I have been sent a handful of these spammy emails. I would not be so concerned if they did not start out with a straight up lie. The emails I see always have something like, "Did you get the email I sent you last? Please confirm your speaking arrangement below."
The first time I got one I searched high and low for the "previous email" and it did not exist. I knew then to google it and that is where it was confirmed as spam in like 2006. And did I mention I am not a CIO...
That was 100% my experience as well -- that opening is a pretty common spam tactic. Plus, like you, I'm the wrong audience: I wasn't even a CTO at the time, and I'm still not a CIO.
I'm really impressed with these guys. Neat professional looking website and good social engineering on the flattery front and personal follow up emails. I wonder what their conversion rate is? I wonder how much it costs to run one of these summits, at $1000 a go it surely wouldn't take long to make back the costs!
Just to be clear, I doubt they are doing anything too illegal (how many laws do you break on a daily basis?!) but it does sound very unethical!
The first time I got one I searched high and low for the "previous email" and it did not exist. I knew then to google it and that is where it was confirmed as spam in like 2006. And did I mention I am not a CIO...