This article is a feature by Netzwoche, published on 06.11.2024, written by Coen Kaat. You can find the original article here (in German).
At the end of November, Zurich becomes the center of the global security industry as the Global Cyber Conference (GCC) takes place once again. The event aims to bring together high-ranking executives, government officials, and academics from around the world. The event includes the presentation of the Swiss CISO Awards and, for the first time, the East-West Alliance Summit.
“The Global Cyber Conference was created to establish a platform for pure knowledge transfer at the highest level,” says Samir Aliyev, CEO of the Swiss Cyber Institute – the organizer of the event. “We wanted an event that would not focus on product sales or marketing but on the exchange of deep expertise and best practices.” Driven by this goal, the Global Cyber Conference is taking place again this year – on November 26 and 27 at “The Dolder Grand” in Zurich. According to Aliyev, the event is targeted at senior cybersecurity executives, decision-makers, government representatives, and academics from around the world.
An event within an event
The conference promises numerous insights on topics such as cloud security, AI security, and their impact on business strategies. New this year is the East-West Alliance Summit, which is held as part of the conference and jointly organized with Spain’s National Cybersecurity Institute.
According to Aliyev, this exclusive event within the conference is aimed at senior government officials, heads of national cybersecurity centers, and global decision-makers. “The summit is designed as a platform to strengthen international collaboration and develop innovative solutions to the most pressing cyber threats,” says the organizer. A central theme at the summit will be the constantly evolving global cyber threat landscape and how international cooperation can be strengthened to effectively counter these threats. Other key topics include fostering public-private partnerships and building a robust global cybersecurity market.
Although the summit is not open to all conference attendees, there will be multiple networking opportunities for interaction with the executives attending the summit.
For a bit of variety during the Global Cyber Conference, the Hacker’s Escape Room promises an engaging and interactive experience, providing participants with valuable cybersecurity lessons in a playful way and offering new, creative networking opportunities, according to Aliyev.
An award for “the best minds in cybersecurity”
“I am personally most looking forward to the Swiss CISO Awards Night,” says Aliyev. “It’s inspiring to see the best minds in cybersecurity in Switzerland being recognized for their outstanding achievements.” He is impressed by the quality and diversity of this year’s nominees. “These CISOs have not only made their organizations safer but also advanced digital transformation and helped establish a positive security culture,” he adds. “I’m excited to see who will ultimately take home the title, as each has made an enormous contribution to cybersecurity in Switzerland.”
However, there will be one award missing: as in previous years, there will be no “CISO for Diversity” award. “Diversity in the cybersecurity industry is an issue of increasing importance, yet it remains a challenge to find enough CISOs who take a pioneering role in this area,” explains the organizer. “Another aspect is that diversity is not just about gender diversity; it encompasses many dimensions, such as different perspectives, backgrounds, and approaches.” Often, companies lack targeted initiatives to promote and embrace diversity on a broad level. However, the award organizers, Aliyev notes, are confident that this will change in the coming years, making more CISOs eligible for this award.
