Join us as we demystify Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and its foundational components, which have significantly transformed the cybersecurity landscape since Gartner first introduced the concept nearly five years ago. Aidan will guide you through the evolution from traditional network security to SASE, offering a clear breakdown of key concepts such as Security Service Edge (SSE), single-vendor SASE, and Unified SASE. As SASE continues to reshape security strategies for enterprises globally, understanding these components is crucial for evaluating and selecting the right solution for your organization amidst the surrounding hype.

Discover practical ways to streamline your security strategy and enhance your defenses in today’s complex hybrid work environment. Learn how to leverage SASE to ensure consistent security across distributed locations, secure cloud applications, and robust protection of data in an increasingly dynamic cloud ecosystem. This keynote will equip you with the insights and strategies needed to adapt to modern security challenges and optimize your security posture effectively.

Bridging the gap between business and technology is not easy and requires discipline and balance between technology, people, and business. For so many organizations today, technology is the business. Technology needs to be understood as a critical enabler in every part of the organization from the front line to the back office. It creates new value by crunching data to deliver new insights, it spurs innovation, and it disrupts traditional business models.

For business and technology leaders alike, new actions and behavioral changes can help their organizations make this shift. CIOs and CISOs must take responsibility for problems, they should convey that when technology fails, many people typically share responsibility.

In the dynamic realm of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), CIOs and CISOs play a pivotal role in leveraging these advancements for enhanced cybersecurity. Strategic integration of AI and ML is essential for bolstering security measures, optimizing decision-making, and driving innovation. Technology leaders must adopt a comprehensive approach, considering the entire lifecycle of these technologies to ensure both efficiency and ethical use. Establishing robust governance frameworks becomes paramount, addressing biases, ensuring transparency, and minimizing unintended consequences.

Looking ahead, as AI and ML continue to advance, technology leaders are now faced with evolving challenges and regulatory considerations. Proactive engagement involves staying informed about changing regulations, particularly in areas such as data privacy and ethical AI practices. IT leaders should strive for a tech-enabled understanding of AI and ML systems, encompassing deployment, impact, and security measures. This approach positions organizations to navigate the regulatory landscape effectively, ensuring responsible and competitive integration of AI and ML into cybersecurity strategies.

Businesses and their leadership teams are increasingly being targeted – physically and digitally. Research from The Ponemon Institute shows that 42% of CISOs report attacks targeting executives' personal lives – a number that will only climb as cybercriminals evolve their attack methods.

Cybercriminals are increasingly leveraging executives’ personal digital presence as an entry point into corporate networks. Traditional cybersecurity focuses on corporate systems, leaving executives’ personal digital lives exposed – creating a significant risk vector for organizations.

This Fireside Chat between Richard and Chris is going to explore the ways that CISOs and CSOs can address this phenomenon to protect leadership, corporate assets, and brand reputation.

Less that 2% of those taking a job in a technology team will end up in the Tech C-Suite. They're smart, influential, shaping the future of the industry and of their companies. It's a demanding job - Tech Leaders are faced with difficult challenges and tough decisions.  As Tech C-Suite leaders we're seen as role models, trail blazers, inspirational leaders.  All of us who arrive in the C-Suite have a higher obligation as well -  to continuous learning, to developing the talent for the future, and for contributing to the communities where we live, work and play. Join Trude Van Horn of Cien.ai for a discussion about a C-Suite leader's opportunity - and obligation - to guide others on the Tech Leadership Journey.

In the realm of building cyber resilience, organizations confront increased risk exposure amidst bold moves and evolving external challenges. Despite investments in technology and data, risk leaders, including CISOs, express difficulty in keeping pace with the persistent threat of cyber crises. However, in today's business landscape, discussions of digital transformation or reinvention are inseparable from considerations of cybersecurity. Looking ahead, stakeholders, from the board to frontline cybersecurity operations, pose critical questions about resiliency. This includes inquiries about the adequacy of efforts to safeguard the company and its customers in the face of cyber attacks. The focus shifts to identifying opportunities to minimize the impact on business and shareholder value through effective threat response. Embracing cybersecurity as a whole-of-business endeavor, organizations are urged to align themselves with business owners, adapting to changes in the cyber landscape and fortifying resilience against disruptions. Building confidence in the cybersecurity program becomes paramount in navigating the dynamic and challenging cyber landscape effectively.

The global IT talent shortage isn’t going away — and hiring alone won’t close the gap. To fully capitalize on disruptive technologies like AI, cloud, and cybersecurity, CIOs and IT leaders must prioritize upskilling and reskilling their existing workforce. This panel will dive into how organizations can identify critical skill gaps, create effective upskilling programs at scale, and foster a culture of continuous learning and innovation. We’ll also explore how emerging technologies like AI and automation are reshaping workforce demands and what leaders need to do now to ensure their teams are ready for the future.

As enterprises migrate to the cloud, the complexity of managing identity has grown exponentially, and identity has emerged as the single largest threat vector. There has been an explosion in the number of identities - both human and machine, as well as the number of ways these identities can access sensitive cloud resources. The traditional perimeter-based security model is no longer sufficient to protect against identity-based threats. This session will explore the future of governing access in modern enterprises. We will focus on how enterprises in different cloud maturity levels—whether migrating workloads or operating cloud-native—can evaluate their identity posture, and drive towards best practices such as JIT access, least-privilege, and automated secrets rotation. Attendees will gain insights into how to reduce the attack surface, and strategies to ensure security without compromising agility and productivity.

Let's explore the imperative of diversity in technology leadership roles, particularly within the CIO and Security domain. From gender and ethnicity to varied professional backgrounds, diverse perspectives foster innovation, resilience, and better decision-making in today's rapidly evolving tech landscape. Join us as industry leaders share their experiences, insights, and strategies for promoting inclusivity, breaking down barriers, and empowering underrepresented groups in technology leadership roles. From fostering inclusive cultures within organisations to implementing proactive recruitment and mentorship initiatives, attendees will gain actionable insights to drive meaningful change and cultivate diverse, high-performing technology teams. Let's chart a course towards inclusive excellence in technology leadership together.