Executive Strategy for Network and Security Convergence

All organizations seek opportunities for growth and efficiency as they modernize. Digital transformation, cloud adoption, and the shift toward remote work have fundamentally changed the requirements for security and network architectures. Complex security challenges for CISOs today include the sophistication of cyber threats, the potential for sensitive data exposure through Generative AI, vulnerabilities within trusted SaaS applications, and the pervasive issue of data sprawl and how it challenges privacy and compliance.

At the Global CISO Executive Summit on September 16-18, Sanjay Beri, CEO & Co-Founder of Netskope, and Mike Uster, CIO & CTO of ManTech International, will lead a keynote presentation on how security leaders can develop a different approach to securing and optimizing infrastructure. 

In “Executive Strategy for Network and Security Convergence,” they will discuss how and why it simply isn’t enough for organizations to improve or add onto existing security and network tools; they must rethink and modernize their entire approach. 

The discussion will focus on how to strategically select and consolidate technology tools to enhance agility, reduce risk, and maintain cost-effectiveness, what an effective security architecture looks like from an executive governance point-of-view, and how to calculate the business value you can derive from a converged networking and security platform.

Ahead of their keynote session, Sanjay and Mike are sharing insights on the topic of network and security convergence and how CISOs should consider a new strategy for securing infrastructure.
 

What are some of the challenges CISOs face in this area?

Hybrid work preferences have driven record adoption of software as a service (SaaS) and cloud applications in business, but the associated surge in security threats, increased use of artificial intelligence (AI), and challenges preserving network performance have stressed legacy technology architecture to the point of ineffectiveness.
 

Why is it critical for Evanta’s CISO community members to have this conversation now?

The choices executives and their teams make now, especially when it comes to modern network and security architecture, will set them up effectively for the next 10+ years of business, or set them back if their technology investment can’t adequately keep up with the changes in each and the speed with which AI, in particular, will change business and company competitiveness. 
 

What are you most looking forward to about this session?

There’s so much about security and network convergence that’s over-marketed, over-hyped, or just plain drowning in confusing acronyms and theoretical outcomes. We’re excited to shift the dialogue in a practical direction: why is this necessary (why change and why now), and how is this accomplished, and what are actionable next steps that will allow executives to properly plan. 
 

Sanjay Beri brings more than two decades of innovation and success in the cloud, networking, and security industries. His unique business sense, technical acumen, vision for the future of the industry, and unwavering focus on culture have contributed to his building a world-class team and iconic company as the founder and CEO of Netskope. 

Prior to Netskope, Sanjay was VP & GM of Juniper Networks’ secure access business unit, driving it to market leadership throughout his tenure. He is also the co-founder of one of the world’s first data center encryption companies, Ingrian Networks, and has held leadership positions across numerous other security and networking companies.

As CIO/CTO of ManTech International, Mike Uster directs the enterprise’s managed services, from data centers to collaboration tools to security and the implementation of new and emerging technologies. ManTech’s Enterprise Information Services organization supports more than 14,000 users, including employees, customers, consultants and subcontractors. 

In his CTO role, Mike has embedded a culture of “proven here first” by deploying new solutions and innovative technologies across the ManTech enterprise. This model has enabled ManTech to provide valuable insights and an enhanced customer experience and delivery of mission-driven innovation and capabilities supporting national and homeland security.

You can join the conversation with Sanjay and Mike at the Evanta Global CISO Executive Summit, September 16-18 at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego, by registering in MyEvanta. Or, if you are not yet an Evanta community member, apply to join a CISO community to connect with like-minded security leaders on mission critical topics.
 

Special thanks to Netskope.

by CISOs, for CISOs
 

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