Guided by expert facilitator and executive educator Chidi Afulezi, the Forum will dive into the leadership challenges shaping our future: building and retaining teams in the AI age, navigating budgets and economic uncertainty, and sharpening the “hard” leadership skills that define the next generation of tech executives. No panels, no pitches—just meaningful dialogue with the people who get it, in a space designed to foster problem-solving, perspective sharing, and lasting professional connections.

If you’re leading a team, building product vision, or shaping tech strategy, this is your room. Your voice belongs here. The Leadership Forum includes access to the full ProductFest experience—talks, workshops, immersive content, lunch, and our iconic closing street party. Come be part of the conversation that’s just for us—the leaders doing the work.

Presented by Capital One.

The Forum will be facilitated by Chidi Afulezi, a long-time product leader and coach who has worked with some of the best companies in the world to transform how they build products. His product leadership expertise was honed in executive roles at industry giants including AT&T, Sony Music, Time Warner, and Turner Broadcasting. Today, Chidi shares this wealth of knowledge as Head Faculty for Product, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the ALU School of Business, and as a Product Management instructor at both UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, and General Assembly.

The forum is for Product, Design, and Engineering Leaders. We expect leaders from software companies around our region to attend, including enterprises like Capital One, Carmax, Costar, medium sized companies, and startups.

Your ticket to the Leadership Forum includes admission to the ProductFest Conference. Tickets cost $499. Tickets can be purchased on this website or by clicking here.

The Forum will be held in a private meeting space at the Dominion Energy Center.