CONNECT CMO Leadership Summit Spring 2026 is an invite-only experience for senior marketing leaders, hosted at Fairmont Austin in Austin, Texas. Quartz positions the summit around meaningful peer connection, matched vendors, and the most relevant trends shaping marketing leadership today.
The official event page also highlights a white-gloved experience, curated research meetings, and high-level networking, which makes this less like a typical conference and more like a senior leadership forum. The event is designed for executives and tailored to professional and departmental goals.
Where marketing leadership meets practical execution
Quartz frames CONNECT as a summit for senior marketers who want to learn from peers driving innovation in marketing, not just sit through passive sessions. The event is invite-only, sponsor-supported, and built around relevant conversations, matched vendor meetings, and a highly personalized attendee experience.
What stands out is the format. Instead of a generic expo model, Quartz says it connects attendees directly to solution providers based on their current challenges, which keeps the experience focused and useful.
Also Read: Challenges of Digital Transformation for CMOs: Navigating Complexity in 2026
What to expect at CONNECT CMO Leadership Summit Spring 2026?
The agenda includes 35 plus sessions, 30 speakers, and 6 networking events. The event opens with a welcome reception and registration on Sunday, followed by a full day of keynotes, expert sessions, workshops, and networking on Monday and Tuesday.
The programming includes keynote panels, ask-the-expert sessions, fireside chats, debates, and workshops. The agenda topics visible on the official page include aligning marketing with C-suite priorities, adaptive brand strategy, predictive analytics, AI for marketers, precision storytelling, and demand generation.
Networking is built into the structure as well. Quartz lists five on-site networking events as part of the in-person experience, along with a welcome reception, breakfast sessions, and an offsite networking dinner at Bull and Bowl.
Key themes driving the 2026 program
A clear theme running through the summit is business alignment. One keynote panel is titled ‘Aligning Marketing with C-Suite Priorities: Driving Enterprise Growth,’ which shows the event is focused on how marketing can support broader enterprise outcomes.
Another major thread is agility. Sessions like ‘Adaptive Brands: Staying Relevant in an Unpredictable World’ and ‘Predictive Pathways: Designing Campaigns That Anticipate Buyer Needs’ point to a program built around resilience, relevance, and smarter marketing execution.
AI is also clearly part of the agenda. One highlighted keynote asks how AI empowers marketers to solve long-standing problems, while another session focuses on model-ready content strategies for the age of agentic search.
Featured speakers and marketing leaders
The official page lists 30 speakers, and the lineup includes leaders from brands and organizations such as Resmed, Audible, the NFL, TradeStation, Frontdoor, Highspot, SHEIN, Taylor Corporation, and more. Here are five featured speakers from the official summit page.
- VJ Bala – Vice President, Marketing Partnerships and Growth, Resmed.
- Bolong Li – VP, Global Head of Growth, Audible at Amazon.
- Shahbaz Khan – Senior Director, Social Strategy and Emerging Platforms, NFL.
- Sarah Duggan – Vice President Marketing, Frontdoor, Inc.
- George Huff – CEO, Opal.
The CONNECT experience
Quartz makes it clear that CONNECT is not about wandering a large exhibition hall. Attendees are matched with relevant solution providers, given a dedicated concierge, and offered a comped night’s stay, meals throughout the event, travel reimbursement, and personalized support as part of the in-person experience.
That creates a different kind of summit. It is built for senior marketers who care about time, relevance, and useful conversations rather than noise.
Why CONNECT CMO Leadership Summit Spring 2026 matters
Marketing leaders are being asked to do more than run campaigns. They are expected to align with the C-suite, drive enterprise growth, and adapt fast as AI and buyer expectations keep shifting. The agenda on Quartz’s official page reflects exactly that pressure.
CONNECT matters because it combines senior-level networking, practical sessions, and curated vendor meetings in one tightly designed experience. For marketers who want real signal instead of conference clutter, that is the point.
Explore the official event page here www.quartznetwork.com/event/connect-cmo-spring