1. Purpose and organizer
1.1. This regulation (the “Regulation”) establishes the rules, eligibility criteria, nomination process, evaluation process, and general conditions governing the CIO Council Awards 2026 (the “Awards”).
1.2. The Awards are organized by Asociatia Directorilor de Tehnologia Informatiei si Comunicatiilor din Romania, known as CIO Council Romania (the “Organizer”), headquartered in Municipiul Bucureşti, Sector 1, Str. Ion Brezoianu, nr. 51.
1.3. The Awards celebrate excellence in IT leadership, cybersecurity, and digital transformation, and are dedicated to professionals whose vision, courage, and measurable impact contribute to the growth of their organizations and to the continued maturity of Romania’s digital ecosystem.
1.4. By submitting a nomination or application, the nominator, the nominee, or the applicant (as applicable) confirms that they have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Regulation.
2. Definitions
– “Nominee” or “Candidate” – the individual proposed for or applying to an award category.
– “Nominator” – the individual or entity submitting a nomination on behalf of a Candidate.
– “Applicant” – a Candidate who submits their own candidacy directly.
– “Jury” – the independent panel responsible for evaluating nominations and applications and selecting winners.
– “Organizer” – CIO Council Romania and its designated representatives responsible for administering the Awards.
3. Award categories
The 2026 edition recognizes outstanding achievements across five award categories, reflecting the essential role of technology leadership in modern organizations.
| Category | Description |
| Chief Information Officer of the Year | Recognizes IT leaders with significant strategic impact within their organizations and the broader business ecosystem. |
| Chief Information Security Officer of the Year | Honors cybersecurity leaders who have made a meaningful contribution to strengthening digital resilience and organizational security. |
| Aspiring CIO / Rising Star | Dedicated to emerging professionals who demonstrate strong potential for future CIO leadership roles. |
| CIO Impact Award – Artificial Intelligence | Recognizes leaders who have implemented AI solutions with measurable outcomes and real business impact. |
| Special Jury Award / Special Recognition | A special distinction granted by the jury for outstanding contributions to the community, the industry, or Romania’s digital transformation. |
3.1. The Organizer reserves the right not to grant an award in a given category if, in the Jury’s assessment, no nomination or application meets the standard of the category in the current edition.
3.2. The Organizer reserves the right to introduce additional categories or special mentions ahead of the awards ceremony, upon the Jury’s recommendation.
4. Eligibility
Open to active professionals in information technology and cybersecurity in Romania, from both the private and public sectors. Candidates may apply directly (self-nomination) or be nominated by colleagues, partners, or managers. The evaluation for the 2026 edition considers results and impact achieved during 2025.
- The Candidate must currently hold, or have recently held, a leadership role relevant to the category entered (e.g., CIO, CISO, IT director, technology or digital transformation leader) within an organization operating in Romania.
- Minimum experience by category: CIO of the Year and CISO of the Year – 8 years in relevant leadership roles; Aspiring CIO / Rising Star – 3 to 7 years; CIO Impact Award (AI) – 5 years in digital/IT/AI leadership, including 2 years on AI initiatives; Special Jury Award – 5+ years of relevant activity recommended, though exceptional short-term contributions may also qualify.
- A Candidate may enter more than one category, except that simultaneous entry into both CIO of the Year and CISO of the Year is not permitted. Where categories otherwise overlap, the Organizer may ask the Nominator or Candidate to select a single, best-fit category.
- Members of the CIO Council Board, the Jury, and employees of the Organizer directly involved in producing the Awards are not eligible to be nominated in the current edition.
- Submitting a nomination or application does not guarantee shortlisting, evaluation, or an award.
5. Nomination and application process
5.1. For the 2026 edition, Candidates may enter the Awards process through three nomination channels, all of which use the same application form and are assessed according to the same evaluation criteria:
– Community nomination – members of the CIO Council community may nominate leaders they know and respect through shared projects, professional collaborations, conferences, or industry engagement.
– Corporate nomination – companies may nominate their own IT and cybersecurity leaders through HR departments or corporate leadership teams, recognizing their contribution and organizational impact.
– Direct application – professionals who wish to present their own achievements may apply directly by completing the form available on the Organizer’s website.
5.2. The nomination and application period for the 2026 edition runs from September 25 to October 31, 2026. Submissions received after this date may not be considered. Registration is free of charge.
5.3. Entry documentation must include a completed form with narrative answers. Candidates may optionally be requested a professional CV, project presentations, KPI evidence, or other type of acknowledgement of their work.
5.4. All nominations and applications must be submitted through the official form published at www.ciocouncil.ro. The Organizer does not accept nominations submitted through other channels (e.g., email, social media, verbally) as valid entries, though such expressions of interest may be redirected to the official form.
5.5. A nomination submitted by a Nominator does not require the Candidate’s consent at the time of submission; however, the Candidate’s engagement is required for the nomination to proceed to full evaluation, as described in Section 6.
6. Evaluation process
- After a nomination or application is submitted, the Candidate will be contacted by the CIO Council team and invited to provide additional information relevant to the evaluation process.
- Candidates who do not respond to the Organizer’s outreach within a reasonable timeframe (to be communicated at the time of contact) may be excluded from further evaluation in the current edition.
- Applications and nominations are reviewed by an independent Jury composed of senior IT & C leaders, cybersecurity professionals, representatives of academia, and members of civil society and digital leadership experts.
- Each entry is scored against 10 criteria specific to its category (see Section 7), each rated from 1 to 10, for a maximum of 100 points per entry.
- The Jury’s deliberations and individual scoring are confidential. The Organizer will not disclose internal Jury discussions, comparative rankings, or the reasons a specific Candidate was or was not selected.
- Jury decisions are final and not subject to appeal.
7. Evaluation criteria by category
Each category is scored against nine to ten criteria, weighted equally on a 1–10 scale within a 100-point maximum. The criteria below reflect the specific focus of each award.
Chief Information Officer of the Year
Open to CIOs, IT Directors, Chief Digital Officers, or equivalent roles. Minimum 8 years in technology leadership, including at least 3 years at senior/C-level.
– Strategic vision — a coherent, long-term direction for the organization’s digital transformation
– Business alignment — IT strategy that visibly supports and accelerates business objectives
– Measurable results — evidence of successfully implemented projects and their impact (KPIs, ROI, optimizations)
– Innovation — use of emerging technologies and creative solutions to complex challenges
– Change leadership — influence over stakeholders and delivery of significant organizational transformation
– Team & culture — investment in talent development and an agile, digital culture
– Cross-functional collaboration — integration of IT with key departments (HR, Finance, Legal, etc.)
– Adaptability — effective response to crises, regulatory change, or technology shifts
– External recognition — visibility in the professional ecosystem (conferences, juries, media, mentorship)
Chief Information Security Officer of the Year
Open to CISOs, CSOs, Heads of Security, or equivalent roles. Minimum 7 years in cybersecurity or risk leadership, including at least 2 years in an executive role.
– Security strategy — clarity, risk alignment, and long-term vision
– Concrete results — improved resilience and security posture – detection, response, continuity, compliance
– Recognized leadership — a proactive security culture and effective incident response, real or simulated
– Cross-functional collaboration — integration of security into day-to-day business operations
– Modern technology adoption — AI, automation, SOAR, SASE, and similar tools
– Community engagement — active participation in cybersecurity communities (ISACA, ENISA, CERTs)
– Application quality — clarity, coherence, and relevance of the examples provided
– Governance & compliance — approach to GDPR, NIS2, DORA, and related regulation
– Team leadership — involvement in developing, attracting, and retaining security talent
CIO Impact Award – Artificial Intelligence
Open to any CIO, CTO, Head of AI/Innovation, or digital leader responsible for AI adoption at scale. Minimum 5 years in digital, IT, or AI leadership, including at least 2 years directly involved in strategic AI initiatives.
– AI vision — coherence of the AI strategy and alignment with organizational objectives
– Organizational readiness — enablement measures and preparedness across teams
– Project complexity — degree of difficulty, scalability, and level of innovation
– Technological maturity — algorithms, platforms, and integration into the IT architecture
– Measurable results — concrete business impact – automation, cost reduction, efficiency gains
– AI ethics & governance — transparency, bias mitigation, legal and ethical compliance
– Decision transformation — how AI has shaped data-driven decision-making
– Stakeholder alignment — cross-functional collaboration and internal buy-in
– Ecosystem impact — external contributions – community participation, knowledge sharing, open source
Aspiring CIO / Rising Star
Open to IT Managers, Heads of IT, Digital Transformation Leads, or professionals on a path toward executive roles. 3 to 7 years in IT/digital roles with growing leadership responsibility.
– Strategic initiative — projects proposed or led, with clear relevance to the organization
– Ownership — level of autonomy and accountability for delivering results
– Creativity & innovation — original solutions and out-of-the-box thinking
– Professional impact — tangible results and performance indicators
– Leadership potential — signs of emerging leadership, fast learning, adaptability
– Team contribution — collaboration, communication, and influence within the organization
– Learning agility — openness to feedback, training, certifications, self-development
– Community involvement — participation in events, mentoring, volunteering, or writing
– Organizational complexity — degree of difficulty of the context in which they operate
Special Jury Award / Special Recognition
Open to professionals in technology, innovation, or digital transformation whose contribution does not fit neatly into the categories above. 5+ years of relevant activity recommended, though an exceptional short-term contribution may also qualify.
– Relevance — why this entry deserves special recognition
– Originality — the unique character of the activity, initiative, or professional path
– Vision — strategic thinking and long-term orientation
– Execution — quality of implementation of the initiative or project
– Public/community impact — positive influence, ecosystem reaction, civic engagement
– External recognition — awards, media coverage, or validation by relevant entities
– Ecosystem contribution — an active role in developing or connecting professional communities
– Inspirational value — a model to follow, a catalyst for change, authentic leadership
– Scalability / sustainability — potential for the contribution to be replicated or to continue
8. Timeline
| Stage | Date |
| Nominations and applications open | September 25, 2026 |
| Nominations and applications close | October 31, 2026 |
| Candidate follow-up and information gathering | September 25 – October 25, 2026 |
| Jury evaluation | November 1 – 10, 2026 |
| Winners announced | CIO Council National Conference 2026, November 11 |
The Organizer reserves the right to adjust this timeline and will communicate any changes through the official website and direct outreach to affected Candidates.
9. Awards ceremony
9.1. The winners of the CIO Council Awards 2026 will be announced during the CIO Council National Conference 2026, an event that brings together technology leaders, business decision-makers, and key representatives of Romania’s digital community.
9.2. Winners and, where applicable, shortlisted Candidates may be invited to attend the ceremony and may be featured in the Organizer’s post-event communications (website, social media, press materials), unless they notify the Organizer in writing of their objection ahead of the event.
10. Confidentiality and data protection
10.1. The Organizer processes personal data submitted through the nomination and application form (of Nominators, Nominees, and Applicants) solely for the purpose of administering, evaluating, and communicating about the Awards, in accordance with applicable data protection law, including Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR).
10.2. Submission of a nomination or application requires explicit consent to this data processing. This consent is mandatory and distinct from any consent to receive further communications from the Organizer, which is optional and may be withdrawn at any time.
10.3. All information submitted is treated confidentially and used strictly for the purposes of judging and administering the Awards. Applicants and Nominators confirm that the information provided is accurate and take responsibility for the content of the application.
10.4. Data subjects have the right to access, rectify, or request erasure of their personal data, and to lodge a complaint with the National Supervisory Authority for Personal Data Processing (ANSPDCP). Requests may be directed to the Organizer through the contact details in Section 12.
10.5. Full details of the Organizer’s data processing practices are available in the privacy policy published at www.ciocouncil.ro/privacy-policy.
11. General provisions
- Participation in the Awards implies full acceptance of this Regulation.
- The Organizer reserves the right to amend this Regulation at any time before the close of the nomination period, provided that changes do not materially disadvantage Candidates who have already submitted a nomination or application. Amendments will be published on the official website.
- The Organizer reserves the right to disqualify any nomination or application found to contain materially false or misleading information.
- This Regulation is governed by the laws of Romania. Any disputes arising from or in connection with the Awards will first be addressed through direct communication with the Organizer.
- In case of any inconsistency between this Regulation and promotional or summary materials published elsewhere (e.g., the awards announcement), this Regulation prevails.
12. Contact
For questions regarding this Regulation, the nomination process, or an existing submission, please contact CIO Council Romania at:
www.ciocouncil.ro