West IT & Security Leaders Forum 2025

As the digital economy continues to expand, institutions must adapt to remain competitive and relevant. This session will explore the key trends shaping the future of the digital economy and how institutions can effectively enable their digital transformation. Topics will include advancements in digital infrastructure, the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning, the importance of data analytics, and the shift towards digital-first business models. Experts will discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by these trends, providing practical insights on how institutions can leverage technology to enhance efficiency, innovation, and customer engagement. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of the strategic steps necessary to thrive in the digital economy.

Moderator: Shawnna DelHierro, SVP, Chief Information Officer, SoundHound AI

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, the attack surface is expanding at an unprecedented pace, driven by technological advancements and the proliferation of interconnected systems. This agenda addresses the critical security challenges organizations face in safeguarding their assets and operations. It explores the concept of Exposure Management as a strategic approach to identifying, prioritizing, and mitigating risks across dynamic environments. The discussion highlights how Tenable supports organizations in implementing robust Exposure Management practices through its innovative solutions, enabling proactive risk reduction and enhanced resilience. The session concludes with insights for CISOs to strengthen their cybersecurity posture in the face of growing threats.

Speaker: Patrick Ramseier, Global Lead Specialist Security Engineering, Tenable

Presented by: Tenable

In the past 12 months, 87% of F1000 businesses were affected by significant cyber incidents as a result of a third-party. And yet, most rely on ‘snapshot in time’ questionnaires. While necessary, snapshots are insufficient by themselves, and must be augmented with continuous monitoring in support of ongoing security operations. This requires a different approach, that includes external threat detection capabilities by using AI across Public Data.

• The Public Data opportunity: collect, process, alert across multiple languages / modalities
• Real-time external threat detection on a rapidly evolving threat landscape
• The most advanced AI techniques for automating the collection, processing, delivery, and initial analysis of millions of public data sources

Speaker: Shimon Modi, VP, Product Management, Cyber, Dataminr

Presented by: Dataminr

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Presented by: SecurityScorecard

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, the emergence of sophisticated cyber threats and the transformative power of AI demand a proactive approach to cybersecurity. This talk will delve into the latest findings from Trend Micro’s Threat Research teams, highlighting the most pressing threats that organizations face today. From advanced ransomware attacks to AI-driven phishing schemes, understanding these threats is crucial for developing effective defense strategies.

As cyber threats become more complex, the role of operations teams in mitigating risks has never been more critical. This session will emphasize the importance of prioritizing your operations team to proactively lower risk. By implementing robust threat assessment frameworks, fostering cross-collaboration, and continuously adapting to new challenges, organizations can stay ahead of adversaries and ensure a resilient security posture.

Join us to explore how proactive security measures, informed by cutting-edge research and AI advancements, can safeguard your organization against emerging threats. Together, we can navigate the shifting cybersecurity landscape and build a secure future.

Speaker: Jason Dablow, Principal Engineer, Trend Micro

Presented by: Trend Micro

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In today’s dynamic business environment, companies face the imperative of delivering instant answers and assistance to customers engaging with digital channels. This informative discussion addresses the vital elements needed to produce tangible results to meet this demand. While AI tools and smart agents can minimize human intervention, professionals across sales, marketing, and customer service must navigate customer interactions and team collaboration in new ways. In this chat we will address the challenges to be aware of in the strategic deployment of these technologies and steps to take to ensure they deliver expected value.

Speakers: 

Mike Egli, CX Client Principal, RingCentral

Rob Strickland, Interim CIO, Infovista

Presented by: RingCentral

Join an intimate group of industry peers to experience a simulated cyber-attack, taking on a leadership role in a fictional company during a ransomware negotiation. Engage in a dynamic agenda with a realistic storyline inspired by recent high-profile breaches, confronting challenges and making critical decisions along the way.

Topics discussed:

• Security Assurance
• Identity and Access Management
• Social Engineering, Threat Detection
• Cyber Incident Response
• Ransomware
• Governance and Reporting Regulation in USA.

Guided by Commvault Security expert, attendees will navigate the ransomware journey and leave this session with an actionable toolkit and recommendations to evaluate their own company’s disaster recovery plan.

Our goal is for attendees to experience a realistic simulation of a complex cyber-attack scenario, enabling them to navigate demands and determine the next steps to protect their company’s data and restore business operations

Presented by: Commvault

Open seating, Buffet-style lunch. Serving food for all tastes, palates, and preferences. Vegan, vegetarian, halal options available

In this presentation we will provide insights around the inherent risks related to using Generative AI, self-trained LLMs and AI workloads. With data at the heart of any AI usage, we will cover efficient methodologies for identifying and mitigating your own risk to safely enable AI, making your workforce more productive and driving toward the innovation AI promises. Specifically the topic will engage the audience to consider how understanding the data set, its sensitivity, the access to it from internal employees to third parties, and how data will be used and created. Protecting data wherever it goes and ensuring compliance through the AI journey.

Learning Objectives: In this presentation the audience will learn about the inherent risks surrounding AI and therefore data within the enterprise. Marrying key objectives around cloud security, governance risk and compliance, risk management and threat detection/prevention through the AI lifecycle.

Speaker: Riley Monahan, Regional VP of Sales Engineering, Varonis

Presented by: Varonis

We’ll explore the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Security Operations (SecOps). As cyber threats become more sophisticated and dynamic, traditional security models struggle to keep up. AI-driven SecOps leverages machine learning, automation, and advanced analytics to enhance threat detection, incident response, and overall security posture.

We’ll dive into how AI can identify anomalies faster than human analysts, automate repetitive tasks, and prioritize security incidents with greater accuracy. By reducing response times and improving decision-making, AI empowers security teams to be more proactive and efficient.

Speaker: Jeff Urnaza, Vice President of System Engineering, Majors, Fortinet

Presented by: Fortinet

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Presented by: OpenText

We understand that there is a need for a new approach that transforms how IT and Security teams identify and execute changes safely – at scale, with confidence, and in real-time.

In this session you’ll learn how Tanium’s Autonomous Endpoint Management (AEM) platform can help streamline and secure your IT operations. Tanium’s next evolution of converged endpoint management platform leverages real-time AI derived recommendations to drive faster, better decision making that will improve an organizations security posture and accelerates risk mitigation by proactively managing vulnerabilities and incidents.

Join us as we dig deeper into the next evolution of endpoint management and security solutions. Learn how organizations can:

• Take advantage of Confidence Scores to predict the impact of endpoint changes in real time.
• Scale and extend the value of precious expertise by capturing and designing dynamic, reusable automations that span IT and security operations use cases.
• Minimize disruptions by rolling out endpoint changes in a way that matches the rhythm of the business.

Presented by: Tanium

As organizations increasingly adopt web-based applications and remote work models, traditional security measures are proving insufficient to safeguard against modern threats. This session explores the transformative role of secure enterprise browsers in elevating web access from a potential vulnerability to a robust security advantage. Attendees will learn how innovative browser technologies can provide enhanced data protection, mitigate insider threats, and seamlessly integrate with existing security frameworks, ensuring both productivity and resilience in today’s dynamic digital landscape.

Speaker: Joe Delsol, Sr. Solutions Architect, Seraphic

Presented by: Seraphic

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Presented by: Insight

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a merry-go-round as security analysts, lawmakers, and consumers alike process its break-neck evolution and hold tight for the ride ahead. But AI is just one ‘ride’ at your favorite amusement park. Other ‘rides’ worth noting are impending advancements in quantum computing, a rise in deepfakes prompting a crack-down on identities, and data privacy conversations moving to priority one for many of the world’s largest stages.

As teams plan to adjust to future changes in computing and compliance, one underlying theme unifies what might seem like otherwise disparate directions. Protecting access to sensitive data still matters most, and organizations that can maintain strong data protection policies will keep the “big picture” in sight. Join Thales as we discuss best practices to navigating these emerging technologies and the threats that accompany them.

Speaker: Benjamin Longuechaud, Senior Sales Engineer, Thales

Presented by: Thales

With the growing reliance on SaaS applications, misconfigurations and emerging threats pose significant risks to your cloud environment. This session will dive into how SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM) can provide advanced detection and response strategies to identify vulnerabilities, secure configurations, and respond to threats in real-time. Join us to gain actionable insights into strengthening your SaaS security posture and protecting your organization’s critical data.

Presented by: AppOmni

As organizations adapt to technological advancements, remote collaboration tools, and changing workforce dynamics, the CIO emerges as a key strategist, orchestrating digital transformation initiatives and ensuring seamless integration of technology into the fabric of the modern workplace. This Panel will discuss how CIOs can drive innovation, enhance cybersecurity measures, and foster a flexible and inclusive work environment to meet the challenges and opportunities presented by the future of work.

Moderator: Shawnna DelHierro, SVP, Chief Information Officer, SoundHound AI

Aggressive attacks on Enterprise computer networks are continuing with increased frequency and threatening economic and national security. Actions like vulnerability reduction and passive defenses on their own simply are not cutting it and there needs to be a functional shift in the way we mitigate this substantial threat. Companies can seek to protect their most sensitive data by implementing an environment of actionable intelligence and detection to bring the fight to the adversaries and ensure a proactive approach to securing data. This session will discuss best practices in managing the constant evolution in the security environment.

Moderator: Michael Burroughs, CISO, BioMarin Pharmaceuticals Inc.

In most markets, there is an abundance of open IT jobs with fewer people able to fill them – and the positions are getting more expensive. Working remotely is the norm, but not optimal (usually). There is less off-shoring and more resources are focused locally or within the same hemisphere.

Additionally, we are still not recruiting enough woman and minorities in to the rank and file, especially senior IT roles, and we’re losing talent to major tech hubs.

Join us as we dive into solutions to tackle the following challenges:

• How do you scale staff / team without losing them to major tech hubs?
• How do you create more diversity – not only among race and gender – but diversity of thought – Old vs New Thinking?
• How do we mentor universities to implement actionable steps for supplying more IT talent?

Speaker: Robert Cantrell, Director Engineering and Information Security, San Ysidro Health

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The result of digital transformation: It’s easier to do business with your customers and partners. But with new architectures, web apps and APIs now deployed from on-prem servers to the cloud, it is harder than ever to get a holistic view of all of these potentially vulnerable assets – never mind defend them.

What are your biggest challenges today in defending these diverse assets? What are the known gaps in your current defenses? What are you seeking in the future to defend your apps and APIs?

Topics covered will include:

• How are adversaries preying upon unprotected web apps and APIs?
• How are traditional web application firewalls deployed, and what are they missing?
• What does the future look like with unified web app and API security solutions?

To meet the speed and agility demands of digital business, CIOs are transforming their IT departments and shifting a growing share of IT work from projects to products. At the same time, growth in business-led IT has expanded the span of employees across the enterprise who are responsible for technology initiatives.
This session will explore a cost management model and discuss how evolving IT cost management efforts to focus on value over pure cost will reduce (and even eliminate) reactive calls to cut IT costs. This session will provide a model and tactics to elevate the maturity of IT to focus on value over costs, while still meeting the business directives.

Speaker: Shawnna DelHierro, SVP, Chief Information Officer, SoundHound AI