WEBINAR Inside the Autodesk CAB Program – Taking Executive Advisory Boards to the Next Level

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In this session, we explore the key elements of a top-tier CAB program, with a look inside Autodesk’s Executive Advisory Boards.

Elena Lelchuk and Michaela Alexander of Autodesk share their approach to creating an impactful and customer-centric advisory board program experience. They also talk about how to leverage customer feedback and measure CAB impact.

Topic covered:
→ Overview of the Autodesk program and meeting cadence
→ Defining success metrics for your CAB
→ Leveraging your CAB for customer advocacy
→ Maximizing the value of CAB insights and feedback

Whether you’re launching a new advisory board or enhancing an existing one, you’ll gain valuable insights to take your program to the next level.

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Webinar about the Autodesk CAB Program

Webinar details

  • Title: Inside the Autodesk CAB Program – Taking Executive Advisory Boards to the Next Level
  • Duration: 58 minutes
  • Featured speakers: Elena Lelchuk, Senior Customer Experience Manager, Executive Engagements & Content Strategy, Autodesk and
    Michaela Alexander, Senior Manager, Customer Advocacy & Engagement, Autodesk

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About Autodesk

The world’s designers, engineers, builders, and creators trust Autodesk to help them design and make anything. From the buildings we live and work in, to the cars we drive and the bridges we drive over. From the products we use and rely on, to the movies and games that inspire us. Autodesk’s Design and Make Platform unlocks the power of data to accelerate insights and automate processes, empowering our customers with the technology to create the world around us and deliver better outcomes for their business and the planet. For more information, visit autodesk.com or follow @autodesk. #MakeAnything

Here’s what we talked about (the video chapters):

00:00 Welcome and Session Opens
01:59 Webinar Kickoff and Poll
04:28 Introduction to Autodesk Team
06:09 About Autodesk CABs & Customer Engagement Programs
09:02 Your Executive Sponsor + Stakeholders + Polls
14:00 About CABs – Global + Regional + Meeting Cadence
16:53 CAB Travel Costs Covered for Members + Driving Attendance Through Meeting Value
18:09 CAB Content Strategy and Approach
19:13 Autodesk’s CAB Team
20:11 CAB Meetings – CABs Thrive on Dialogue (Not You Presenting)
21:47 CAB Meeting – Content Approach
23:26 Capturing Notes and Insights at CAB Meetings + Breakouts
25:29 Content Development with Internal Executives
26:02 CAB Meeting Recording
27:12 Agenda Development and Preparing Stakeholders
28:41 Landing Page for CAB Members – One Stop Shop
30:17 Visualize the Conversation – Using Graphic Live Note-Taking
30:48 Summarizing Meeting Transcripts with AI
31:51 Visualize the Conversation – Vendor Autodesk Uses
32:20 Defining Success Metrics – Account Growth
34:31 Success Metrics – Customer Adoption and Feedback
35:43 Success Metrics – Proactive Advocacy in Marketing
37:31 Voice of the Customer Report
39:25 CAB Meeting Agenda Topics
41:48 CAB Team – What Other Programs They Run
42:13 Communications with CAB Members – Touch Points
43:20 CAB Team – Do they also manage advocacy and reference program?
43:53 Impact and Metrics Overview
47:58 CAB Member Nomination Process + Tenure
51:04 Dealing with Too Many Employees Wanting to Attend CAB
52:46 Final Thoughts and Advice
54:53 Social Networking at CAB Meetings
56:14 Getting Creative with Budget

Final words of advice from Elena and Michaela:

  • Build strong rapport with cross-functional stakeholders early and showcase the value of their engagement with the program. Be patient, this may take some time!

  • Treat internal executives like external customers – market the CAB (and its value) to them.

  • Run a tight, professional program to build trust and long-term engagement. The tighter ship you can run both from an internal standpoint and from a customer standpoint, the better trust and consistency you’re going to build.

Overall summary of what Elena and Michaela shared:

CAB Structure & Evolution: Autodesk’s executive CAB (Construction Executive Council) has evolved from a North America-only board to a global summit with ~40 members. They meet twice a year in person.

Internal Alignment & Stakeholders: The CAB program sits under Marketing, but the executive sponsor is in Product & Strategy. Funding is shared across departments like Sales, Product, and CS to reflect broad impact (great way to get creative with budget!).

Content Strategy & Facilitation: CAB content focuses on 3–5+ year strategy and long-term priorities, not near-term product updates. Sessions are designed to be 80% customer-driven discussion, using formats like panels, breakouts, and “brain dates.” CABs thrive as dialogues, not monologues.

Measurement & Results: They track impact across ARR, product feedback, adoption, advocacy, and CSAT (100% score to date). Metrics are tailored by department to help secure ongoing cross-functional funding.

Operations & Logistics: A lean internal team of 3 runs the program with support from an event agency. They use various tools for a CAB landing page and AI to help streamline the experience and for content capture.

Engagement & Networking: Member engagement happens primarily at in-person events, with occasional touchpoints between. Networking includes welcome receptions, executive dinners, and +1 (with significant other) activities to foster deeper peer relationships.