We are HotTopics
The leading C-suite community
Our company's story is rooted in a vision for a more connected and inspired C-suite leadership. Our founder, Philip Randerson, spent over two decades at the helm of numerous leading technology executive search firms. Throughout his journey, he observed a growing disconnect among C-suite leaders, prompting him to leverage his vast network of influential executives to establish a global community that fosters collaboration, innovation, and the development of future leaders.
Launched with the support of our esteemed Chairman, Jim Spanfeller, the former CEO of Forbes, and Kevin Eyres the former CEO of LinkedIn Europe, our company began as a series of six annual events spanning the United States and Europe. Today, our community has expanded to include over 17,000 C-suite leaders, with 75% of the Fortune 500 counted among our distinguished members.
Join 17,000+ global leaders in the fastest-growing C-suite community
Global CIO & CTO community
Discover the HotTopics CIO community – a global platform for technology leaders to connect, collaborate, and drive the future of IT. dive into pivotal discussions from cyber security to AI and machine learning.
Global CISO community
Dive into a secure network of the globe's premier CISOs. Foster invaluable relationships with cybersecurity experts from myriad industries and experiences. Together, let's orchestrate advanced security strategies, share robust best practices, and confront the cybersecurity challenges of today and beyond.
Global CDO community (Digital)
Embrace the digital revolution within a community of the world's leading Chief Digital Officers. Engage with digital masters from an array of backgrounds and sectors. Together, let's spark digital innovation, exchange groundbreaking strategies, and navigate the digital transformation landscape.
Global CDO community (Data)
Enter the realm of data excellence with a network of the world's most esteemed Chief Data Officers. Connect with data pioneers from a rich array of industries and experiences. Together, let's drive data-driven decision making, share valuable insights, and tackle the data-centric challenges of the modern business world.
Global CMO community
Explore the HotTopics CMO community – a global network designed for marketing executives to share insights and shape the future of marketing. Discuss key topics from purpose marketing to data analytics.
Service Visionaries community
Introducing the Service Visionaries community – a worldwide gathering for customer service pioneers from sectors such as manufacturing and utilities. Unite, exchange, and shape the next wave of service innovation.
Our purpose
We harness the power of community to inspire meaningful change. We connect leaders, facilitate conversations, and spark actions with a single, ambitious goal: to shape a better tomorrow.
Central to our mission is TechGirl, an initiative that embodies our belief in the transformative power of community. By bringing together inspirational leaders from globally renowned companies, we aim to nurture and empower the next generation of women in technology.
Meet the HotTopics leadership team
Philip Randerson
CEO and Founder,
Philip is the Founder & CEO of HotTopics. A serial entrepreneur, he has founded several leading technology executive search firms, and sits on the Board of a number of technology start-ups.
Jim Spanfeller
Chair,
Jim is the former President and CEO of Forbes. Alongside his role at HotTopics, he is the CEO of G/O Medis and holds numerous Board positions across the media industry.
Suzi Williams
NED,
Suzi has served as Chair and NED to JDSports, Telecom plus and Zegona Communications, currently leads the Advisory Board at Gresham House, and was previously CMO at BT.
Kevin Eyres
Advisory Board Member ,
Kevin is a renowned business leader and visionary. He scaled LinkedIn in Europe as its first employee outside of the US, and has advised UK technology policy for UK Trade & Investment, as part of nearly 15 years of experience leading Silicon Valley businesses.
Our vision
Our sights are set on leading as the most trusted and impactful global C-suite community. We aspire to be the essential platform for driving innovation, facilitating influential discussions, and sparking decisive actions.
Our vision encompasses a future where our community's contributions not only shape the business landscape but also foster a better tomorrow.
Amedeo Amore
Head of Product,
As the Head of Product at HotTopics, Amedeo d'Amore brings a wealth of experience and passion for all things digital. With a deep understanding of the technology industry, Amedeo is an instrumental member of the HotTopics team, leading the charge in delivering cutting-edge products and solutions.
Dan Warburton
Director of Partnerships,
Dan is be responsible for delivering best-in-class client partnerships and campaigns, pushing the boundaries of service and creativity to drive client satisfaction and facilitate the continued growth of our global community.
Doug Drinkwater
Editorial and Strategy Director,
Doug is a business and technology writer, editor and strategist, whose work has appeared on CIO, CSO Online, InfoWorld, Internet Business Times, Macworld, Mashable, PCWorld, SC Magazine and The Week over a period of fifteen years.
Emma Randerson
Head of Events,
Emma, our Head of Events, excels in orchestrating impactful experiences for C-suite leaders. Her strategic planning and execution abilities have amplified HotTopics' reputation for delivering transformative, memorable events for our global leadership community.
Kani Talabani
Staff Writer,
With her background in journalism and her expertise in SEO and interview techniques, Kani is a key member of the editorial team. As Staff Writer, Kani is responsible for creating engaging and informative content that provides insights into the latest business trends and industry developments.
Laure Destribats
Motion Graphics & Video Editor,
With a keen eye for detail and a passion for creative storytelling, Laure brings a unique perspective and talent to HotTopics. Her expertise in motion graphics and video editing allows her to create visually stunning content that captures the essence of our thought leadership events and community.
Mike Day
Digital Marketing Manager,
Mike is the Digital Marketing Manager at HotTopics. With a passion for creating and executing impactful social media strategies, Mike leads our team in creating engaging and memorable social media campaigns that drive growth, engagement and increase our online presence within the C-suite business community.
Nathan Mowbray
Head of Production,
With a demonstrated history of working in the online media industry, Nathan brings his expertise in film and television production to HotTopics as the Head of Production. Skilled in video, HD video, and remote thought leadership, Nathan has a proven track record of elevating HotTopics community insights into premium video and audio content.
Peter Stojanovic
Editor,
As the Editor of HotTopics, Peter leverages his extensive journalism experience, excelling in generating exceptional content and interviewing top-tier business leaders from FTSE 100 & 250 and Fortune 500 companies.
Sai Thanki
Community Lead,
With over 20 years of corporate, sales and management experience, Sai is considered passionate and people-centred with a knack for engaging and delivering business relationships. In her role as Community Lead, Sai supports the organisation by building, harnessing and maintaining relationships with our marketing and technology C-suite within the HotTopics community.
Wayne Ellis
Marketing Director,
Wayne, a seasoned marketing professional, boasts over a decade of experience propelling growth for prominent brands like McLaren and the Institute of Directors. He excels in developing innovative strategies and has a deep understanding of digital technologies, and has a proven track record of turning complex legacy systems into effective digital ecosystems for online communities.
Contact the team
Our diverse team shapes our C-suite community, each offering unique insights and dedication
to connecting leaders and inspiring action.
CEO & Founder
Marketing Director
Editor
Director of Strategy
Director of Partnerships
Contact us
Alejandro Becerra
CISO, Telefonica
Alison Davis
CIO , GE Healthcare
Anna Barsby
CIO, 888 Holdings
Anna-Lisa Miller
CIO, Spectris
Avril Chester
CTO, Royal Pharmaceutical Society
Bradley Schaufenbuel
CISO, PayChex
Brian Brackenborough
CISO, C4
Catherine Buhler
CISO, Energy Australia
Charlotte Baldwin
CDIO, Costa Coffee
Christina Scott
CIO & CPO, OVO Energy
Christopher Neal
Global CISO, Ramsay Health Care
Conor Whelan
CIO, Experian
Deborah Wheeler
CISO, Delta Airlines
Donna Ross
CISO, Radian
Eileen Jennings-Brown
CIO, Exscientia
Freddie Quek
CTO, THS
George Eapen
CIO & CISO, Petrofac
Georgina Owens
CTO, William Hill International
Ian Cohen
CIO, Acacium Group
Inken Braunschmidt
Chief Innovation and Digital Officer, Halma
Itumeleng Makgati
CISO, Standard Bank Group
Joanna Drake
CIO, THG
Juan Villamil
CIO, Imperial
Lauren Walker
MD Head Data Analytics UKI Europe, Accenture Song
Les McCollum
CISO, UChicago Medical Center
Liz Banbury
CISO, Hiscox
Mark Walmsley
Global CISO, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Norma Dove-Edwin
CIO, National Grid
Paul Coby
CIO, Persimmon
Richard Newsome
Former CTO, Cancer Research UK
Robert Sheesley
Group CIO, Wrench Group
Sarah Wilkinson
COO & NED, Virgin Money
Vukosi Sambo
Executive Head of Data Insights, Afrocentric Group
Sarah Wilkinson
COO, Virgin Money
Sandeep Seeripat
Global Chief Transformation and Technology Officer, Twinings
Dominic Howson
Chief Information Officer, Viridor
Jason Oliver
Chief Digital Transformation Officer, University of Sussex
Alan Boehm
Former CTO, H&M Group
Walt Carter
Chief Digital Officer, Homestar Financial Corporation
Meet the HotTopics
marketing advisory board
Our advisory board helps shape HotTopics' activities across the year, including The Studio.