Themes

An effective CISO operating model is fundamental to ensuring long-term resilience. Beyond technology, it requires stakeholder management, strategic alignment with business objectives, a robust governance structure, and strong leadership. The operating model determines how CISOs position themselves within the organization, how effectively they can influence decision-making at board level, and how they safeguard both people and processes. Building resilience means focusing not only on policies and frameworks, but also on leadership, talent development, and organizational culture.

Ensuring resilience requires maintaining momentum. Organizations must actively experiment and invest in cybersecurity innovation and technology. This task is becoming increasingly complex due to the continuous rise in cyber threats, alongside rapid advancements in both cybersecurity and broader technological domains. Strengthening cybersecurity through innovation also demands alignment with emerging legislation and evolving geopolitical dynamics. 

The foundation of every CISO operating model lies in resilience. This includes mastering the fundamentals — from risk management and incident response to crisis communication and recovery planning. Building resilience requires not only technical measures, but also cultural adoption and continuous improvement across the organization.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a valuable tool for CISOs in enhancing cyber resilience. It supports activities such as risk assessment, continuous monitoring, real-time incident response, and reporting. However, threat actors are also leveraging it to plan and execute more sophisticated attacks, including automated reconnaissance, advanced phishing campaigns, and polymorphic malware that evades detection.

Strong governance is the backbone of a sustainable cybersecurity strategy. This includes developing clear policies, frameworks, and controls that are both practical and adaptable to changing risk environments. Effective governance also ensures compliance with evolving regulations while enabling consistent decision-making across the organization.

Quantum computers could eventually break widely used encryption methods such as RSA and ECC, which secure everything from banking systems to personal emails. The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) anticipates a major shift toward post-quantum cryptography by 2030. Symmetric cryptography standards like AES-256 and SHA-3 will be in jeopardy soon.

The foundation of every CISO operating model lies in resilience. This includes mastering the fundamentals — from risk management and incident response to crisis communication and recovery planning. Building resilience requires not only technical measures, but also cultural adoption and continuous improvement across the organization.

As with any technology, achieving sovereignty in the cyber security domain requires deliberate focus. Organizations must understand their dependencies on external software providers, legislation, and (foreign) government decisions. Regular risk assessments are essential. To strengthen sovereignty, organizations should implement measures to reduce dependency, manage associated risks, and clearly distinguish between data sovereignty and operational sovereignty.

The CISOs influence depends on their positioning within the organizational structure. Establishing a strong presence in the boardroom is key to shaping strategic decisions and securing the resources necessary for resilience. Internally, the CISO must balance being a risk manager, a business enabler, and a trusted advisor, navigating complex organizational dynamics.

Cybersecurity is a team effort. Ensuring resilience requires collaboration across an ecosystem — not just with external service providers for alerting and monitoring. Organizations are encouraged to work closely with peers, industry partners, and government bodies to strengthen their cyber defences. This collaboration should go beyond incident response and include joint efforts in risk assessment, continuous monitoring, and the sharing of threat intelligence. 

Leadership in cybersecurity goes beyond technical expertise. CISOs must foster craftsmanship, guide talent development, and ensure diversity within their teams. Soft skills such as communication, resilience, and adaptability are just as critical as technical knowledge. By investing in people, CISOs help secure not only today’s defenses, but also the capabilities needed for the future.