Executive Dinner Invitations
Use these templates to invite senior executives to intimate roundtable dinners focused on AI adoption challenges. These events position Orion as a thought leader while creating relationship-building opportunities in a non-sales environment.
Invitation Template A: Peer Networking Focus
Subject: Invitation: AI Leadership Dinner - [City] [Date]
[First Name],
I'm reaching out to invite you to an intimate dinner gathering we're hosting for [6-8] senior technology and business leaders navigating AI adoption in their organizations.
The Details:
- When: [Day, Date] at [Time]
- Where: [Restaurant Name], [City]
- Format: Roundtable discussion over dinner (no presentations, no pitches)
The Conversation: We'll explore the real challenges leaders face when moving AI from pilot to production—governance gaps, adoption resistance, economic uncertainty—and what's actually working.
The guest list is deliberately small: peers from [Industry/Industries] who are wrestling with similar questions. Our role is simply to facilitate the conversation and pick up the tab.
If this resonates, I'd be honored to have you join us. Just reply to confirm, and I'll send calendar details.
Warm regards,
[Your Name] [Title], Orion Innovation [Phone]
Invitation Template B: Thought Leadership Focus
Subject: Private Dinner: "From AI Anxiety to Adopted Outcomes"
[First Name],
You're invited to a private dinner conversation on a topic I suspect keeps many of us up at night: why most enterprise AI initiatives fail to deliver real adoption.
Event Details:
- Date: [Day, Date]
- Time: [Time] (cocktails) / [Time] (dinner)
- Location: [Restaurant Name], Private Dining Room
- Guests: [8-10] senior leaders from [Industry] organizations
The Premise: The technology works. The pilots succeed. Yet somehow, the tools don't get used, the ROI never materializes, and shadow AI emerges anyway. We'll discuss what separates organizations that achieve real AI adoption from those stuck in perpetual pilot mode.
This is a conversation among peers—no slides, no sales pitch. Orion is hosting because we believe the best insights come from practitioners comparing notes, not consultants lecturing.
Space is limited. If you'd like to join, please reply by [RSVP Date].
Looking forward to the possibility of having you with us.
Best,
[Your Name] [Title], Orion Innovation
Invitation Template C: Co-Hosted with Cloud Partner
Subject: [AWS/Microsoft] & Orion Invite: Executive AI Dinner - [City]
[First Name],
Together with [AWS/Microsoft], we're hosting an executive dinner for [industry] leaders exploring AI adoption at scale.
Details:
- Date: [Day, Date] at [Time]
- Venue: [Restaurant], [City]
- Co-Hosts: [AWS PDM Name / Microsoft PAM Name] and [Your Name]
Discussion Topics:
- Moving from AI experimentation to production adoption
- Governance frameworks that enable (rather than block) innovation
- Economic models for sustainable AI investment
The evening is designed for candid conversation among peers. We'll share observations from organizations successfully scaling AI, but the real value is hearing from each other.
We're limiting attendance to [8] executives to keep the conversation substantive. Please let me know by [Date] if you'd like to join us.
Best regards,
[Your Name] [Title], Orion Innovation
[Partner Name] [Title], [AWS/Microsoft]
Follow-Up Template (Post-RSVP Confirmation)
Subject: Confirmed: AI Leadership Dinner - [Date]
[First Name],
Thank you for confirming—we're looking forward to having you join us.
Logistics:
- Date: [Day, Date]
- Time: [Cocktails Time] cocktails, [Dinner Time] dinner
- Location: [Restaurant Name] [Address] [Parking/Valet Instructions]
- Dress: Business casual
Your Fellow Guests:
- [Name], [Title], [Company]
- [Name], [Title], [Company]
- [Name], [Title], [Company]
- [Additional guests TBD]
Conversation Themes: We'll explore AI adoption challenges openly—what's working, what's failing, and why. No formal presentations, just good food and better conversation.
If anything changes with your schedule, please let me know. Otherwise, see you on [Date].
Best,
[Your Name] [Phone]
Best Practices
Venue Selection
- Private dining room or semi-private space (conversation privacy matters)
- Quality over flash (executives notice authenticity)
- Central location with easy parking/valet
- Menu flexibility for dietary restrictions
Guest Curation
- 6-10 executives maximum (intimate enough for real conversation)
- Mix of titles: CIO, CTO, CDO, CFO, COO
- Similar company sizes or industries (peer relevance)
- Avoid direct competitors at same table
Timing
- Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday evenings
- 6:00 PM cocktails, 6:30 PM seated dinner
- Plan for 2.5-3 hours total
- Send invitations 3-4 weeks in advance
Conversation Facilitation
- Prepare 3-4 discussion questions (but let conversation flow)
- Ensure everyone speaks (draw out quieter guests)
- Share Orion perspective when asked, not proactively
- No slides, no handouts, no business cards on table
Follow-Up
- Send thank-you email within 24 hours
- Connect guests on LinkedIn (with permission)
- Share any resources mentioned in conversation
- Offer 1:1 follow-up for interested attendees
Related Resources
- Marketing Overview - Full marketing program
- Partner Co-Selling - Co-hosting with AWS/Microsoft
- Introduction Email Template - Initial outreach