Watson, who received the IDM's first lifetime achievement award, will be joined in the sessions by direct marketing expert Drayton Bird and creative Steve Harrison.
Rather than the traditional lecture presentation style of the IDM academy, the sessions will take the form of "an audience with…" where the emphasis is on audience participation.
Watson's session will be on May 1 at 12.45pm.
The IDM Academy will also be running at Internet World which takes place alongside the fair.
Joanna King, IDM programme director, said: "The emphasis has always been on the practicality and usability of the session content, but this year we're able to go one step further and respond to exactly what the audience requires, when they require it."
The full IDM Academy programme includes a total of 21 expert practitioners including: Caroline Warboys, managing director of Broadsystem; Chris Duncan, director of customer data at News International; and Mike Teasdale, planning director at Harvest Digital.
Topics will include data in the digital age, customer insight that builds profit, and online brand experience.