TCS Summit Europe Live blog
Over three days, we will bring together senior executives, policymakers, innovators, and global thinkers to explore how businesses can turn complexity into a competitive advantage in a rapidly changing world. From fireside chats to high-impact panels on technology, AI, adaptability, and the future of work, we’ll be bringing you the key updates, insights, and moments as they happen. Stay with us for the latest highlights from the summit.
The second day of the TCS Europe Summit 2025 was a full day exploring how leadership and technology intersect in an era of rapid change and opportunity.
The day began with a keynote address from K. Krithivasan, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of TCS, on embracing complexity and steering enterprises toward continuous, adaptive growth. He emphasised the need for organisations to integrate AI strategically, adopt a future-focused mindset, and build the foundations for long-term transformation.
This year, the focus has shifted on to ‘agents’ — AI systems that can act autonomously and are even now able to negotiate with other AI agents, he said. And this is evolving into an ‘agent economy’ where AI agents carry out activities like buying or negotiating independently.
A fireside chat with Former European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker examined the global business landscape, highlighting the risks of over-regulation for AI innovation, and the importance of competitiveness, predictability, and unity in Europe’s evolving economy.
Two panels followed, offering insights on leadership and innovation.
The first, Redefining Leadership for a New Era, examined how AI can support culture, learning, and decision-making, even as it is unable to replace human leadership. Panellists Rami Baitiéh (Morrisons), Carsten Bittner (ABN AMRO), and Ericson Chan (Zurich Insurance) discussed building trust, fostering psychological safety at work, and a culture of learning to empower teams amid rapid change.
The second panel, Reinventing Business Impact, focused on the best ways to embed AI and innovation into core business operations. Clare Bramwell (Christie’s) highlighted generative AI’s creative potential, while Jerzy Janeczko (Lonza) stressed the importance of high data quality and better digital fluency. Turkka Keskinen (UPM) discussed balancing innovation with operational realities, while Arne Erik Berntzen (Posten Bring) shared lessons from cloud migration, AI adoption, and ethical governance. Across industries, the panel agreed that education, robust governance, and ethical oversight are essential to sustainable transformation.
The day is set to conclude with a networking lunch, afternoon activities, and a gala dinner at Vienna’s iconic Hofburg Palace, celebrating innovation, leadership, and collaboration.
The third and final day of the summit will look ahead to the future with more insights on leading in the AI era, sessions on turning complexity into opportunity, and how future trends can help organisations gain a competitive edge. See the full agenda here.
At a panel discussion on business reinvention, technology leaders explored how innovation and AI can build organisations that are equipped to thrive against a backdrop of constant change.
The leaders across industries said integrating technology into core business processes, maintaining data quality, and fostering digital fluency are key to sustainable transformation.
Generative AI can be a transformative creative tool, according to Clare Bramwell, SVP of Architecture, Data Platforms & AI Strategy at Christie’s, comparing its impact to the disruption that photography once caused in the art world. She said companies must adapt quickly as AI and NFTs reshape industries, with artists increasingly experimenting with technology.
Jerzy Janeczko, Group CIO at Lonza, spoke about embedding innovation directly into both core business and enabling processes. He emphasised the importance of high-quality data and fostering digital and data fluency across organisations, not just within IT teams. Janeczko also spoke about a generational shift in technology engagement, saying companies should learn from younger employees.
Balancing core operations with innovation was a focus for Turkka Keskinen, CIO of UPM, who described the challenge of managing a diverse global business where some areas are growing while others, like paper, are in decline. Keskinen highlighted the need for investment in data platforms, governance, and modelling, as well as AI programmes.
Arne Erik Berntzen, CIO of Posten Bring, emphasised the importance of integrating IT and business functions, rather than treating technology separately. He outlined Posten Bring’s progress in consolidating IT systems, migrating to the cloud, and building robust data platforms and AI capabilities. Berntzen also talked about the importance of ethics, customer data, and privacy.
Overall, the discussion underscored the idea that leveraging AI and innovation requires education, robust ethical oversight, and effective governance.
AI is a powerful tool for enhancing culture, learning, and decision-making, but human leadership cannot be replaced.
That was one of the key points made at a panel on adapting and thriving amid rapid change and the AI revolution, moderated by Dr. Johan Roos, Executive Director of VCMI and the Peter Drucker Society Europe. The discussion covered adaptability, strategic change, and building trust, as well as the importance of defining an organisation’s culture first, before letting technology accelerate and amplify it.
Rami Baitiéh, CEO of Morrisons, told delegates at the TCS Summit Europe 2025 that people need to experience failure to learn. AI can enable rapid learning, said Ericson Chan, Executive Committee Member & CIDO, Zurich Insurance, sharing how AI helps him generate personalized podcasts from books and provides instant access to insights for better decisions.
Carsten Bittner, Executive Board Member & CITO, ABN AMRO, said he uses AI tools to keep himself updated on complex banking regulations and to align and clarify goals across his teams. He emphasized leadership’s responsibility of creating an AI culture of learning it, not knowing it. Rami Baitiéh said he uses AI as a personal email agent to respond to every customer correspondence he receives, and in his view, all AI efforts should be led by a customer-first approach.
The discussion covered key areas, such as:
Leadership, CEOs, and board members set the tone, a culture cannot be created by AI.
AI supports, accelerates, and amplifies a pre-defined culture, but it cannot replace leadership.
Leadership should create an environment of psychological safety where employees feel empowered to experiment, share insights, and take the initiative.
Generative AI can analyse data quickly, enabling better, faster, more informed decision-making.
Effectiveness depends on having a strong human-led culture and a clear strategy.
Adaptability requires motivation, engagement, and readiness for change across the organisation.
All the speakers were confident that change is coming, and resilience is needed to thrive.
“To enable AI and other emerging technologies, the European Union must cut red tape and streamline its regulatory framework,” Former European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said.
In a wide-ranging fireside chat, titled The World at a Crossroads, Juncker said the EU has too many rules in AI and too much bureaucracy. “Over-regulation risks stifling innovation, slowing progress, and repeating past mistakes,” he said.
Juncker also stressed that improving the competitiveness of the European economy is the EU’s most important challenge. Strengthening the internal market and addressing gaps like the Capital Markets Union are crucial steps. He linked competitiveness to reforms and fiscal responsibility, saying that high public debt and slow implementation of reforms in some countries are holding Europe back.
Against this backdrop, he emphasised the importance of predictability and unity for business leaders, especially in the face of global uncertainty and shifting international relations.
Companies can’t afford to hesitate on AI, because waiting means being left behind, K. Krithivasan, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, TCS, told delegates in a keynote address at the TCS Summit Europe in Vienna.
“AI technology is advancing at an unprecedented speed and scale, reshaping lives, and industries faster than ever before,” he said, “and at the same time, many organisations are struggling with adoption due to unclear goals, poor data, and slow cultural change.”
Those who act decisively, integrate AI into their strategies, and build the right foundations will see huge long-term gains. With the opportunity so large, leaders must adopt early and prepare for a future shaped by AI agents and the “agent economy.”
“Unlike last year,” he said, “the focus has shifted onto ‘agents’ -AI systems that can act autonomously and are even now able to negotiate with other AI agents. By 2026, this could evolve into an ‘agent economy’.
He touched on the challenges, citing reports showing that many AI initiatives aren’t delivering return on investment, including an MIT report that shows 95% of generative AI pilots at companies show no measurable return. “S&P Global Market Intelligence found that 42% of businesses scrapped most of their AI initiatives in 2024,” he said.
Good morning from Vienna!
After an inspiring first day focused on adaptability, we’re ready to dive into day two of the TCS Summit Europe 2025. Today’s sessions explore how leadership and technology intersect in an era of rapid change and opportunity.
Our Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, K. Krithivasan, will deliver a keynote speech on complexity and how to steer enterprises towards continuous and adaptive growth.
Later in the morning the role of businesses in geopolitics and the future of Europe will be the subject of a fireside chat with Jean-Claude Juncker, Former President of the European Commission.
Two panels will examine leading and change. The first on Redefining Leadership for a New Era will feature Rami Baitiéh from Morrisons, Carsten Bittner from ABN AMRO, and Ericson Chan from Zurich Insurance. After that, a panel on Reinventing Business Impact will discuss how AI and innovation can underpin reinvention, intelligent supply chains, and resilience. Panellists include Arne Erik Berntzen, Posten Bring; Turkka Keskinen, UPM; Jerzy Janeczko, Lonza, and Clare Bramwell from Christie’s.
The day closes with a gala dinner at Vienna’s iconic Hofburg Palace. You can keep up to date with the key developments on this blog or check out the full agenda and list of speakers here.
The first day in Vienna centered around exploring the concept of adaptability.
Tomorrow, we have a keynote address from TCS Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, K. Krithivasan and a fireside chat with Jean-Claude Juncker on Europe’s geopolitical future, as well as other panels and discussions. See the full agenda here.
Technology, culture, people, and customer-centricity are all key levers for transformation, according to a panel of business leaders at the TCS Summit Europe 2025.
According to the panel, leaders who embrace experimentation, foster collaboration, develop talent, and turn challenges into opportunities are best positioned to innovate and thrive. This panel featured Elin Sandnes, Group EVP Technology & Services, DNB Bank; Gerhard van der Bijl, CTO, Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia; Stefan Borgas, CEO, RHI Magnesita, and Lee Goddard, Chief Product Officer, Kingfisher.
During the panel discussion, titled Orchestrating Change, the experts emphasised the importance of embedding a mindset of “why not?” at every level in an organisation. Their discussion made clear that culture drives success and emphasised the importance of collaboration, encouraging experimentation, and empowering teams.
Panellists stressed the importance of innovation while also respecting and understanding the local market. Lee Goddard explained how Kingfisher’s modular, composable technology platforms allow small teams to pilot solutions, for example, locker delivery in Poland, before scaling them across multiple regions.
“Adaptability is essential. Leaders encouraged learning from failure and iterative experimentation, particularly when implementing AI and automation. Teams must feel empowered to test new approaches while understanding that not every experiment will succeed,” the panellists said.
“Technology works best when paired with skilled teams, strong governance, and a culture that encourages collaboration. At the same time, customer focus must remain a central driver of strategy. Insights from customers can guide innovation in business models, product offerings, and user experience,” they said.
“Recruiting and developing the right talent is more important than ever,” panellists said, emphasising the need for mentoring and building diverse leadership teams. Challenges can be reframed as opportunities to innovate and solving them creates a competitive edge.
Adaptability starts with a shared goal. That was the central message of a fireside chat with Dame Ellen MacArthur, who sat down at the TCS Summit Europe 2025 to discuss her solo sailing achievements and her foundation’s work on the circular economy and the role of technology to accelerate it.
“Adaptability is not about reacting to problems,” she said, “it’s about defining a system-wide goal, aligning competitors, startups, and incumbents, and using technology to accelerate the shift.”
“Incremental innovation can struggle to add up,” she told delegates. Drawing on her experience , she said that only when competitors in the Fast-moving consumer goods sector sat together to define what success looked like for reducing plastics were they able to make progress.
Dame Ellen also discussed how digital tools are essential for sustainability and the circular economy. “The circular economy is about keeping materials and products in use for as long as possible,” she said. Technology and AI can play a crucial role in making that possible, through tracking and tracing materials, using digital passports to know what’s inside products and through monitoring supply chains.
“For example, in aviation, ‘power by the hour’ models allow engines to be maintained and kept in service longer because digital monitoring tells you exactly how they’re performing,” she said.
When it comes to climate change and limiting warming, Dame Ellen said that while just over half of the solution comes from the energy transition and solutions like renewables and electrification, the other 45% depends on how we make and use things. “So nearly half of the climate solution lies in circular economy practices, including rethinking production, consumption, reuse, and recycling,” she said.
On behalf of Vienna’s mayor, Dr. Michael Ludwig, Barbara Novak, Executive City Councillor, welcomed delegates to the TCS Summit Europe 2025.
She noted that Vienna – a city of 2 million people – has long served as a meeting place for global business, technology, and political dialogue. With deep roots in European culture and tradition, Vienna continues to balance history with innovation.
Novak outlined Vienna’s commitment to digital transformation, including modernising the city’s IT architecture with cloud, container technologies, and AI, and ensuring data security, privacy, and digital trust. Her message resonated with the themes of the Summit, including the need to adapt and lead through periods of change.
Sapthagiri Chapalapalli, Head of TCS Europe, extended a warm welcome to all delegates at the TCS Summit Europe 2025 in Vienna, celebrating the city’s rich cultural heritage and its thriving innovation ecosystem.
He reflected on the journey from last year’s summit in Athens, noting that the pace of change across geopolitics, supply chains, technology, and society has intensified. “This means businesses need to re-imagine how they operate and to become Perpetually Adaptive Enterprises,” Saptha said.
Leaders everywhere are grappling with similar questions:
He said he hopes there will be opportunities to hear perspectives from global leaders on these challenges and how to unlock new opportunities over the coming days
Finally, Saptha set the tone for the Summit, saying it was all about learning, sharing, making connections, and finding inspiration.
We’re gearing up for the official start of the TCS Summit Europe 2025. Today, delegates will explore how to become adaptive and how to orchestrate change and turn complexity into advantage.
This afternoon in Vienna, Sapthagiri Chapalapalli, Head of TCS Europe will offer a welcome and opening remarks that reflect on the themes of the next few days. Following that, Barbara Novak, Executive City Councillor, will give us a local perspective on how Vienna is embracing innovation and digital transformation.
Later, we will hear Dame Ellen MacArthur, record-breaking sailor and founder of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, reflect on lessons of adaptability from sailing and her work on the circular economy.
Finally a CXO Client Panel will include leaders from DNB Bank, Ahold Delhaize, RHI Magnesita and Kingfisher to discuss how they are managing change in technology, talent and business to stay resilient.
Stay tuned here for live updates and key takeaways as the TCS Summit Europe 2025 gets underway.