A Conversation with Johan Adenmark
Across industries, organizations are investing heavily in data platforms, AI capabilities, and digital transformation initiatives.
Yet many leadership teams are still asking the same question:
Why does it feel harder – not easier – to make confident decisions?
We sat down with Johan Adenmark to explore what’s really changing in the landscape, what organizations often misunderstand about AI, and what it actually takes to build clarity in complex environments.
Why is NAB focusing on this moment in time?
Johan Adenmark:
What we’re seeing right now is a shift that goes beyond technology.
Most organizations don’t lack tools or data. They have more than ever. The challenge is how it all connects – and whether it actually supports decision-making.
We felt it was important to create a moment where we step back and ask: are we building in a way that creates clarity, or just adding more complexity?
That’s really what this year is about for us.
What are companies getting wrong about AI?
Johan Adenmark:
A common misunderstanding is that AI is the solution in itself. But AI reflects the environment it’s placed in. If your data is fragmented, your processes inconsistent, and your systems disconnected, AI doesn’t simplify that – it amplifies it.
That’s why we often say that the value of AI is not just in the model, but in the foundation it sits on. Without that foundation, organizations risk scaling inconsistency rather than improving decision-making.
What does real transformation require today?
Johan Adenmark:
Transformation is often described as a technology journey, but in reality it’s an architectural and organizational one. There are three things we see consistently in successful organizations:
First, they treat data and systems as an integrated foundation – not isolated initiatives.
Second, they think in terms of flow: how information moves, how decisions are made, and how quickly they can adapt.
And third, they align leadership around clarity – what matters, what doesn’t, and what should be prioritized.
Without that alignment, even the best technology won’t deliver meaningful change.
Looking ahead
As we approach NAB’s 25th year, the focus is not on scale or expansion for its own sake.
It’s on helping organizations make better decisions in an environment that is becoming more complex – not less.
That requires more than tools. It requires structure, sequencing, and a shared understanding of what “good” looks like in practice.
Final thoughts
Johan Adenmark:
If I could leave leaders with one reflection, it would be this: Technology is no longer the differentiator. How you structure it is. That’s where the real work is happening now.
Coming up
More conversations, perspectives, and agenda highlights will be released in the coming weeks as we build toward NAB 25 in Stockholm on October 15, 2026.
Register your interest
Attendance is limited, and invitations will be released in phases.
If you’d like to be among the first to receive updates as speakers and the agenda are announced, we invite you to register your interest.
Register your interest
More details will follow soon
NAB 25
October 15, Stockholm
