
Toronto CISO Community
Executive Summit
December 3, 2025 | Marriott Downtown at CF Toronto Eaton Centre
December 3, 2025
Marriott Downtown at CF Toronto Eaton Centre
Collaborate with your peers
Get together with Toronto's top CISOs to tackle shared business challenges and critical priorities facing your role today. Participate in this one-day, local program with peer-driven topics and interactive discussions with your true C-level peers.
Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CISOs today:
Recalculating risk appetites across the C-suite and strengthening relationships accordingly
Streamlining user access through intelligent technologies
Balancing security best practices with business needs to drive innovation and resilience
Toronto CISO Governing Body
The Governing Body Co-Chairs shape the summit agenda, ensuring that all content is driven By CISOs, For CISOs®.
Governing Body Co-Chairs

Sandra Liepkalns
Choice Properties REIT
VP, Information Security & Data Governance

Olivera Zatezalo
Ontario Power Generation
CISO & VP, Cyber and IT Security
What to Expect
Agenda
8:00am - 8:30am Registration & Breakfast
8:30am - 9:15am Keynote
Brain-Driven Resilience—Neuro-Optimizing for Executive Edge

Megs Gelfgot
Two-time founder, TEDx, International and Fortune 500 speaker on neuroscience & resilience
Guest Speaker
In the high-stakes arena of billion-dollar enterprises, resilience isn't just an asset; it's a necessity. Learn how elite athletes, Navy SEALs, and top executives leverage cutting-edge neuroscience and cognitive training to elevate their relationship with adversity to yield more resilient outcomes. Cognitive training can help boost executive function and enhance decision making under pressure.
Join Megs Gelfgot, Tedx speaker and two-time founder, as she shares:
- Hacks for gaining a competitive edge
- Tactical resilience leadership strategies
- Ways to mitigate symptoms of cognitive decline
9:15am - 9:40am Networking Break
9:40am - 10:25am Gartner Breakout Session
Human Leadership—A New Mandate for CISOs as People Leaders

Jérôme Mackowiak
Director, Business and Technology Insights, Human Resources Practice
Gartner

Chris Grove
VP, Information Security and CISO
IA Financial Group
Today’s CISOs are not just guardians of technology and enterprise risk—they are people leaders at the heart of organizational resilience. But the unique pressures, expectations, and backgrounds associated with the CISO role often make it challenging to embrace a human leadership approach compared to other enterprise leaders. Drawing on Gartner’s latest research and insights, this session is a call to embrace the new mandate of CISO leadership: securing the future through empowered, resilient teams.
Join this session for guidance and insights on:
- Understanding why people leadership is now just as critical for security success as any technology solution
- Expanding a technical problem-solving mindset to also prioritize authenticity and empathy
- Balancing the high-stakes nature of enterprise cybersecurity with necessary people-centric initiatives
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
AppSec Revolution—Driving Efficiency with Context and Culture
Hosted by Contrast Security

Larry Maccherone
Evangelist
Contrast Security
Traditional security practices are struggling worldwide against modern threats and the rapid pace of software development. The solution lies in leveraging production data, which enables effective Application Detection and Response (ADR) by integrating real-time insights into code behavior, vulnerabilities, and attacks. This approach empowers development and operations teams across borders to collaboratively enhance security.
Join this roundtable to discuss:
- Identifying what’s wrong with the current approach to protecting Apps and APIs
- Enhancing vulnerability scanning with real production insights
- Strengthening attack protection with contextual awareness
9:40am - 10:25am Executive Boardroom
Reframing the Identity Management Conversation
The path to a stronger IAM strategy lies within an agile digital system. Identity-first strategies are focused equally on security and business enablement. Security leaders must implement the right tools and processes to guarantee that the appropriate individuals have access.
Join this boardroom to discuss:
- Evolving strategies to address the growing sophistication of cyber threats
- Breaking with outdated processes and legacy technology
- Optimizing user experience when adopting a user access program
10:25am - 11:10am Networking Break
10:35am - 11:00am Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Connect with like-minded peers in a one-on-one setting through Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.
11:10am - 11:55am Breakout Session
Better Together—Internal Audit and Cybersecurity

Stephen Kerkmann
CISO
Extendicare

Norilyn De Vera
Information Technology Audit Manager
Extendicare
Traditionally, the relationship between audit and cybersecurity teams has been marked by a degree of tension—each function operating with distinct objectives, priorities, and perspectives. However, as cyber threats evolve and regulatory pressures mount, CISOs have a unique opportunity to transform this dynamic into a strategic partnership.
Join this session to:
- Learn how integrated approaches to controls testing, vulnerability management, and incident response can uncover blind spots, streamline compliance, and drive continuous improvement
- Talk through a real-world example of a successful partnership, common challenges, and actionable strategies for fostering trust and communication between these critical functions
- Discover how aligning audit and cybersecurity not only strengthens defenses, but also delivers greater value to the business
11:10am - 11:55am Breakout Session
Fraud Redefined — The AI-Driven Future of Fraud & Risk Management
Hosted by Splunk
In a landscape where fraudsters are leveraging increasingly sophisticated tools like Artificial Intelligence, deep fakes, and synthetic identities, executive leaders face a critical inflection point. This session will unpack how AI is transforming the fight against fraud, offering new opportunities and new challenges for executive decision-makers.
Join this session to explore:
- The latest AI-driven approaches to fraud detection and mitigation
- Emerging fraud vectors and executive-level risk management priorities
- Strategies for fostering cross-functional collaboration and board-level engagement
11:10am - 11:55am Executive Boardroom
Cyber Resilience— Beyond the Breach
Hosted by Akamai

Brent Maynard
Senior Director, Security Technology and Strategy
Akamai

Aamir Bhaijiwala
Director, Information Security
Chartwell Retirement Residences
Organizations face complex threats that can overwhelm defenses and expose critical assets. Cyber resiliency helps organizations withstand and recover from attacks, while compliance regulations further strengthen security. Are you ready to boost your organization’s cyber resilience?
Join this session to explore:
- Strategies for minimizing attack surfaces
- Methods for securing critical IT assets
- Insights on leveraging compliance for stronger security
11:10am - 11:55am Executive Boardroom
Building a Secure Foundation for Data-Driven Digital Transformation

Karim Jessani
Principal & CISO, Data & AI Practice
Kainos
Establishing a secure data governance and protection program that successfully aligns with business priorities is paramount — especially as organizations race to identify as many use cases as possible to leverage GenAI. How can security leaders support and enable the digital processes, interactions and transactions that drive their business? By establishing a secure, modern governance framework that protects high quality data throughout its lifecycle.
Join this session to discuss:
- How to align security objectives with data governance principles
- Strategies to ensure availability, integrity and confidentiality in data while mitigating risks for the long term
- The importance of complying with data-focused regulations while creating value from a data governance framework
11:55am - 12:30pm Lunch Service
Apply to Participate
Apply to participate in the Toronto CISO Community Executive Summit.
Gartner facilitates exclusive, C-level communities by personally qualifying and understanding the priorities, challenges and interests of each member.
Our selective approach maintains the high quality of the network and ensures top-level discussions with peers from the world’s leading organizations.
Each application will be reviewed, and once your participation is confirmed, you will have access to year-round community programs.
Location
Venue & Accommodation
Marriott Downtown at CF Toronto Eaton CentreSelf-Parking and Valet is available for $55 at the hotel.
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Marriott Downtown at CF Toronto Eaton Centre at a reduced conference rate. Reservations should be made online or by calling 800-905-0667 . Please mention Toronto Executive Summit to ensure the appropriate room rate.
Deadline to book using the discounted room rate of $289 CAD (plus tax) is October 30, 2025.
Community Program Manager
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.