BRUSSELS, 16 June 2023 — The European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) held its Board of Directors, General Assembly and High-Level Event, uniting a diverse community of enthusiasts and experts committed to European cybersecurity. Together with the approval of the 2022 financial exercise and the 2024 budget, ECSO welcomed a record 20 new members, reinforcing ECSO’s dedication to protecting the digital landscape. The High-Level event showcased Lena Minitch’s impactful presentation on Ukrainian cybersecurity during conflict. Insightful panels on the future of the cybersecurity workforce and emerging tech trends further engaged the community. ECSO’s pivotal role as a driving force for a resilient and secure Europe came to the forefront during this historic gathering.
The meeting, which marked a milestone in advancing cybersecurity in Europe, brought together some of the brightest minds in the industry to discuss, strategise, and pave the way forward for a cyber-secure future. In a morning session filled with anticipation, ECSO’s 2022 accounts and the budget for next year’s exercise were approved unanimously. The detailed and transparent reports of ECSO’s workgroups provided insightful updates on the notable work accomplished in 2022 and offered an exciting glimpse into the projects and initiatives slated for 2023.
Of equal importance, ECSO proudly welcomed a suite of new members, each bringing a unique perspective and expertise to enrich collective wisdom further. The addition of Aikido, Angoka, Anima, Associazione Cyber 4.0, Aware7 GmbH, Binalyze, Bit4id, Cogninn, Cyber Diia Platform, Erium SAS, Gigacloud, GIS, Informa, ISACA, ISSP, KnowBe4, Maltego, MarCySCoE, QRCrypto.eu, and SCSA-UA illustrates ECSO’s growing influence in shaping the European cybersecurity landscape.
A highlight of the afternoon session was a compelling presentation from Lena Minitch, Advisor to Deputy Minister for Cybersecurity of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, George (Yegor) Dubynskyi. Ms Minitch shed light on the challenging circumstances in Ukraine, where both physical and digital conflict mars the cybersecurity landscape. ECSO is committed to supporting Ukrainian cybersecurity professionals and appreciates the valuable insight Ms Minitch provided, further underscoring the importance of ECSO’s work.
The event continued with an introductory note by Axel Deininger, ECSO Chairman and CEO of secunet Security Networks AG, whose leadership has been instrumental in fostering ECSO’s growth and success.
The first panel, titled “Cybersecurity workforce – addressing gaps, preparing for the future”, featured a dynamic conversation between Pascal Steichen, Chairman of the Governing Board of the ECCC and Founder and CEO of Luxembourg House of Cybersecurity; Liliana Musetan, Head of Unit for Cybersecurity at the General Secretariat, Council of the European Union, Eduvigis Ortiz, President Women4Cyber Spain and Axel Deininger. The panel dissected the current cybersecurity workforce landscape, offered solutions to bridge existing gaps, and envisioned strategies for future preparedness.
Following a networking break, the afternoon session resumed with a second keynote speech by Chris Moret, Senior Vice President at Eviden CyberSecurity (ATOS). His insights on cybersecurity threats and trends provided a fitting segue to the second panel, “Looking at the horizon of cyber tech trends”. This panel consisted of Miguel Angel Cañada, Head of National Coordination Center (NCC-ES) -INCIBE; Eva Fogelström, Director of the Security Research Department at Ericsson; Taco Mulder, CISO and strategies/support for BOSA (Belgian Administration); and Luigi Lenguito, CEO and founder Bfore.ai. The discussion explored emergent cyber tech trends, analysing their implications for Europe’s digital future.
These events have been a success not just for ECSO but for the entire European cybersecurity community. ECSO continues to foster a dynamic ecosystem of members committed to working together to achieve a cyber-resilient Europe. The richness of ideas and diversity of perspectives showcased today is a powerful testament to ECSO’s pivotal role in defining the future of cybersecurity in Europe.
About ECSO
The European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) is a not-for-profit organisation established in 2016. ECSO unites more than 290 European cybersecurity stakeholders, including large companies, SMEs and startups, research centres, universities, end-users, operators, associations and national administrations. ECSO works with its Members and Partners to develop a competitive European cybersecurity ecosystem that provides trusted cybersecurity solutions and advances Europe’s cybersecurity posture and technological independence.
For more information: www.ecs-org.eu.
