How leaders describe their transformation cadence
Continuous changeTransformation is continuous72%
Transformation lasts 1-2 years12%
Transformation lasts 3-5 years12%
Transformation lasts 5+ years4%
2026 audience research · 2027 partner planning
Audience
Insights
Inside the pressures, priorities and conversations shaping enterprise transformation.
A focused view of what more than 100 transformation leaders are working through - and what happens when the right people compare notes at Business Transformation World Summit.
January 25-27, 2027 · Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
100+
Transformation leaders surveyed
Data collected around BTWS 2026
72%
Call transformation continuous
46%
Are piloting Agentic AI
31%
Name leadership alignment as top friction
45%
Prioritise AI data quality and governance
The operating reality
Transformation is no longer a programme. It is an operating condition.
The audience is not waiting for a defined transformation window to close. Most leaders are managing continuous change across strategy, operations, technology and business functions.
Where transformation sits
Strategy and Planning35%
Business Operations28%
IT16%
Business Functions12%
Federated in Business Units5%
The Agentic AI maturity curve
Ambition is moving faster than readiness.
Most leaders are still learning or piloting. The largest concern is not the model itself - it is the quality, governance and organisational trust required to scale it responsibly.
78%
are exploring, learning or piloting Agentic AI.
Where organisations are today
Exploring / Learning32%
Piloting46%
Scaling13%
Embedded2%
Not a Priority6%
Biggest concern about enterprise AI adoption
Data Quality & Governance45%
Workforce Trust & Adoption29%
Overpromising & Underdelivering22%
Regulatory & Ethical Risks3%
Vendor Dependency1%
Where transformation stalls
Friction is organisational before it is technical.
Leadership alignment leads the list, followed by legacy people and culture. Technology and data matter, but transformation leaders are navigating a deeply human operating challenge.
Which part creates the most friction?
Leadership Alignment31%
Legacy People & Culture28%
People & Culture18%
Technology & Data14%
Processes6%
Governance & Funding4%
What delivers the most value?
Improvement still wins - but the value mix is widening.
36%
Incremental Process Improvement
19%
End-to-End Process Redesign
17%
Automation & AI-Led Optimisation
16%
Business Model or Operating Model Change
13%Still Unclear
The CTRO role
Formal ownership remains the exception.
71%
do not have a formal CTRO role.
13%Expanded Significantly
6%Expanded Slightly
4%Stayed the Same
6%Reduced or Redefined
The next 12 months
Growth, automation and culture define the priority stack.
28%
Innovation & Growth
26%
AI & Automation
25%
Culture & Change Leadership
13%
Process Reinvention
8%
Cost & Efficiency
What this means for solution providers
The audience does not need more noise. It needs useful partnership.
Leaders are looking for practical ways to connect ambition with adoption: credible use cases, hands-on tools, peer benchmarks and partners who understand the realities of enterprise change.
01
Make it practical
Workshops and usable takeaways matter to leaders responsible for implementation.
02
Meet maturity honestly
Most organisations are learning or piloting, not operating at enterprise scale.
03
Address the human system
Leadership, culture and workforce trust sit alongside technology in every decision.
04
Earn the conversation
A curated, informed audience rewards relevance over a generic product pitch.
Unfiltered reactions from BTWS 2026
What happened when the right people were in the room.
Selected partner and attendee reflections reveal what the data alone cannot: the quality of the conversations, the practical learning and the value of a deliberately connected community.
Partner perspective“We loved the workshop - it was packed, and people stayed after it was over because we were having so much fun. We believe in being hands-on and giving people practical tools to take away and do something with.”
“The people that are here, whether the software vendors and the other vendors that are here that might do something similar to what we do, we see that as an opportunity for partnership, not competition.”
Partner perspective“I've been doing this event for 3-4 years now, and it's been great for us. I couldn't recommend BTWS enough. We always win at least 2 or 3 customers every time we attend the event, so it is something we sign up for year after year in a heartbeat.”
Partner perspective“Post-event, I think there will be a lot of follow-ups to do. Sharing different perspectives, challenges and successes can help to accelerate transformation.”
“Sponsoring BTWS allows us to stay abreast of the latest stories, use cases and approaches. We sometimes get stuck in our silos, and unless we're engaging and being proactive in discussion at key events like BTWS, we don't want to miss the mark.”
Partner perspective“The most networking that I've had is through the networking bingo. That was a good opportunity to meet people and to sit with everyone in an open forum. Vendors will sit down and talk to me... It's not just listening to speeches.”
Attendee perspective“The attendees are great. The event is the right size - big enough to have a wide variety of interesting people, great attendance, good conversation and networking, but not so big that you get lost in the shuffle.”
Attendee perspective“The networking opportunities at this event are unique. You have a fantastically curated audience that allows us to really get at the nitty-gritty of these challenges faster... You're able to cut through the noise and get really tactical.”
Audience insight, then opportunity
See where your expertise could add value.
BTWS 2027 connects five transformation communities under one roof. Explore how a partnership can position your organisation within the challenges and priorities this audience is actively working to solve.
In Partnership With:
QUESTIONS?
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