BW Chief Data and AI officers Conclave and Awards 2026

BW Chief Data and AI officers Awards 2026

Honoring the Visionaries Driving India’s AI & Data Revolution

The BW Chief Data & AI Officer Awards 2026 celebrates Visionary Leadership, Technical excellence, and Groundbreaking innovation in Data, AI, and Analytics. As organizations navigate the AI -driven economy, these awards honor individuals and teams who are harnessing Data and AI responsibly, driving Digital Transformation, and shaping a Future of Ethical, Intelligent, and Impactful Decision-making.

With a focus on Innovation, Governance, Security, and Sustainability, this year’s awards recognize those who are not just advancing technology but also ensuring that data and AI serve Businesses, Society, and the Greater Vision of India

Why Nominate ?

Elite Industry Recognition – Be honored as a Visionary Leader in India’s AI & data transformation journey.
Industry Influence – Gain national visibility and establish your Organization Brand as a leader championing Strategies in AI, data governance, and business intelligence.
Data & AI Community Celebrity – Be Celebrated among the top CDOs, AI pioneers, policymakers, and tech disruptors leading the charge in enterprise AI innovation.
Inspire Next Gen – Influence India’s AI-driven economy, set new benchmarks, and be the voice of responsible, impactful AI adoption.

Who Should Nominate ?

Leaders and Brands Championing the Data & AI Strategies and vendors offering Data & AI solutions are eligible to nominate for these awards.

Chief Data
Officers

VP and Directors of
Data and Analytics

Chief Analytics
Officers

President Data
and Analytics

Chief Information
Officers

Head Data and
Analytics

Chief Technology
Officers

Chief Security
Officers

CIO

CEO, MD & Founders
of Vendor companies

Eminent Jury Panel

Speakers

Coming Soon

Award Categories

Data Leadership Award Categories

Chief Data Officer of the Year: Honoring the CDO setting the benchmark for data leadership and enterprise impact.
Chief AI Officer of the Year: Recognizing AI-first leadership shaping enterprise strategy and scalable AI adoption.
Visionary Data & AI Leader of the Year: Celebrating leaders driving long-term, transformative Data & AI vision.
Data Transformation Leader of the Year: Recognizing leaders delivering measurable, enterprise-wide data-driven transformation.
Data Rising Star of the Year: Recognizing emerging data leaders making a high-impact contribution through innovation and execution
Data Security & Privacy Leader of the Year: Celebrating leaders who protect data, strengthen cyber resilience, and earn enterprise-wide trust.
Data Ethics & Governance Leader of the Year: Honoring leaders championing responsible data and AI through strong governance, transparency, and accountability.
Advanced Analytics Leader of the Year: Recognizing leaders who turn advanced analytics into measurable business decisions and outcomes.
AI Transformation Leader of the Year: Honoring leaders driving enterprise-wide AI adoption and delivering large-scale business impact.
Analytics Innovator of the Year: Celebrating trailblazers pioneering next-generation analytics and breakthrough data innovations.
Lifetime Achievement in Data Leadership: Honoring an industry stalwart for sustained excellence and lasting impact across Data, Analytics, and AI.

Organization Categories

Best Place to Work in Data & AI:
Recognising organisations that create an inclusive, engaging, and high-performance workplace for data and AI professionals.
Best Data & AI Talent Strategy:
Honouring organisations with a strong, future-ready approach to attracting, developing, and retaining data and AI talent.
Best Data & AI Skills Development Program:
Celebrating impactful upskilling initiatives that build enterprise-wide data and AI capabilities.
Best Data & AI Leadership Development Initiativ:
Recognizing programs that develop the next generation of data and AI leaders.
Best Data-Driven Culture Initiative:
Honoring initiatives that embed data-led decision-making across the organization.
Best Culture Change Initiative through Data & AI:
Recognizing organizations that have successfully transformed mindsets and behaviours using data and AI.
Best Use of AI/ML in Organizational Strategy:
Honoring strategic use of AI and ML to drive enterprise-wide growth and decision-making.
Best in ESG Data Excellence:
Recognizing organizations using data to advance sustainability, governance, and measurable ESG impact.
Best Data Privacy & Trust Initiative:
Celebrating organizations that build trust through strong data privacy, protection, and responsible data practices.
Best Digital Innovation for Loyalty Excellence
Recognizes organizations that have leveraged cutting-edge digital solutions to enhance customer engagement, retention, and long-term loyalty.
Best Technology Transformation for Loyalty Excellence
Honours organizations that have successfully transformed their loyalty ecosystem through strategic adoption of technology to deliver measurable business and customer impact.

Excellence in Teamwork

Data Transformation Team of the Year:
For teams delivering measurable, enterprise-wide business transformation using data & AI.
Data Governance & Trust Team of the Year:
Recognizes teams ensuring data quality, security, compliance, and ethical use.
Analytics & Insights Team of the Year:
Celebrates teams converting data into actionable business intelligence.
Innovative Data & Analytics Team of the Year:
For teams pioneering new tools, models, or approaches in analytics, AI, or data engineering.
Sustainable Data & AI Models Team of the Year:
Honoring teams developing ethical, energy-efficient, and future-ready Data & AI models

Smart Solutions Awards Categories

Data Management Solution of the Year
Recognizes an organization that has developed a comprehensive data management Product or Services enabling enterprises to efficiently collect, integrate, govern, and manage data across the organization.
Data Quality & Master Data Solution of the Year
Honors an organization whose Product or Services significantly improves data accuracy, consistency, and reliability by effectively managing data quality and master data across enterprise systems.
Advanced Analytics Solution of the Year
Recognizes an organization that delivers advanced analytics solutions using predictive, prescriptive, or sophisticated analytical techniques to generate deeper, actionable insights for enterprises.
Business Intelligence & Visualization Solution of the Year
Honors an organization that provides business intelligence and visualization Product or Services transforming complex data into intuitive, visual insights that enable faster and smarter business decisions.
Data Security Solution of the Year
Celebrates an organization that offers robust data security Product or Services designed to protect enterprise data through advanced controls, continuous monitoring, and proactive risk management.
Data Privacy Solution of the Year
Recognizes an organization whose Product or Services enables enterprises to manage data privacy, consent, and protection in compliance with global and regional data protection regulations.
Cloud-Based Data Platform Solution of the Year
Honors an organization that has developed a cloud-native data platform enabling scalable, flexible, and cost-effective data management and analytics operations for enterprises.
AI/ML-Driven Data Solution of the Year
Celebrates an organization that embeds artificial intelligence and machine learning into its data solutions to automate insights, enhance decision-making, and improve business outcomes.
Innovative Data Management Solution of the Year
Recognizes an organization that has introduced a New data management Product or Services featuring novel architectures, approaches, or capabilities that redefine enterprise data management.
Industry-Specific Data Solution of the Year
Honors an organization whose data Product or Services delivers measurable business impact by addressing the unique data and analytics needs of a specific industry sector like retail, Healthcare, BFSI , E- Commerce, Hospitality etc

NOMINATE FOR THE AWARDS

Nomination Process – BW Chief Data & AI Awards
Eligibility | Who Can Apply

Open to Data, Analytics, and AI leaders from both public and private sector organizations, including corporates, enterprises, startups, consulting firms, technology providers, and solution vendors across industries. Organizations of all sizes are eligible to participate.

Nomination Submission

All nominations must be submitted online along with the applicable non-refundable nomination fee. Only complete entry Forms will be considered. A confirmation email will be sent upon successful submission.

Professional Impact & Experience

Nominees should be established or emerging Data & AI leaders who have demonstrated measurable impact through innovation, strategic execution, business transformation, or enterprise-wide adoption of Data & AI initiatives.

Multiple Nominations

Organizations may submit multiple nominations across categories. Each nomination will be evaluated independently by the Jury.

Jury Evaluation Process

Shortlisting and final evaluation will be conducted through a Virtual Jury Meet. Shortlisted nominees will be informed in advance regarding the date, time, and meeting details.

Mandatory Jury Pitch

Shortlisted nominees must attend the virtual jury meet and deliver a 2.5-minute presentation, followed by a brief Q&A session. Participation in the jury interaction is mandatory for award consideration.

Evaluation Criteria

Nominations will be assessed based on:
- Leadership in Data & AI strategy and execution
- Innovation and problem-solving capabilities
- Business impact and measurable outcomes
- Transformational or game-changing initiatives
- Future readiness and forward-thinking approach
Final Decision & Recognition

Winners will be announced and felicitated at the BW Chief Data & AI Awards 2026. The Jury’s decision will be final and binding, with no further correspondence entertained.

Confidentiality & Promotion Rights

All nomination details will remain strictly confidential and will be shared only with the Jury. BW Businessworld reserves the right to use submitted profiles, photographs, and videos (royalty-free) for award-related promotions and communications.