GDS Group Avis 

Extremely well curated session plan focused on the topics of interest. The continuous discussion based Master class themed approach worked well to understand the pain points from the practitioners and helped to understand the failure points and best practices. Very professionally organised with all facilities.

Loved everything. I heard from several people that our workshops need to have tech packages. I do agree.

That is my only recommendation.

I had a deeply disappointing experience with GDS Group and want to share it so others can make an informed decision.

I was scheduled to attend the eCommerce Innovation Summit in Phoenix, but due to a sudden family emergency — the passing of my father-in-law — I had to travel out of the country and could not attend. Despite explaining this exceptional circumstance, GDS (specifically Jack Shepherd) showed no flexibility or empathy.

Jack acknowledged the situation but insisted that I was still responsible for costs already incurred. He offered two options:

1. Transfer to a future summit (still requiring reimbursement of flights and accommodation), or

2. Send a replacement, with “the only cost being the airline’s admin fee to transfer the flights.”

I sent a colleague in my place. She was then charged an airfare difference because GDS claimed the ticket exceeded their $300 allowance. We accepted this just to move forward.

Then, after the event, GDS sent another invoice for $190, stating they “could not negotiate with the airline,” contradicting their earlier written assurance that only the transfer fee would apply. Ultimately, I paid the $190 simply to close the issue and put this experience behind me.

Across years of attending industry events and extensive travel, I have never encountered such rigidity, poor communication, or unwillingness to handle an obvious emergency with even basic empathy. Most event organizers — and even airlines — have been more accommodating.

At this point, I’ve asked GDS not to contact me or my company again. This has been the most frustrating and tone-deaf experience I’ve had with any event organizer, and I cannot recommend them based on how they handled a personal crisis and the inconsistent, unexpected charges that followed.

I had the opportunity to attend the GDS CIO Summit event in Dublin on November 24–25, and the experience was excellent from start to finish. The organization was smooth, the content highly relevant, and the networking opportunities truly valuable.

A special thank you to Djellza Krasniqi, who was incredibly professional, attentive, and supportive throughout the event. Thanks to her, everything ran seamlessly and in a very welcoming atmosphere.

I highly recommend GDS for the quality of their events and their outstanding level of service.

I recently attended the CIO Insight Summit in Dublin and found it to be an excellent event overall. The content was highly relevant, with insightful sessions on scaling AI and strategic leadership. The main value, however, came from the high caliber of attendees; it was a fantastic opportunity to connect with true peers, share challenges, and discuss the future of IT leadership.

While the content and people were top-notch, there were a couple of logistical areas that could be improved for an even better experience. The acoustics during the dinner made it very difficult to hold a conversation with more than one person at a time. Additionally, the communication regarding breakfast could have been clearer. I was unaware that a separate breakfast was provided for attendees and ended up eating alone in the main hotel restaurant, which was a missed opportunity for networking.

Despite these minor issues, I would still highly recommend the summit for its outstanding content and the quality of the connections. I look forward to future events.

Amazing event, really enjoy it. From the organisation of it to the exposures, everything very well calculated to make the experience unique for all participants. Strongly recommended.

I found the experience to be valuable, insightful, and thought-provoking. The intimate setting, along with the small but focused scale and topics, created an environment where meaningful conversations could flourish.

I was impressed by the caliber of participants at the event. Engaging with fellow executives, as well as experts and vendors alike, was enriching. The level of discourse and the quality of interactions were top-notch, making the overall experience exceptional.

Thank you, GDS, for hosting such a fantastic event.

Awesome event ; excellent topics …very well organized ; special thanks to Rita, Amanda from GDS ..they were great !

The GDS app was not as good as it could be. It was more difficult to use than it was the last session I attended. Otherwise, great content and solution providers. Thanks!

A remarkable gathering of industry leaders, with outstanding presentations and an exceptional host.

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I was amazing full of knowledge and networking and vendors have the perfect solution.

Just one major takeaway from the GDS Group CIO Summit this week:
​The API/Microservice era is over. Welcome to the age of the AI Agent.
​The future of enterprise IT is being defined by a move from monolithic apps (2000s) to APIs (2010s) to autonomous AI Agents that perform business processes (2020s).
​The challenge? Integrating these agents across the nearly 900 apps the average enterprise uses. It's about building a robust Agentic Architecture, not just buying another tool.
​Thanks to the GDS Group for framing the next wave of digital transformation so clearly.
​What agent is your team prioritizing first: Finance, HR, or Customer Service?
​#CIOSummit #AIAgents #EnterpriseAI #FutureofIT

Valuable networking opportunity with B2B exposure at the CIO Summit in Houston (11/17-18).
Nice accommodations, good food and service.
GDS App that drives the experience for the client could use some tweaking but overall it was a positive experience.

First time attendee. I was impressed. The speakers were very good, each with unique content. The vendors I met with were knowledgeable and I didn't feel "sold to". The conversations were truly to find whether there could be a good match. I attended in Miami and wish it been hosted at a different hotel brand, but the organization and execution of the event was excellent.

GDS sets up amazing venues with thought leaders that will solve your challenges. The conversation starts here. The networking relationships alone are worth their weight in gold, and enhanced by the supportive, world-class business accommodations. GDS matches vendors to visitors that meet your needs! Top-shelf professionals!

I attend at least one GDS event yearly. Definitely a quality place to exchange ideas and connect with professionals from other businesses and sectors.

Organization and support to sponsora are superb. Great prospect and business opportunities.

As a first-time attendee, I was truly impressed by the GDS Healthcare Summit.
The event was exceptionally well-organized, with a tight but productive schedule that created the perfect environment for learning and meaningful conversations.

The speakers were outstanding, each session provided valuable insights, innovative perspectives, and real-world examples that sparked new ideas. The diversity of topics and the open discussions made the experience both inspiring and practical.

The overall setup, venue, and professionalism of the GDS team made it an event to remember. I left feeling energized, connected, and eager to participate again in the future.

The GDS CMO Summit in Dublin has been very valuable. We discussed relevant topics that are key challenges / opportunities for an ever evolved Marketing Function like the role of AI and how to stay relevant in a world full of noise and content.
The peer conversations were very enriching due to the diversity of industries and fields. However, still our passion for consumers/ customers and our determination to make a difference in what we do is what unites us as marketers.
Impeccable organization and time tables!
Great experience!!
Big thank you to the entire GDS team, executives and sponsors.

The venue, food, and service were impeccable. Although, topics were not all relevant to my role they were interesting and thought provoking. The round table discussion I attend allowed everyone to participate and there was a robust discussion.