Desert Jeep Tour 

Experience the breathtaking beauty of the Sonoran Desert on a guided, low- speed jeep tour. Explore diverse flora and wildlife as you venture off-road through the untouched landscapes of the Tonto National Forest. 

Pinnacle Peak Hike 

Enjoy stunning desert landscapes, diverse wildlife, and panoramic views as you trek a 4-mile scenic trail on Pinnacle Peak. An intermediate-paced hike, this invigorating adventure offers a peaceful escape into nature before the day heats up. 

Pickleball Round-Robin Mixer 

Elevate your game with a dynamic pickleball clinic and round-robin tournament. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned player, expert coaching will help sharpen your skills before you jump into a fun, fast-paced mixer with rotating partners and friendly competition. 

SPECIAL AI SESSION: A BLUEPRINT FOR MULTI-AGENT SYSTEMS  
Hosted by Cognizant  
Now more than ever, COOs are utilizing AI to increase efficiency and streamline processes. In this interactive session, Cognizant’s CTO of artificial intelligence will demonstrate how multiple AI agents can collaborate together to enhance the decision-making process. Whether you’re just starting, or are more advanced in your AI journey, you’ll leave this session with a stronger understanding on how multi-agentic AI can help your organization stay agile, while providing valuable data for informed decision making.    
Babak Hodjat, Chief Technology Officer, AI, Cognizant
Moderator: Diane Brady, Executive Editorial Director, Fortune, Co-Chair, Fortune COO Summit 

The plenary space and central gathering point for all attendees. Session formats will include fireside chats, panels, stand-up presentations and opportunities for networking and collaboration.

ARCHITECTS OF AI: DRIVING TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION FROM WITHIN 
How are the companies pioneering artificial intelligence technology actually using it internally? These two preeminent operational leaders at the forefront of the AI revolution will share the strategies they are using to deploy the very technologies they're developing—while writing the future of AI for the world. We’ll hear how they are leveraging AI to optimize operations, fuel growth and share specific advice for corporate leaders about how best to implement today’s most cutting-edge innovations in their own organizations.  
Tracy Galloway, Chief Operating Officer, Microsoft America
Moderator: Geoff Colvin, Senior Editor-at-large, Co-Chair, Fortune COO Summit 

SUCCESSION SPOTLIGHT: THE SECRET SAUCE THAT LANDED CHIPOTLE’S COO IN THE CEO SEAT 
Nearly 80% of S&P 500 CEOs are promoted from within, most commonly from the COO post, according to a 2024 study by The Conference Board. Chipotle’s Scott Boatwright is part of this elite group: He ascended to the CEO position after seven years as COO, where he steered operations through transformative tech innovations like the “Autocado” (Chipotle’s high-tech solution to avocado cutting), built an innovative AI hiring platform, and fostered the people-first culture that Chipotle has become known for. In this fireside chat, Boatwright will unpack how the operational priorities that defined his COO tenure now serve as the foundation of his CEO strategy, with lots of lessons that every COO can dip into. 
Scott Boatwright, Chief Executive Officer, Chipotle  
Interviewer: Kristin Stoller, Editorial Director, Fortune; Co-Chair, Fortune COO Summit 

THE CEO MAKER: HOW BLACKSTONE TRANSFORMED EXECUTIVE SEARCH TO DRIVE VALUE
Courtney della Cava came into private equity powerhouse Blackstone with a vision to make the CEO hiring process in their 250 portfolio companies less of an art and more of a science. Learn how she’s helped to reimagine traditional executive search methodologies and develop a unique framework that identifies tomorrow’s leaders through a rigorous process. She’ll be joined by one of those leaders, Howard Hochhauser, a CFO/COO turned CEO that helped grow his genealogy company Ancestry to more than $1 billion in revenue. The pair will share their unique perspectives and strategies for identifying and developing high-potential talent in today's rapidly changing technological landscape, and what it takes to stay on top. 
Courtney della Cava, Senior Managing Director and Global Head of Portfolio Talent &  
Organizational Performance, Blackstone 
Howard Hochhauser, Chief Executive Officer, Ancestry
Moderator: Ruth Umoh, Next to Lead, Editor; Co-Chair, Fortune COO Summit 

GET READY TO MEET YOUR DIGITAL TWIN 
Have you ever had a busy day and said to yourself, “I wish there were two of me”? Delphi Cofounder and CEO Dara Ladjevardian has made that fantasy into a reality. Inspired by his desire to converse with his grandfather and benefit from his wisdom after a stroke, Ladjevardian set to work on creating code that captures and scales the mind of any individual. In this must-see session, he’ll explain his process and demo the technology’s practical use cases for corporate executives—ending with an interview with the digital twin of Fortune’s own Diane Brady. 
Dara Ladjevardian, Cofounder and CEO, Delphi 
Interviewer: Diane Brady, Fortune

SUCCESSION SPOTLIGHT: HOW TO PROPEL A FAN-FAVORITE BRAND INTO THE FUTURE 
Dan Sheridan’s career journey at Brooks Running has been both a marathon and a sprint. In his years as COO, he led the organization through the pandemic and seismic shifts in the athletic apparel market. Now, as CEO, the race is on as he navigates increased competition, a new and turbulent geopolitical landscape for trade, and the evolving expectations of today’s workforce. Sheridan will share tales from his journey from COO to CEO, and his unique playbook for what is required to propel Brooks to the level of growth that he envisions, while protecting the brand that passionate runners worldwide have come to expect.  
Dan Sheridan, Chief Executive Officer, Brooks Running 
Moderator: Phil Wahba, Senior Writer, Fortune 

THE ROAD TO THE CORNER OFFICE: HOW TO SUCCEED IN SUCCESSION 
As the operational backbone of an organization, the strategic ascension of COO to CEO can be one of the most powerful succession strategies in corporate leadership. A COOs comprehensive strategic perspective, cross-functional relationships, and battle-tested decision-making capabilities create the unique foundation for a seamless executive transition and powerful leadership. This session explores the critical elements of CEO succession planning that transform operational leaders into visionary CEOs. 
Fawad Bajwa, Managing Director and Partner, Russell Reynolds
Stephen Miles, Founder and CEO, TMG
Moderator: Lila MacLellan, Senior Writer, Fortune; Co-Chair, Fortune COO Summit 

CHANGING THE GAME: HOW TECHNOLOGY IS REVOLUTIONIZING SPORTS OPERATIONS 
For sports franchises built on storied legacies, embracing innovation is a total game-changer— and Gillian Zucker and Sandra Douglass Morgan are going long on reimagining the future of sports. We'll hear from these two powerhouse women about the winning strategies for leveraging technology in sports operations, including the Raiders' approach to activations and experiences, and Halo's pioneering initiatives like the tech-enhanced fan journey at the Intuit Dome, home of the LA Clippers – two crown jewels in Steve Ballmer’s Halo portfolio. As stadiums evolve into dynamic, experience-driven destinations, this conversation will explore how visionary leadership is shaping what comes next.
Sandra Douglass Morgan, President, Las Vegas Raiders 
Gillian Zucker, Chief Executive Officer, Halo Sports and Entertainment 
Moderator: Kristin Stoller, Fortune 

ADDITIONAL SESSIONS AND SPEAKERS TO BE ANNOUNCED

These sessions offer a chance for participants to dive deeper into discussions around specific topics. The format encourages a more intimate setting, where active participation and idea-sharing are at the forefront.

MASTER CLASS: IMPLEMENTING A PLAYBOOK FOR HUMAN-CENTERED LEADERSHIP  
At a time when trust in institutions is under pressure, one of the most important challenges an executive faces is how to shape the culture of an organization and practice leadership with a human-centered approach. This critical task of aligning the forces of governance, culture, and leadership is the foundation of Dov Seidman’s work at The HOW Institute. Drawing from his research on the dimensions of our “human operating system,” Seidman will share practical strategies for COOs to lead as the architects of their organizations by declaring humanity as "job one." 
 Dov Seidman, Founder and Chairman, The HOW Institute for Society 
Moderator: Diane Brady, Fortune
 
 MASTER CLASS: TAPPING INTO WHAT MAKES THE MOST EFFECTIVE COOs  
Do you understand the exact behaviors and characteristics that impact your leadership and success as a COO? In this interactive session, we’ll explore a unique methodology that helps executives perceive and ultimately enhance their organizational influence. Attendees will leave with unprecedented insight into how their own leadership behaviors directly correlate with operational performance outcomes. With data from thousands of executives that have completed her organization’s proprietary assessment, Leadership Circle Global COO Amy Felix-Reese will share the scientifically-proven profile of what qualities make up the most (and the least) effective COOs, and why. 
Amy Felix-Reese, Global Chief Operations Officer, The Leadership Circle
Moderator: Ruth Umoh, Fortune