January 28, 2026
In today’s fast-changing business environment, staying competitive requires more than simply keeping up—it calls for dynamic leadership and strategic, well-informed decisions. That’s why over 14,000 C-level executives from top organizations engage in Gartner C-level Communities for CIOs, CISOs, CHROs, CDAOs, CSCOs and CFOs. These peer-driven networks empower leaders to connect, share innovative best practices, and validate their strategies as they adapt to a volatile and uncertain environment.
In 2025, executives across our communities participated in more than 400 in-person and virtual events. They also provided insights to their peers through blogs, articles, sessions, discussions and community surveys. Here, we are exploring the hottest topics and most-read articles of the year, offering a glimpse of the issues that resonated most with C-level executives in 2025.
Trending Topics for C-level Executives
The VUCA Environment
In April and August of 2025, we conducted our regular Community Pulse Surveys on the same topic – the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environment. Our Pulse Surveys typically gather sentiments from community members on a key topic, and asking about the VUCA environment twice enabled us to share executives’ responses at two different points during the year.
In April, a majority of executives (61%) expressed negative sentiments about the geopolitical and economic environment and its impact on their businesses, as you can see from the infographic. We looked more deeply into their views and the strategic shifts they were implementing as a result in this survey report.
Later in the year, we asked a similar set of questions and found that C-level executives were more neutral and less negative about the geopolitical and economic environment. We shared additional executive insights and qualitative responses in a second survey report, 8 Findings from C-level Executives on Leading in a VUCA Environment.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI continued to dominate business headlines in 2025, and C-level executives across our communities continued to drive discussions with their peers on demonstrating value from AI, scaling AI, and managing the risks. These discussions took place across every executive role and region. Here is a sample of popular Town Hall discussions on AI-related topics last year:
- Future of Work in AI-Driven Enterprises (Global CIO Community)
- Driving Strategic AI — A CDAO’s Roadmap to Success (Toronto CDAO Community)
- Streamlining AI Operations for Enhanced Productivity (Philadelphia CIO & CISO Community)
- Outpacing the Adversary — Securing AI Innovation Before It’s Too Late (DACH CISO Community)
- Driving Successful Digital Transformation (Chicago CHRO Community)
Most-Read Community Member Features
At Gartner C-level Communities, our by and for model is evident in our articles featuring community members, their best practices, and the topics they selected through the annual Leadership Perspective Survey. These are the top five articles highlighting community members from 2025:
- Peer Practices: How Gensler's Culture & Return-to-Office Policy Drive Innovation and Connection
Gensler, the world's largest architectural and design firm, is revitalizing its culture by implementing a five-day return-to-office policy. Here, Michael Bodziner, Principal and Co-Chief Human Resources Officer and Governing Body Member of the San Francisco CHRO Community, shared insights on this strategic move and how they are transforming the office into "a destination" to drive innovation and collaboration.
Peer Practices: How Stanley Black & Decker is Harnessing GenAI for Competitive Advantage
In an era where AI is reshaping industries, Stanley Black & Decker stands out for its strategic approach to leveraging AI for competitive advantage. In this article, Matt Griffiths, CTO at Stanley Black & Decker and Governing Body Co-Chair of the Boston CDAO Community, discussed their AI journey and shared valuable advice for data leaders aiming to harness AI to drive business value.
Leadership Profile: Leading Cybersecurity Transformation as a First-Time CISO
Sam Fariborz, Governing Body Member of the Melbourne CISO Community, rose to the position of CISO at David Jones by consistently seizing opportunities in challenging situations. Here, one year into her first CISO position, Sam reflected on her career journey and shared valuable insights as a new leader in cybersecurity.
Leadership Profile: Driving Innovation and AI at a 230-Year Old Company
Piero Azzalini, Group CIO at Fincantieri and Governing Body Member of the Italy CIO Community, has embraced all aspects of the CIO role, especially innovation. Here, Piero shared more about his career path, his current focus on AI, and about a pioneering application for physical AI and robotics at Fincantieri, one of the largest shipbuilding companies in the world.
- Leadership Profile: Lessons from Bayer’s Guru Ramamurthy on Modern CFO Leadership
In this profile of Guru Ramamurthy, global CFO of Bayer Crop Science and Governing Body Co-Chair of the New York CFO Community, Guru reflected on the defining moments that have shaped his career, the leadership philosophies that guide his decisions, and his advice for CFO in today’s dynamic business landscape.
Most-Read Community Blogs
On our Community Blog, we explore results from community surveys and highlight trends from peer-driven sessions and discussions, along with sharing occasional community news. Here are the top three most-read blogs of 2025:
Evanta is Now Gartner C-level Communities
In 2025, we changed our name from Evanta to Gartner C-level Communities and shared more about this announcement on our blog.
Top 3 Areas of Focus for CHROs in 2025
Here, we explored some initial results from our annual Leadership Perspective Survey, along with key insights from discussions with CHRO community members, highlighting the key themes CHROs were expected to prioritize in 2025.
Three Top Focus Areas for CIOs in 2025
From legacy technology to the need for digital transformation and from driving innovation to demonstrating the value of IT, CIOs faced a number of priorities competing for their time and resources in early 2025. With these factors in mind, this was an overview of three themes for CIOs for the year.
As we reflect on the most-read content and trending topics of 2025, it’s clear that C-level executives are navigating an era defined by rapid change, uncertainty, and innovation. The insights and best practices shared across Gartner C-level Communities not only highlight the challenges leaders face, but also the collaborative spirit and forward-thinking strategies that drive success.
Whether exploring the evolving VUCA environment, harnessing the power of AI, or learning from peers’ experiences, executives continue to shape the future of business together. We look forward to another year of dynamic discussions, shared knowledge, and impactful leadership within our communities.
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