The Willful Blindness Trap: When “We…
Cybersecurity is no longer only an operational discipline. Across Europe and the United States, it is increasingly…
KEYNOTE
Dries Van Dyck PhD
CISO | SCK CEN (Belgian Nuclear Research Centre)
Where Cybersecurity Leaders Connect and Decide What’s Next
This is not a typical conference.
Next IT Security Benelux is an exclusive gathering of cybersecurity decision-makers from across the Benelux region, designed for honest conversations, practical insights, and meaningful networking — free from vendor-driven presentations and unnecessary distractions.
Every conversation is intentional. Every connection is relevant.
This is where cybersecurity leaders meet to exchange insights that actually matter.
Event Location
Event Snapshot
Event Date
12 November 2026
Duration
One-day executive event
Time
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Location
Felix Meritis, Amsterdam Netherlands
Audience
CISOs, Heads of Security, IT Leaders
Attendance
Limited to 150 delegates
Join 150 Cybersecurity Leaders
Private, invitation-based event for CISOs and senior decision-makers.
- ✔ No vendors. No noise.
- ✔ Real discussions, real insights
- ✔ Closed-door executive environment
Event Aftermovie
C-LEVEL LEADERS
Featuring Global Security Experts & C-Level Visionaries
KEYNOTE
Gazmend Huskaj PhD
Head of Global Cyber and Security Policy | Geneva Centre for Security Policy
KEYNOTE
Luca Tagliaretti
Executive Director | European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC)
KEYNOTE
Wouter Moors
CISO | Ministry of Justice & Security (NL)
Karol Okonski
Director of Security and Information Management Division | Frontex
Vas Nevjadomskis
Regional CISO | Kraft Heinz
Juan Diego Noca Galdrón
CISO | Hartwig Medical Foundation
Pieter De Lange
CISO | Transdev Nederland
Shairesh Algoe
Head of Cyber Defense Center | VGZ
Moona Ederveen
CISO | Resilia Connect
Jeroen Prinse
Strategic Security Advisor | SSC-ICT(Shared Service Center ICT)
Marco van der Does
CISO | Ministry of Health / CIBG (NL)
Holger Spohn
NATO
Arnaud Wiehe
MD IT Infosec | FedEx
Trish McGill
Sr. SME Cyber Security (Deputy CISO) | Royal De Heus
Thierry Zoller
Information Security & Cyber Security Executive | Julius Baer
Sumeyra Arda Cirpili
Cyber Security Project Manager & Advisor | Rabobank
Mikayel Nalbandyan
Cyber Security Consultant | Royal Schiphol Group
Han Pieterse
CISO | Gemeente Zutphen
Anis Amraoui
CISO | Alea care
Abhishek Goel
Information Technology Security Team Lead | Rabobank
Thijs Schram
Information Security Officer | Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
Leo Harskamp
CSO | Netherlands Enterprise Agency
Jim Leseman
Fractional CISO & COO | Beter Healthcare
Rogier Posthuma
CISO | Tata Steel Nederland
Jordy Lok
IT Security & Compliance | KLG Europe
Ahsan Akbarali
Cyber & Resilience Program Lead | ABN AMRO Bank
Ronald De Jong
AVP Benelux | IGEL Technology
Sheetal Joseph
CISO | P2P.org
Burc Yildirim
Security Director | Backbase
Kev Smith
EMEA Principal Engineer | Silverfort
Arnoud Kuijt
GTM Director Benelux | Cyera
CONFIRMED C-SUITES
A curated overview of C-Level Cybersecurity, risk and technology leaders joining Next IT Security editions across Europe.
Benelux
Edition
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- Partners & Industry Leaders
Trusted by Cybersecurity Leaders
Our partners don’t just attend — they lead the conversation.
Limited partner slots available
Next IT Security — Benelux
Agenda
08:0008:15
Registration
Registration
Venue: Amsterdam · Felix Meritis
08:1508:55
Roundtable Breakfast
Roundtable Breakfast
AI Changed the Threat Landscape Has Security Kept Up?
09:0009:25
Opening Keynote
AI vs Security: Who Is Moving Faster?
Artificial intelligence is reshaping cybersecurity faster than organizations can adapt. While enterprises deploy AI to improve efficiency and automation, threat actors are already leveraging it to scale attacks and bypass traditional defenses.
This keynote explores whether security strategies are keeping pace — or falling behind.
- AI-powered attacks at scale
- Shadow AI and loss of visibility
- AI as both risk and opportunity
Speakers
Dries Van Dyck PhD
CISO
SCK CEN (Belgian Nuclear Research Centre)
09:2509:50
Expert Panel
AI as Defender and Adversary
AI is now embedded in both security operations and cybercrime. This panel explores how organizations can harness AI while defending against AI-enabled threats.
- AI-driven security operations
- AI-powered phishing, deepfakes, and automation
- Securing enterprise AI adoption
Speakers
Moderator
Ronald De Jong
AVP Benelux
IGEL Technology
Vas Nevjadomskis
Regional CISO
Kraft Heinz
Juan Diego Noca Galdrón
CISO
Hartwig Medical Foundation
Pieter De Lange
CISO
Transdev Nederland
Sheetal Joseph
CISO
P2P.org
Burc Yildirim
Security Director
Backbase
09:5510:20
Innovator Keynote
Securing AI Before It Secures You
Organizations are deploying AI faster than they can govern it. This session explores how to implement secure AI adoption at scale.
Speakers
Kev Smith
EMEA Principal Engineer
Silverfort
10:2510:30
Firestarter
Firestarter
10:3011:00
Coffee Break & 1-1 meetings
Coffee Break & 1-1 meetings
Post-Quantum Risk in Cybersecurity Are We Too Early or Too Late?
11:0011:25
Keynote
The Invisible Risk: When Encryption Fails Silently
The biggest challenge of quantum computing is not when it happens — but how organizations would detect it.
- “Harvest now, decrypt later” reality
- Visibility vs theoretical risk
- Preparing without overreacting
Speakers
Gazmend Huskaj PhD
Head of Global Cyber and Security Policy
Geneva Centre for Security Policy
11:2511:50
Expert Panel
Post-Quantum Strategy: Action or Patience?
Security leaders must decide whether to act now or wait — while balancing uncertainty, cost, and risk.
- Crypto-agility strategies
- Long-term data exposure
- Separating hype from real risk
Speakers
Shairesh Algoe
Head of Cyber Defense Center
VGZ
Moona Ederveen
CISO
Resilia Connectn
Jeroen Prinse
Strategic Security Advisor
SSC-ICT(Shared Service Center ICT)
Thierry Zoller
Information Security & Cyber Security Executive
Julius Baern
Sheetal Joseph
CISO
P2P.org
11:5012:15
Innovator Keynote
Building Crypto-Agile Organizations
This session explores how organizations can prepare for quantum disruption without disrupting operations.
12:1512:20
Firestarter - Cyera
The Universe of Your Data
How AI, Identity & Data Security Collide in the Modern Enterprise
Speakers
Arnoud Kuijt
GTM Director Benelux
Cyera
12:2013:20
Lunch Break
Lunch Break
EU Data Sovereignty Is It possible and how?
13:2013:45
Keynote
Sovereignty vs Reality
Organizations demand control over their data — but remain dependent on global infrastructure.
- Cloud dependency risks
- Jurisdiction and regulation
- The future of sovereign cloud
Speakers
Luca Tagliaretti
Executive Director
European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC)
13:4514:10
Expert Panel
Can Europe Really Be Digitally Independent?
This panel explores whether true digital sovereignty is achievable — or a strategic illusion.
- Geopolitical risk in supply chains
- Sovereign infrastructure vs efficiency
- Regulatory pressure vs business reality
Speakers
Wouter Moors
CISO
Security Advisor within the Ministry of Justice and Security (NL)
Dries Van Dyck PhD
CISO
SCK CEN (Belgian Nuclear Research Centre)
Marco van der Does
CISO
Ministry of Health / CIBG (NL)
Karol Okonski
Director of Security and Information Management Division
Frontex
14:2014:45
Innovator Keynote
Designing Secure and Sovereign Infrastructure
How technology providers are enabling organizations to balance control, security, and scalability.
14:4515:15
Coffee Break
Coffee Break
The CISO Under Pressure Leadership at the Breaking Point
15:1515:40
Keynote
The CISO Role Is Reaching Its Limits
Security leaders face increasing accountability, but often lack authority and resources.
- Accountability without authority
- Board expectations vs operational reality
- Talent shortages and burnout
Speakers
Wouter Moors
CISO
Security Advisor within the Ministry of Justice and Security (NL)
15:4016:05
Expert Panel
Security Leadership Under Pressure: Can the Model Survive?
The role of the CISO is evolving faster than organizations can adapt. This panel explores whether current leadership models are sustainable — and what must change.
- Short CISO tenure and its impact on security maturity
- Balancing regulation, business expectations, and real risk
- Distributing accountability beyond the CISO role
Building resilient and scalable security leadership models
Speakers
Holger Spohn
NATO
Arnaud Wiehe
MD IT Infosec
FedEx
Sumeyra Arda Cirpili
Cyber Security Project Manager & Advisor
Rabobank
Trish McGill
Sr. SME Cyber Security (Deputy CISO)
Royal De Heus
16:1016:35
Innovator Keynote
From Burnout to Resilience: Rethinking Security Leadership
As pressure increases, organizations must rethink how security leadership is structured and supported.
- Scaling security without creating bottlenecks
- Aligning leadership with business strategy
- Sustainable operating models for security teams
16:3517:40
Round Table Discussions
Round Table Discussions
Are We in Control of the Technology We Depend On?
- Are we adopting technology faster than we can secure it?
- How do we prepare for AI and quantum risks?
- What does real digital sovereignty mean?
- Can security, sovereignty and innovation coexist?
Can Cybersecurity Leadership Keep Up?
- How can CISOs turn cyber risk into business decisions?
- How do we demonstrate cybersecurity value?
- Why does strategy often fail in execution?
- Does CISO accountability match actual authority?
- How can security leadership remain sustainable?
Round Table Captains
Mikayel Nalbandyan
Cyber Security Consultant
Royal Schiphol Group
Han Pieterse
CISO
Gemeente Zutphen
Anis Amraoui
CISO
Alea care
Abhishek Goel
Information Technology Security Team Lead
Rabobank
Thijs Schram
Information Security Officer
Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
Leo Harskamp
CSO
Netherlands Enterprise Agency
Jim Leseman
Fractional CISO & COO
Beter Healthcare
Rogier Posthuma
CISO
Tata Steel Nederland
Jordy Lok
IT Security & Compliance
KLG Europe
Ahsan Akbarali
Cyber & Resilience Program Lead
ABN AMRO Bank
17:4518:00
Book Signing
Book Signing
Book Signing By
Arnaud Wiehe
MD IT Infosec
FedEx
18:00
Networking Dinner Cruise
Networking Dinner Cruise
No sessions in this filter.
- Event Venue
Located on Amsterdam’s historic Keizersgracht, Felix Meritis is one of the city’s most iconic cultural and architectural landmarks. Founded in the eighteenth century as a centre for science, art and entrepreneurship, the monumental building combines centuries of history with a modern and forward-looking atmosphere.
Following an extensive renovation, Felix Meritis reopened in 2021 with beautifully redesigned interiors and state-of-the-art facilities for lighting, sound and digital streaming. Its distinctive architecture, impressive staircase and elegant event spaces provide an inspiring setting for conferences, presentations and professional networking.
- articles, videos, webinars, and expert insights
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Editions of Next IT Security
Exclusive access to industry leaders, actionable insights, and high-value executive networking.
East Central
- Belgrade, Serbia
- Sava Centar
- 29-30 September 2026
- 08:00 AM – 06:00 PM
East Central
Dinner closes the day forty stories up, in the St. Regis atop Kula Belgrade — the tallest tower on the Belgrade Waterfront, glass reflecting the Sava and Danube below. C-suite cyber minds take the panoramic restaurant at the top, city lights spreading out in every direction.
Limited seats available
Nordics Edition
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Grand Hotel
- 22 October 2026
- 08:00 AM – 06:00 PM
Nordics Edition
Stockholm’s Grand Hôtel has hosted royalty since 1874 — now it hosts Next IT Security. Sessions close, doors open onto the water, and a private boat carries C-suite cyber minds into the Stockholm archipelago for conversations held under Chatham House rules — no notes, no headlines.
Limited seats available
Benelux Edition
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Felix Meritis
- 12 November 2026
- 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Benelux Edition
Amsterdam works best from the water and from above, so that’s how we’re doing it. A private canal cruise leads into dinner on one of the city’s best rooftops — a tightly curated table of C-suite cyber minds, kept deliberately small so every conversation counts.
Limited seats available
DACH Edition
- Frankfurt, Germany
- Logenhaus zur Einigkeit
- 26 November 2026
- 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
DACH Edition
Frankfurt earned the nickname “Mainhattan” for a skyline that rivals Manhattan’s. Dinner sits in the financial district with towers lit on every side, seating C-suite cyber minds alongside the day’s keynote speakers — no stage between you, just the conversation continuing.
Limited seats available
Nordics Edition
- Stockholm, Sweden
- TBC
- 11 March 2027
- 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Nordics Edition
Join us for the exclusive Cybersecurity Event at Stockholm. This exclusive event offers a unique opportunity to network with C-suite Power Players, whilst enjoying fine dining and entertainment in a spectacular setting. Our C-Suites are our strength.
Limited seats available
Benelux Edition
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- TBC
- 15 April 2027
- 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Benelux Edition
Amsterdam works best from the water and from above, so that’s how we’re doing it. A private canal cruise leads into dinner on one of the city’s best rooftops — a tightly curated table of C-suite cyber minds, kept deliberately small so every conversation counts.
Limited seats available
