CIO & CISO Think Tank

Demand for technology workers is exploding. Tech occupation employment over the next 10 years is expected to grow at about twice the rate of overall employment across the economy in the U.S. Organizations are adopting a skills-based approach to fill their needs through hiring and upskilling. This is especially important in cybersecurity, where the preparedness and expertise of employees are paramount in preventing, identifying, and resolving cyber risks and attacks. However, 38% of C-suite leaders report cybersecurity as the area with which they have the greatest difficulty hiring. We’ll explore the value of upskilling, reskilling, and certifications in bridging the IT and cybersecurity skills gap and discuss how leaders can cultivate a strong talent pipeline.

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.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI (GenAI) are crucial for staying competitive and driving efficiency and innovation. While GenAI introduces new capabilities, AI success depends on navigating regulatory landscapes like the European Union AI Act and ensuring data is trusted, governed, holistic and democratized. Understanding the impact and challenges of AI and GenAI is essential for data leaders.  

• AI and GenAI’s impact and common pitfalls 
• Considerations for successful AI implementation    
• Requirements for AI-ready data and how to scale AI projects  
• Best practices around data management for AI  

Security costs and is absolutely necessary to protect both brand and customers.  

As much as we ensure the popular and sexy parts of the org are well covered, at times we must revisit our business-critical systems to ensure the latest available options are being used.  In this session we will explore a very real situation faced by a multi-national corporation whose technical debt was becoming so cumbersome that upon analysis they found and corrected thousands of security flaws, saved millions of dollars and reclaimed over 60% of their DevOps teams’ cycles spent on vulnerability (mostly false positives) triage.

In the last decade, the "assume breach" mindset has dominated cybersecurity strategies, leading organizations to heavily invest in detection and response technologies. While this approach is necessary, it often results in a reactive posture that only addresses symptoms rather than root causes. It's time for a paradigm shift.

This session will focus on the necessity of a cultural transformation within organizations, and will delve into the limitations of the current cybersecurity paradigm and introduce a proactive, quality-driven approach. By integrating quality management principles into cybersecurity, we can uncover and address the fundamental issues that lead to breaches. We will discuss how focusing on root causes, rather than just patching up problems, can lead to more robust, business-aligned security solutions. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how this shift can enhance risk management, reduce long-term costs, and ultimately improve business outcomes.

Join us to explore how moving beyond mere detection and response to true cyber prevention can fortify your organization's cybersecurity posture and drive sustainable success.

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.