowledge-sharing within the industry. The selection criteria and guidelines ensure a seamless experience for both mentors and mentees. Professionals from OEM companies can participate in this program only through sponsorship opportunities. Join us in nurturing the future leaders of the industry!

Industry veterans with outstanding experience in the IT, Cybersecurity, and Risk Management sectors who may prefer to contribute outside the traditional mentor-mentee framework, yet bring invaluable expertise and leadership. These distinguished professionals will be honored with a Special Award in recognition of their remarkable contributions and enduring impact on the community.

Note: This mentorship program is thoughtfully curated by CXO Junction Media to foster leadership and knowledge-sharing within the industry. The selection criteria and guidelines ensure a seamless experience for both mentors and mentees. Professionals from OEM companies can participate in this program only through sponsorship opportunities. Join us in nurturing the future leaders of the industry!

Individuals eager to gain knowledge and insights into executive leadership within the IT, Cybersecurity, and Risk Management sectors, participating as observers and beneficiaries of the program’s learning opportunities.

Core Domains

Cybersecurity

Risk Management & Compliance

Emerging Technologies

Meet our Visionary Leader's From West Region

Uday Deshpande

Larsen & Toubro Group of Companies

Pradipta Patro

Polycab India Ltd.

Shivani Arni

Mahindra Group

Kalpesh Doshi

HDFC Life Insurance Company Ltd.

Amit Ghodekar

Aramex

Dr. Pawan Chawla

Tata AIA Life Insurance

Dr. Pawan K. Sharma

Tata Motors

Ninad Varadkar

Edelweiss Financial Services Ltd.

Satyavrat Mishra

Godrej Industries Group

Dr. Amrut Urkude

Reliance Polyester Ltd.

Col Udit Jain

Bandhan AMC Ltd.

Vikas Sharma

Aditya Birla Group

Santosh Rai

PGP Glass Pvt. Ltd.

Ashok Tiwari

Finolex Cables Ltd.

Anand Deodhar

Force Motors Ltd.

Amit Jaokar

Sharekhan

Ambarish Kumar Singh

Godrej Enterprises Group

Rajkumar Ayyella

RPG Group

Santosh Gupta

Zee Learn Ltd.

Jimit Shah

LIC Housing Finance

Parth Trivedi

Bosch Global Software Technologies

Nebu Joy

Tata Play Fiber

Avinash Dharmadhikari

Ness Digital Engineering

Ranjan Patro

JM Financial Asset Management Ltd.

Anup Tongaonkar

Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Ltd.

Harshal Harbak

Fedbank Financial Services Ltd

Ashish Desai

Aditya Birla Group, Grasim Desai

Rajesh Dongre

HDFC Ergo

Sachin Kawalkar

Neeyamo

Sanjay Jaiswal

Nuvama Wealth

Apurva Dalal

Adani Airports Holding Ltd.

Dipesh Shah

Thermax Ltd.

Manisha Hombalkar

Jaysynth Group

Kishan Kendre

Blue Star Ltd.

Rajendra Panchal

Future Generali India Insurance Company Ltd.

Ravindra Pingle

HDFC Pension

Nilesh Gade

Bekaert

Bhagwatiprasad Dubey

Tata Capital Housing Finance Ltd.

Hemal Salva

Shalina Healthcare

Vijaykumar C

NSE Clearing Corporation Ltd.

Sandeep Jain

Capri Global Capital Ltd.

Bhaskar Rao

GP Parsik Sahakari Bank Ltd.

Amit Phadke

Canpack Group

Niketan Jadhav

Gulf Marketing Group

Shailendra Singh Gothra

STL Digital

Siddhartha Chaturvedi

WhiteOak Capital Asset Mgmt. Ltd.

Chandra Kanth

Macho Engineering Systems Pvt. Ltd.

Amit Saxena

Millennium Semiconductors India Pvt Ltd.

Sameer Kulkarni

Core Integra Consulting Ltd.

LaxmiNarayan Sahu

IIBX

Melwyn Rebeiro

Julius Baer

Ashok Kannan

Luthra Group

Sumit Kumar

IDBI Intech Ltd.

Mahesh Khisti

United Overseas Bank

Sikhin Tanu Shaw

Siemens Financial Services Pvt. Ltd.

Mrinmoy Jana

Zuno General Insurance Ltd.

Krishna Kant Mishra

Edelweiss Life Insurance

Rajesh Kathuria

Kairaglobal

Manish Chandegara

Simpolo Group

Yagnesh Parikh

PL Capital Group (Prabhudas Lilladher)

Meet our previous edition mentors from West Region

Shrikanth Iyer

Aditya Birla Health Insurance Company Ltd.