5 brutal ways the CISO must evolve

From technical guardian to business strategist.

HotTopics C-suite Exchange, in partnership with 

The CISO role is being tested from every angle. Market regulation is tightening, AI is changing threat models, cybercriminals are professionalising - and boards want clarity and cast-iron guarantees that their organisation won’t be the next high-profile breach victim.

This session challenges five assumptions most CISOs still operate under, and explains why each one will limit their influence. From moving beyond technical authority to earning commercial credibility, to changing approaches to line-of-business collaboration and security in depth, we’ll explore how CISOs stay relevant.

As Professor Arthur Langer, assistant vice provost of Northeastern University, said during Thales’ Trust Horizon, CISOs need to become business strategists with business skills.  "The time is now,” said Langer at the time.

Event details

📍 Location: Virtual

🗓 Date: 12th May 2026

🕛 Time: 3:00 - 4:00 PM 

👥 The Hosts: Doug Drinkwater, Editorial and Strategy Director, HotTopics

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