The Premier Executive Leadership Forum
In moments of uncertainty, when decisions carry real consequences, CEO Academy, in partnership with the Wharton School, convenes a select community of experienced CEOs and senior executives for focused, closed-door dialogue on the issues shaping organizational performance. Engagement extends beyond the summit through a continuous cadence of in-person convenings, virtual sessions, and small group discussions. Executives bring real-time challenges into the room, engaging with peers and leading experts to sharpen judgment, align priorities, and make decisions with greater confidence.
New York City
October 20-21, 2026
Why Attend
Intimate Conversations and Unrivaled Peer-to-Peer Exchanges
Engage in confidential and candid discussions on macro and microeconomic trends, competitive challenges, and business transformation with C-level peers.
Year-Round Engagement to Stay on the Cutting Edge
Access exclusive data on the trends CEOs are watching, interactive virtual sessions, and more throughout the year, powered by CEO Academy experts.
Actionable Insights from the Leading Authority in All Things Work
With proprietary workforce and economic research from our knowledge partners, engage with fact-based, predictive insights rather than speculation.
Insightful Plenary Sessions from Leading Visionary Speakers
Gain tactical insights from world-class speakers who continue to drive transformation in leadership, including Wharton faculty, leading economists, and top-tier CEOs.
Session Topics
- Activism: Investors, Employees, Public
- Artificial Intelligence
- Board Excellence
- CEO Succession
- CEO Survival/Crisis Management
- C-Suite Collaboration
- Cybersecurity
- Economic Trends
- Executive Security
- Executive Mental Health & Burnout
- Geopolitical Issues
- Workforce & Talent Dynamics
Meet the Speakers
Speaking in Dubai
Peter Cappelli
George W. Taylor Professor of Management at The Wharton School and Director of Wharton's Center for Human Resources
Dennis Carey
Founder, CEO Academy
Ram Charan
President & Founder,
Charan Associates, Inc.
Nader Haffar
Former Chairman & CEO
KPMG Lower Gulf
Barbara Humpton
President & CEO,
Siemens Corporation
Jusuke Ikegami
Professor, Dean of Waseda Business School, Waseda University
Achal Khanna
CEO, SHRM India and the Asia Pacific and MENA region
Bill Schaninger
Senior Partner, Modern Executive Solutions and Senior Partner Emeritus, McKinsey & Company
Johnny C. Taylor, Jr.,
SHRM-SCP
President & CEO, SHRM
Tiger Tyagarajan
Former President & CEO,
Genpact
Stanislav Vecera
President- Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa
Procter & Gamble
Joseph W. Westphal
Senior Global Fellow, The Lauder Institute, The Wharton School and Former U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Stay tuned for additional 2025 speaker announcements as we approach the events.
2026 Speakers
Aditya Bhave
Managing Director and Senior U.S. Economist
Bank of America
(NYC)
Leanne Caret
Former President and CEO
Boeing Defense, Space, and Security
Dennis Carey
Founder
CEO Academy
(NYC + Dubai)
Ram Charan
Director; Advisor to Global CEOs and Boards
(NYC + Dubai)
Sandy Climan
CEO
Entertainment Media Ventures
(NYC + Dubai)
Peter Conti-Brown
Associate Professor of Financial Regulation; Associate Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics
The Wharton School
(NYC)
Patrick T. Harker
Rowan Distinguished Professor, Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions, The Wharton School; Former President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
Christopher D. Lopez
Managing Director
CEO Academy
(NYC + Dubai)
Jonathan F. Miller
CEO, Integrated Media Co.
Former Chairman & CEO, AOL
Michael Useem
William and Jacalyn Egan Professor Emeritus of Management
The Wharton School
(NYC + Dubai)
Explore Past CEO Academy Events
With a legacy spanning more than two decades, CEO Academy has earned its reputation as the gold standard in enterprise leadership development. Designed as an intimate and trusted forum, the program brings together CEOs and C-suite executives to learn directly from peers navigating similar strategic and organizational challenges. Participants repeatedly describe CEO Academy as the most impactful executive experience available—an essential immersion for today’s CEOs and senior leaders poised for expanded responsibility.
Past Agendas
Past Speakers
Frank Blake
Former Chairman & CEO
The Home Depot
Sunil D'Souza
Managing Director & CEO
Tata Consumer Products Limited
Roger W. Ferguson, Jr.
Former President and CEO
TIAA
Barbara Humpton
CEO, USA Rare Earth Metals;
Former President and CEO
Siemens Corporation
Mark Lashier
President and CEO
Phillip 66
Charles F. Lowrey
Former Chairman and CEO Prudential Financial
Brian Moynihan
Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
Anastasia Nyrkovskaya
Former CEO
Fortune Media
Gordon D. Sondland
Founder and Chairman, Provenance Hotels; Former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union
Stanislav Vecera
President, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa
Procter & Gamble
Padmasree Warrior
Founder, President & CEO, Fable and Board Director, Spotify and Microsoft and Former CEO, NIO, U.S.
Dawn Zier
Chair of the Board, The Hain Celestial Group; Former CEO, Nutrisystem
Now in its 26th year, in partnership with the Wharton School, CEO Academy remains one of the few forums where active and aspiring CEOs learn directly from peers who have navigated real inflection points—from shareholder scrutiny to succession and transformation. If you’re leading through complexity or preparing the next generation of leadership, I can’t recommend it highly enough.
 | George Oliver Retired Chairman & CEO, Johnson Controls International |
News & Resources
Mark Peters, CEO of Butterball Farms Inc., explores how leaders can transcend fear in an era where AI is reshaping work, sparking anxiety about jobs, culture, and people.
CEOs considering AI-driven flattening should pause, as making premature middle-management cuts may be a costly mistake.
CEOs in the Gulf Cooperation Council are reshaping the future of work by prioritizing talent and AI. This guide explores how forward-looking leaders are using learning and development, upskilling, and AI adoption to retain top talent, build resilience, and position their companies for long-term growth.
Discover how executives can help their team leaders move beyond department goals to focus on companywide success.
Meet the Advisory Board
Sandy Climan
Chairman of the Board; CEO
Entertainment Media Ventures
Dr. Erika H. James
Dean,
The Wharton School
William McNabb
Former Chairman & CEO,
The Vanguard Group
Alan Mulally
Former President & CEO,
Ford Motor Company
Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP
President & CEO,
SHRM
Maggie Wilderotter
Chairman,
Docusign
Request Your Invitation to CEO Academy
In an era of continuous disruption and change, CEOs and executive leaders rely on CEO Academy for fact-based insights, peer-driven learning, and expert facilitation to enable informed, strategic decision-making for business success and sustainability. Request your invitation today and join us for this exclusive convening. Attendance is limited to 30 enterprise CEOs for each event.
Knowledge Partners
