Engineering leaders have a unique opportunity to move beyond “keeping the lights on” and position engineering as a driver of market advantage. Too often, engineering is framed as a cost center — an area to optimize and contain — instead of the function that fuels innovation, differentiation, and growth. This roundtable will challenge that perception head-on.

In small facilitated peer groups, VP+ leaders will discuss how they are connecting engineering outcomes to the business metrics that matter most: customer value, revenue growth, time-to-market, and competitive differentiation. Conversations will focus on how executives can influence company strategy, shape product direction, and ensure technical choices don’t just solve immediate problems but create lasting business advantage. Participants will also share how they’ve reframed conversations with CEOs, CFOs, and boards to elevate engineering from expense line to growth engine.

The session will close with readouts from each group, surfacing collective insights and practical strategies. This is a candid, peer-driven exploration of how to reposition engineering at the center of company strategy — not as a cost of doing business, but as the reason the business wins.