Our Story
Born from a vision by Palaniswamy “Raj” Rajan (Founder and Chairman) and Vinod Keni to give Atlanta’s CEOs a trusted space to lead better, together. The idea was simple: bring CEOs together, build real relationships, and give back to Atlanta’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The Council officially launched on February 2, 2000, as a consistent forum for strategic conversations and relationships. Founding leaders include Jay Chaudhry, Gregg Freishtat, Vinod Keni, Chris Klaus, Harish Mamtani, and Alan Taetle. The dot-com bubble bursts, and ACEO Council becomes an anchor for CEOs, entrepreneurs, and executives navigating the uncertainty.
The dot-com collapse and 9/11 hit Atlanta’s technology CEOs and their companies hard. ACEO Council adapts quickly, setting a pattern that holds for 25 years: in a crisis, focus on what CEOs need most.
Harish Mamtani is named President, Palaniswamy “Raj” Rajan continues as Chairman. Despite real skepticism, the Atlanta CEO Council Investor Forum launches in June to give CEOs and entrepreneurs greater access to capital. The inaugural Investor Forum brought together 80 investors representing more than $4 billion in capital and 11 presenting companies. This first cohort went on to raise $110 million and generate more than $11 billion in exits, becoming the most successful Investor Forum/Venture Conference cohort in Atlanta’s history!
ACEO Council expands the now annual Investor Forum. Access to capital and supporting talented startup CEOs becomes among the Council’s most important contributions to Atlanta.
Leadership evolves as Ashish Mistry is named President, Harish Mamtani continues on the Board of Directors, and Palaniswamy “Raj” Rajan remains Chairman. The Investor Forum continues its remarkable growth, with presenting companies surpassing $265 million in cumulative funding. With momentum building and an ambition to serve even more CEOs, the Investor Forum rebrands as the ION Venture Forum. Across Atlanta’s technology community, another major success story unfolds as IBM acquires Internet Security Systems.
Atlanta CEO Council’s annual Investor Forum in its sixth year (now called ION Venture Forum) results in $451 million raised and $14 billion in exits.
Building on the success of the ION Venture Forum, with the aim to help even more CEOs and more capital, the Atlanta CEO Council partnered with the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce (MACOC) to expand the platform and created the Venture Atlanta Alliance.
The first Venture Atlanta Conference was held on October 15–16, 2008, keynoted by Bernie Marcus, Founder of Home Depot.
The Atlanta CEO Council continues to provide leadership, governance, financial support, and active operational involvement.
The ION Venture Forum became a cornerstone of what Venture Atlanta would become, while the Atlanta CEO Council continued to contribute through leadership, governance, financial support, and active operational involvement. That commitment has continued over the years, reflecting the Council’s ongoing support of Atlanta’s founders, investors, and broader innovation ecosystem. The Council remains proud of its longstanding affiliation with Venture Atlanta and its role in helping steward one of the Southeast’s leading venture conferences.
After six successful years, the Atlanta CEO Council partnered with the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) to scale the ION Venture Forum to new heights by creating the Venture Atlanta Alliance with the aim to help even more CEOs and continue to bring even more capital. Venture Atlanta will continue to grow ION’s extremely successful platform of bringing top-tier investors from around the country together with Georgia’s most innovative technology CEOs.
During the Great Recession, Atlanta CEO Council once again adapts around the needs of its CEOs. A different crisis, the same guiding question: how can we help our CEOs?
In 2011 Pharmasset, founded by Dr. Ray Schinazi and a presenting company from the inaugural 2002 Atlanta CEO Council Investor Forum era, is acquired by Gilead for roughly $11 billion, a powerful example of the wealth creation Atlanta’s entrepreneurial ecosystem can produce. In 2012, Raj builds an institution built to last, handing off the chairmanship to Sig Mosley.
In 2014, Atlanta’s success stories multiply, including IBM’s acquisition of Silverpop. Glenn McGonnigle becomes Chairman as ACEO Council approaches an important decision about its future identity and focus.
Raj was reelected into the Chairman role. ACEO Council returns fully to its CEO-centered identity and builds new community relationships. Successful Atlanta CEOs join the Board of Directors: Roger Barnette, Kelly Gay, Asif Ramji, Armistead Whitney, and Jeremy Wing. Harish Mamtani continued on the Board of Directors and David Calhoun joined as Board Observer.
In 2017 Ashish Thakur joined as Executive Director, later becoming CEO, a role he holds today. The organization increased the quality of curated CEO experiences. The goal is to connect CEOs to Capital, Customers, Talent and Peer Mentoring.
In 2020, COVID is another historic test. The environment changes dramatically again. ACEO Council adapts around the CEO with virtual deal talk sessions continuing to support the mission.
In 2021 curated CEO experiences relaunch in July.
Asif Ramji is elected as Chairman. Another successful CEO, Lenny Shutzberg, joins the Board of Directors.
ACEO Council reaches new heights impacting more CEOs year over year and continues to provide leadership, governance, financial support, and active operational involvement in the Venture Atlanta Conference.
In 2002, the council gave rise to Venture Atlanta, now one of the Southeast's most important platforms for connecting high-growth companies with capital. What began as a conversation among members became a signal event on the national innovation calendar. The two organizations share a common conviction: the right room changes everything.
The council has never competed on size, prestige, or programming. It has competed on truth: the right people, the right room, the right conditions for honest conversation. That hasn't changed in twenty-five years. It won't change in the next twenty-five. The only question is who earns a seat at the table.
Membership is by invitation: earned, not bought.
