Benelux Cyber Summit 2025 to Unite Leaders on the Frontlines of Digital Security

CISOs, Regulators and Innovators to Chart Practical Strategies for Safeguarding Europe’s Digital Future

Princeton, NJ – As cyberthreats intensify across Europe, QG Media, an ISMG company, will host the Benelux Cyber Summit 2025 in Amsterdam on November 4 and 5, bringing together senior security leaders from across the region to address the geopolitical, regulatory and technological challenges reshaping the digital battlefield.

The findings in the Benelux Cyber Summit 2024 annual report paint a stark picture – 90% of companies in Benelux have suffered breaches tied to skills shortages, and the average cost of an attack in Belgium and the Netherlands has nearly doubled in a year. At the same time, 96% of security leaders see AI as a critical tool for defense, even as adversaries weaponize it.

“The Benelux Cyber Summit is designed to confront these pressures, equipping leaders with both foresight and actionable strategies,” said Kudsia Kaker, managing director at QG Media. “Our summit provides a critical space for leaders to address not only tools and regulations but also the people and culture that underpin true resilience.”

The summit is designed for CISOs, risk executives, regulators, policymakers and technology innovators who play a critical role in shaping cybersecurity strategy across finance, energy, logistics, healthcare, and other essential sectors.

This year’s summit opens with a focus on how global instability is reshaping the cyberthreat landscape. In the panel discussion “Tackling Cyber Security Threats Amid Geopolitical Instability and Global Tensions,” moderator Trish McGill, chief cyber security strategist at De Heus Voeders B.V., will be joined by Holger Spohn of Candriam, Laura Manco of Ayvens, Donal O’Brien of Versuni, and Pieter Van Goethem of Delen Private Bank. Together, they will dissect the surge in nation-state attacks and the growing influence of hacktivists and share how organizations can build resilience in a world where conflict increasingly plays out online.

That theme of adaptation carries into one of the summit’s most anticipated case studies. Johan Huijgen, group cyber security and IT director at VEON, will recount how his organization responded to and recovered from a targeted breach. Huijgen’s story offers more than technical lessons; it reveals the human dynamics of crisis – executive decision-making under fire, restoring operations with speed and turning a moment of vulnerability into a catalyst for long-term cultural change.

Yet, as the summit will emphasize, resilience cannot be measured by technology alone. Behind every firewall are individuals whose well-being is too often overlooked. In a candid session, George Schizas, CISO – EMEA at NEP Group; Murat Kultur, head of IT security strategy and services at Vattenfall; Ange Ferrari, senior vice president at Metro AG; and Elian Habra, CISO at ADEM will explore the hidden costs of leadership in constant crisis. By shifting the conversation to burnout, psychological resilience, and workplace culture, they aim to redefine what true strength means in cybersecurity: not just hardened systems, but also healthier people.

Looking ahead, the dialogue will pivot to one of the most pressing innovations of our time – artificial intelligence. As the EU AI Act sets new standards for accountability, Siegfried Moyo, director of cyber and IT security at Americold Logistics, will demonstrate how governance and security can be embedded from the earliest stages of AI design.

“At ISMG, our mission has always been to empower the security community with knowledge, context and connection. Hosting the Benelux Cyber Summit affirms our commitment to providing insight into the latest threats but also the practical strategies to meet them head on,” said Jennifer Eisenhofer, vice president of events, ISMG.

The summit ties them together into one urgent narrative: the threats are escalating, the human costs are rising and the solutions demand collaboration. The Benelux Cyber Summit 2025 will stand as more than a meeting of minds. It will align strategy with action, to learn from those who have faced the worst and to prepare for what is still to come.

Secure your place at the Benelux Cyber Summit 2025 and stand alongside the leaders shaping the frontlines of global cybersecurity. Registration is now open.

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About ISMG

Information Security Media Group (ISMG) is the world’s largest media organization devoted solely to cybersecurity, information technology, artificial intelligence and operational technology. Each of our 38 media properties provides education, research and news that is specifically tailored to key vertical sectors including banking, healthcare and the public sector; geographies from North America to Southeast Asia; and topics such as data breach prevention, cyber risk assessment, OT security, AI and fraud. Our annual global summit series connects senior security professionals with industry thought leaders to find actionable solutions for pressing cybersecurity challenges.

About ISMG Events

ISMG Events is a premier platform for security professionals and practitioners worldwide. Our global, annual events bring together the ISMG Events Community, comprising over 40,000 members, to exchange knowledge, insights and best practices in the field of cybersecurity. The cornerstone of our event portfolio is the ISMG Global Summit Series. These summits take place both virtually and in-person, offering participants a diverse range of topics to explore. In addition to our Global Summit Series, ISMG Events hosts exclusive Executive Roundtables that are closed-door, topic-focused discussions that provide practitioners with a collaborative environment to address today’s most pressing security concerns.

About QG Media

QG Media is an international provider of cutting-edge B2B conferences and digital content for technology leaders. Focusing on cybersecurity and IoT (Internet of Things), QG brings together business leaders to demonstrate thought leadership through content-driven presentations, interviews and webinars. The success of any QG Media event lies in providing expertly curated programs, inviting industry leading speakers, along with offering extensive networking opportunities to promote collaboration and drive innovation.