Gartner Symposium/ITxpo Mastermind Keynotes to Include Interviews with Hewlett-Packard's Mark Hurd, Google's Eric Schmidt, and Microsoft's Stephen Elop

Some of the most influential leaders in technology will take to the Gartner Symposium/ITxpo stage to sit down with Gartner, Inc. analysts to talk in-depth about their strategies, products, and thoughts on the future of IT.

Gartner Symposium/ITxpo is the world's most important gathering of CIOs and senior IT executives. This event delivers independent and objective content with the authority and weight of the world's leading IT research and advisory organization, and provides access to the latest solutions from key technology providers. The event takes place October 18-22, at the Walt Disney World Dolphin and Swan Hotels, in Orlando, Florida.

This year's Mastermind Interview Keynotes include:

• Mark Hurd, chairman and CEO, Hewlett-Packard Company, on Tuesday, October 20
• Eric Schmidt, chairman and CEO, Google, Inc., on Wednesday, October 21
• Stephen Elop, president, Microsoft Business Division, Microsoft Corp., Thursday, October 22

Gartner Symposium/ITxpo kicks off with Super Sunday, on October 18. Super Sunday focuses on the unique needs and IT structure in industries such as banking and investment services, insurance, education, energy and utilities, government, and healthcare providers. The day will end with a Special CIO Interview Keynote with Vivek Kundra, federal CIO, U.S. Federal Government.

Overall attendance this year at Gartner Symposium/ITxpo is expected to be similar to last year with more than 5,000 attendees. The event will see a significant increase in the number of CIOs and CTOs attending this year. 1,500 CIOs and CTOs are expected to attend the event this year, up from approximately 1,000 last year.

"That we'll have hundreds more CIOs this year is a testament to Symposium/ITxpo's role. This isn't a conference that senior IT leaders 'hope' to fit into their schedule — it's an integral part of their annual strategic planning process," said Terence Mulhern, senior director with Gartner Events. "That's because Symposium/ITxpo delivers a powerful combination of timely and relevant insights, tools and relationships ... an experience that has no equal in the calendar."

New in 2009 is The CIO Program at Symposium/ITxpo. The CIO Program is a special series of sessions and experiences exclusively for CIOs. It comprises workshops and sessions designed specifically around the challenges that CIOs face today, which will teach them how to enhance IT performance through new tools and practices, including restructuring IT, CIO leadership, growth strategies in a down economy, and linking IT and business strategies.

In the opening keynote on Monday, October 19, Gartner analysts will examine the dramatic changes that IT leaders must make as priorities shift from cost cutting and risk mitigation to the investments needed to position themselves for recovery. Gartner analysts will explore breakthrough approaches for pressing imperatives in the era of "the new normal," and examine the strategic implications of fast-evolving technologies and trends.

Symposium/ITxpo immerses more than 125 Gartner analysts, more than 110 solution providers, and more than 5,000 delegates in an environment designed to reveal the newest strategies and technologies on key issues such as cost optimization, risk mitigation, security and privacy, speed and agility, growth, and overall performance. Attendees can choose from more than 200 sessions that deliver expert IT intelligence from every corner of the IT industry. In addition, dozens more workshops, roundtable discussions and other networking opportunities provide attendees with the relationships and best practices they need to get real business results.

This year's agenda includes more than 200 sessions, more than 65 workshops, and 100 roundtable discussions — all organized across tracks designed to help nine core IT leadership roles:

• Applications
• Business Intelligence & Information Management
• Business Process Improvement
• CIOs
• Enterprise Architecture
• Infrastructure & Operations
• Program & Portfolio Management
• Security & Risk Management
• Sourcing & Vendor Relationships

ITxpo, an exhibition floor teeming with the latest solutions from both best-of-breed and up-and-coming providers, will highlight the next steps in technology through live demonstrations, face-to-face meetings with exhibitors, and fast-paced presentations on key technology directions — all aligned to 12 ITxpo Marketplaces — Application Development and Integration; Business Applications, Business Process Management; Business Intelligence, Data Management and Integration; Content, Collaboration & Social Software; Data Center & IT Operations; Enterprise Architecture; Enterprise Networking & Communications; Outsourcing and IT Services; Program & Portfolio Management; Security & Compliance; and Wireless & Mobile.

For complete event details, please visit the Gartner Symposium/ITxpo website at www.gartner.com/us/symposium. Members of the media can register for the event by contacting Christy Pettey at christy.pettey@gartner.com.

About Gartner

Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) is the world's leading information technology research and advisory company. Gartner delivers the technology-related insight necessary for its clients to make the right decisions, every day. From CIOs and senior IT leaders in corporations and government agencies, to business leaders in high-tech and telecom enterprises and professional services firms, to technology investors, Gartner is the indispensable partner to 60,000 clients in 10,000 distinct organizations. Through the resources of Gartner Research, Gartner Executive Programs, Gartner Consulting and Gartner Events, Gartner works with every client to research, analyze and interpret the business of IT within the context of their individual role. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.A., and has 4,000 associates, including 1,200 research analysts and consultants in 80 countries. For more information, visit www.gartner.com.