
Boston CISO Community
Executive Summit
November 13, 2025 | Hyatt Regency Boston- Cambridge
November 13, 2025
Hyatt Regency Boston- Cambridge
Collaborate with your peers
Get together with Boston's top CISOs to tackle shared business challenges and critical priorities facing your role today. Participate in this one-day, local program with peer-driven topics and interactive discussions with your true C-level peers.
Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CISOs today:
Maintaining Operations Through Cyber Resilience Strategies
Enhancing User Access with Smart Solutions
Maximizing AI for Strategic Advantage
Boston CISO Governing Body
The Governing Body Co-Chairs shape the summit agenda, ensuring that all content is driven By CISOs, For CISOs®.
Governing Body Co-Chairs

Julie Fitton
Analog Devices
CISO

Eric Galis
Cengage
CISO

Javed Ikbal
Bright Horizons
VP/CISO

Brian McGowan
SharkNinja
CISO

Ravi Thatavarthy
Rite Aid
Chief Information Security Officer

Gernette Wright
Schneider Electric North America
IT Security Officer
What to Expect
Agenda
Keynote Sessions
CISOs on the Hot Seat — A New Era of Liability
As cybersecurity attacks increase in sophistication, the financial and reputational impact for companies has never been more pronounced. CISOs responsible for navigating a company through a data breach, the stakes are even higher. CISOs confront significant personal civil and criminal liability in connection with their handling of breaches and associated disclosures. This raises serious concerns not only for CISOs, but also for companies’ abilities to secure expert personnel to safeguard their data and systems.
Join this keynote to discuss:
- Protecting executives on the front lines of cybersecurity incidents
- Implementing best practices aimed at reducing the potential liability of key stakeholders
- Managing liability risks which includes how to work with the Board and the broader executive team
Securing Data Flow in the AI-Quantum Era
Sensitive data movement can be risky but restricting it outright can create operational and security challenges. In an era of agentic AI, generative AI, and emerging quantum computing, organizations need security frameworks that protect data while ensuring agility. This session explores how modern security platforms enable secure data flow, adapt to diverse use cases and prepare for the post-quantum encryption (PQE) shift.
Join this keynote to learn:
- How to choose the right secure access method for each use case
- Why security must be adaptive to risk, user behavior and AI-driven interactions
- How to prepare for post-quantum encryption and its enterprise security impact
Leveraging Outcome-Driven Metrics for Strategic Impact
Executive Boardroom Session
Identity Security in the Agentic AI Era
The rise of Agentic AI is increasing risks and complexities for Non-Human Identities (NHIs) in cloud environments. AI agents need extensive NHI access, posing new challenges in identity governance and security.
Join this roundtable to discuss:
- Exponential NHI growth impacting security
- Management of AI access models and permissions
- Complex AI interactions affecting identity management
Breakout Sessions
Crafting a Powerful and Purposeful Executive Presence
Your career trajectory is shaped by more than just your achievements—how others perceive your executive presence can open doors or close them. Personal branding is about consciously shaping those perceptions. Are you aware of how others see you?
Join this engaging session to explore:
- Steps to intentionally develop a genuine executive brand
- Identifying your blind spots and leverage opportunities for influence
- Methods for building or restoring recognition for what matters most to you
Outsmarting Insider Threats — North Korea’s Evolving Tactics in Workforce Infiltration
As foreign operatives infiltrate organizations under false identities, traditional hiring and security processes are being tested like never before. This session will dissect real-world attack chains, highlight subtle red flags and technical indicators, and offer actionable strategies for cross-functional response and risk mitigation. Walk away with practical tools to detect, disrupt and prevent these sophisticated insider threats.
Join this talk to learn:
- Proven methods to identify behavioral and technical warning signs during hiring and employment
- Effective cross-functional controls and incident response strategies for rapid mitigation
- Best practices for strengthening organizational resilience through training, ID verification and stakeholder alignment
CISO Exchange - Tackling Security’s Hottest Issue
Cybersecurity is now a headline issue, CISOs must bridge the gap between technical priorities, business strategy and mental health. This session offers a unique opportunity to choose pressing topics and collaborate with fellow security leaders in open, insightful conversations.
In this workshop, you’ll:
- Identify and unpack industry-wide security concerns
- Assess how new trends are shaping business decisions
- Unpack mental health, it not the reward for high performance—it’s the foundation
Apply to Participate
Apply to participate in the Boston CISO Community Executive Summit.
Gartner facilitates exclusive, C-level communities by personally qualifying and understanding the priorities, challenges and interests of each member.
Our selective approach maintains the high quality of the network and ensures top-level discussions with peers from the world’s leading organizations.
Each application will be reviewed, and once your participation is confirmed, you will have access to year-round community programs.
Location
Venue & Accommodation
Hyatt Regency Boston- CambridgeCommunity Program Manager
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.