Event Recap: INSPIRE::CSO 2025
The first INSPIRE::CSO has ended and we are delighted with the positive and open feedback we received from the forty participants who attended this exclusive event on March 7, 2025, at the Andaz Vienna, Vienna.
The goal of the event for CSOs and CISOs was to encourage an exchange of experiences in an intimate atmosphere and to discuss challenges and possible solutions inspired by the presented talks.
The focus was primarily on experiences from pioneers in the industry on how to handle change within companies, current and future developments in offensive security and the legal requirements, cybersecurity in manufacturing and product development, forensic research and practice in the field, as well as a panel discussion on dealing with the psychological stress that can affect the position of the CISO or CSO as well as their team.
Speakers Olivier Schraner, Chief Security Advisor at Microsoft; Thomas Hackner, CEO of HACKNER Security Intelligence; Heidelinde Rameder, Chief Information Security Officer at Borealis AG; Alexander Hochmeier, VP IT & Security at FACC AG; Dr. Klaus Kainrath, Cyber Security Manager at Magna International; and Robert Kolmhofer, Head of the "Secure Information Systems" and "Information Security Management" programs at the FH OÖ Campus Hagenberg, provided valuable insights into and solutions for the industry.
Once again, a heartfelt thank you to all the speakers for their excellent contributions and to Schwabe, Ley & Greiner (SLG) for the organizational support and moderation by Felix Stegmüller. We would also like to thank our partners, IT-Cluster (Upper Austria) and Rheinwerk Verlag, for their valuable support of the event.
In addition to gaining insights into various aspects and tasks as CSOs and CISOs, the human factor emerged as a key component. The interaction of all stakeholders, both inside and outside the CISO and security teams, is fundamental to secure operations. Accordingly, these relationships must be nurtured to see the people and not just the roles within the corporate machine. Therefore, active and regular exchange within the industry remains essential for us to be prepared for both daily work or emergencies.