Top 10 CIOs in Europe - 2026

At Riksbank, our emphasis is on the human factor in cybersecurity through continuous training and regular cyber exercises involving leadership and operational teams. A key strategic decision was to reduce reliance on foreign public cloud providers. Sensitive and unique data is stored on infrastructure fully controlled within Sweden. IT operations are outsourced to CGI while data and infrastructure remain under strict national control, reducing legal and geopolitical risk.

Adam Jeffries is the Group Chief Information Officer at JTC PLC, where he leads global technology and cybersecurity strategy. Based in Jersey, he specialises in digital transformation, information security and AI-driven enterprise systems for the financial services sector’s worldwide operations.

Scott Marcar serves as Group Chief Information Officer at NatWest Group, overseeing enterprise technology, cybersecurity, data and AI strategy. A veteran banking technologist, he has held senior leadership positions at Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan and RBS Markets throughout his career.

Driving digital transformation at Pernod Ricard, Hélène Chaplain Lambert oversees the company’s global technology strategy as CIO. Her leadership spans enterprise modernisation, agile innovation and AI adoption, backed by extensive international consulting and transformation experience across consumer goods and large-scale business operations.

With more than two decades at PostNL, Willem-Jan van Tongeren leads the company’s technology strategy as CIO and executive committee member. He is recognized for driving large-scale IT modernization, engineering excellence, and AI-enabled innovation across logistics, digital operations, and enterprise transformation initiatives.

Combining technology leadership with AI strategy, Alexis Ternoy serves as CIO at Endeavour Mining, leading global digital transformation, cybersecurity and data initiatives. His international career spans mining, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, gaming and financial services, with expertise in enterprise architecture and large-scale organisational change.

Matt Grest is CIO at Entain, where he leads large-scale technology, cloud and data transformation initiatives supporting the company’s global growth ambitions. Previously holding senior leadership roles at Sky, the BBC and The Very Group, he is recognised for driving AI adoption and digital modernisation programmes.

Leading technology strategy at Tesco Bank, Gary Balmer oversees digital transformation, cloud modernisation and cybersecurity initiatives designed to enhance customer experience and operational resilience. His leadership background spans financial services and telecommunications, with extensive experience delivering enterprise-scale innovation and managing complex technology change programmes.

With more than three decades in financial services and technology leadership, Paul Beresford serves as CIO at Barclays, overseeing digital platforms, payments and consumer banking technology. His expertise spans cyber, AI, fraud prevention and large-scale operational transformation across global banking environments.

As CIO at Coor, Vilhelm Hallström leads enterprise-wide IT transformation initiatives focused on modernization, operational efficiency and business agility. His mandate includes ERP consolidation, strategic insourcing, cost optimization and advancing an agentic AI program to strengthen innovation, resilience and long-term digital capability.