7 Sessions to Check Out at Upcoming CISO Summits


Community Blog
Written by Laurel Hiestand

MAY 9, 2024

Evanta, a Gartner Company, is about to launch a series of regional Executive Summits for their CISO communities around the world. Security executives, trusted partners and inspiring guest speakers will gather across 22 cities to network, share and learn from each other. 

Every agenda at each Executive Summit is unique to the region, with curated insights directly from the community, sticking to Evanta’s “by CISO, for CISO” mission. CISOs will hear insights and expertise on critical topics, such as “The CISO as a Savvy Board Communicator,” “A New Era of Liability for CISOs,” and “Becoming a Business-Savvy CISO.”

More topics have been created based on the rich qualitative and quantitative data we receive from our community members. Dive into what CISOs are prioritizing in 2024 here: 8 CISO Trends in 2024.

Here are a few of our favorite sessions coming up at the CISO Executive Summits:

  1. More Inclusion, More Innovation at the Chicago CISO Executive Summit

Robyn Clark, CISO at ITW, Sara Schmidt, CISO at US Foods, and Angela Williams, Global CISO at UL Solutions, are the closing keynote speakers in Chicago. They will discuss the role CISOs play in promoting diversity of people, experiences and backgrounds on their teams. 

This is a panel of true influencers leading the charge on diversity and innovation. Join this session to learn how to leverage diverse competencies and strengths to drive better efficiencies and innovation.
 

  1. Generative AI – Short-Term Hype, Long-Term Impact at the Boston CISO Executive Summit

Join Bobby Rao, Global CISO at Fresenius Medical Care, Julie Fitton, CISO at Analog Devices, Lorna Koppel, CISO at Tufts University, and Ravi Thatavarthy, Chief Information Security Officer at Rite Aid, as they cut through the hype of AI in this closing keynote. 

This esteemed panel will explore their varied experiences supporting the business through GenAI adoption and share proven best practices in keeping pace with business demands. They will strive to answer the question, “How can the security function go beyond setting guardrails in place, to truly enabling the business?”
 

  1. Lessons Only a Breach Can Teach in Resiliency at the Atlanta CISO Executive Summit

Even for organizations with robust security programs, incidents are not an 'if' but a 'when.' John Gift, Chief Information Security Officer at WestRock, understands that first-hand. He will share his experience leading his organization through a breach and how he embraced a mindset shift from crisis to opportunity. 

Join this session to hear how he engaged and communicated with his key partners and enabled the business to move forward through the turbulence.
 

  1. "Whole-of-State" in the Lone Star State – A Model for Cyber Risk Collaboration at the Houston CISO Executive Summit

The State of Texas has seen great improvements in partnership and engagement since moving to a "whole-of-state" approach to cybersecurity. This strategy enables multiple levels of government – and private industry – to embrace greater collaboration. 

Join this session to hear State of Texas CIO Amanda Crawford and Deputy CISO Tony Sauerhoff share insights about Texas's new model and facilitate an open discussion around enhanced collaboration between the State and Texas organizations.
 

  1. Fraternize and Maximize — Sharing Knowledge, Power, and Victory Over Common Risks at the San Francisco CISO Executive Summit

Kannan Perumal, VP & CISO at Applied Materials, knows that when it’s harder to attack anyone, it’s harder to attack everyone. That’s why he takes a unique approach to information sharing with his direct industry peers. 

In this session, Kannan will discuss the benefits of collaborating with CISOs in your own industry and why, in a world of exponential connectedness, squashing risk early is never selfless.
 

  1. CISOs in the Hot Seat – Understanding Personal Liability at the Denver CISO Executive Summit

Cyber threats are escalating and with the increase of legal and financial risks, CISOs are feeling the pressure. In an intimate boardroom setting, CISOs will discuss essentials to ask your legal team, incidents in the news and notable details, and elements for effective D&O policies.
 

  1. Weaponize Risk Appetite to Drive Risk Decisions at the St. Louis CISO Executive Summit

Paul Proctor, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner, continues to bring this compelling keynote to the Evanta stage. Paul is covering a highly-requested and celebrated topic to the St. Louis agenda. 

Join this keynote to learn how repositioning risk appetite in the context of investment and value delivery creates a measurable scale of risk that powers a new type of governance.


Evanta CISO Executive Summits offer dynamic peer and industry connections and opportunities to collaborate with like-minded executives. Apply to join an Evanta CISO Community here, or check out our upcoming gatherings for CISOs here. If you are already a member, sign in to MyEvanta to register for your community’s upcoming Executive Summit.
 

Laurel Hiestand headshot

Laurel Hiestand

Sr Director, Content at Evanta, a Gartner Company