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Gunter Van Craen - CDIO at Bekaert - Embracing Digital Transformation
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Belgium Dec 4, 2025 Invitation Only Physical english
CIONET is committed to highlighting and celebrating female role models in IT, Tech & Digital, creating a leadership programme that empowers and elevates women within the tech industry. This initiative is dedicated to showcasing the achievements and successes of leading women, fostering an environment where female role models are recognised, and their contributions can ignite progress and inspire the next generation of women in IT.
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International Dec 9, 2025 Public Virtual english
The CIONET Awards 2026: Part 1, the premier celebration of excellence in digital mission and leadership. During this event the spotlight falls on two of the most critical arenas in modern enterprise: Applications & Architecture and Data & AI. Prepare for a dynamic session where each nominee will present their groundbreaking achievements.
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Netherlands Dec 9, 2025 Invitation Only Physical english
Digital transformation and ongoing economic uncertainty are intensifying the pressure on IT leaders to do more with less. In this environment, gaining precise control over IT costs—while continuing to deliver effective, efficient, and innovative technology operations—is more critical than ever. At this exclusive CIONET Executive Roundtable, hosted in partnership with It’s Value, we will explore how Technology Business Management (TBM) principles can help CIOs and IT leaders make data-driven financial decisions that drive measurable business value. Key Discussion Themes Turning data insights into smarter IT investment decisions Setting priorities for cost optimisation and maximising ROI Quantifying and communicating the business value of IT initiatives Evaluating the principles of FinOps and the implications of public, private, and hybrid cloud environments for cost management Embedding effective change management to drive adoption and alignment Achieving tangible business outcomes from AI initiatives while maintaining fiscal discipline The evening will also feature a fireside chat with Sunil Anand, Global Head of Technology Business Management at National Grid. Sunil will share practical lessons and key milestones, retracing the National Grid cost management journey. This dinner offers a unique opportunity to: Exchange experiences with peers facing similar challenges Gain insights from TBM experts and industry practitioners Reassess your own IT financial strategy in a relaxed, collegial setting Join us for an evening of insight, discussion, and connection—designed to help you strengthen IT’s role as a true business value driver.
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Italy Dec 10, 2025 Invitation Only Physical italian
Questa roundtable esclusiva offrirà a CIO, CISO e Leader di ITOps/Engineering un confronto diretto per individuare le migliori strategie di Innovazione che, attraverso l'observability, ottimizzino il Return of Investment.
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Belgium Dec 11, 2025 Country Members Physical english
Imagine being able to monitor, simulate, and optimise an entire city, factory, or supply chain in real time. Next-generation digital twins are making this vision a reality, transforming how we manage and understand complex systems. By creating dynamic virtual replicas of physical assets and processes, digital twins allow organisations to predict issues, optimize performance, and make data-driven decisions with unprecedented accuracy.This event will explore how digital twins are being used across industries to revolutionize the way we operate and maintain large-scale, intricate systems—whether it’s the infrastructure of a smart city, the efficiency of a factory floor, or the resilience of global supply chains.Examples of Digital Twins in Action:Smart Cities: Urban planners can use digital twins to simulate traffic flow, monitor energy usage, or predict the impact of weather events on infrastructure. This enables cities to optimize resources and improve the quality of life for their citizens.Factories of the Future: Manufacturing plants are leveraging digital twins to monitor equipment in real time, prevent downtime, and optimize production lines. With predictive analytics, factories can avoid costly breakdowns and improve overall efficiency.Supply Chain Management: Complex supply chains, spanning continents and industries, can be modeled as digital twins to track shipments, simulate disruptions, and optimize logistics. Businesses can reduce inefficiencies and respond faster to market demands.Key Themes:Real-Time Monitoring and Simulation: How digital twins provide real-time insights into complex systems, allowing for dynamic response and optimization.Predictive Power: Leveraging AI and data analytics, digital twins help organisations predict and mitigate issues before they happen, from equipment failures to supply chain bottlenecks.Scalability Across Ecosystems: Digital twins aren’t limited to individual assets—learn how they can be scaled across entire ecosystems like smart cities or global supply chains for maximum impact.Building Trust and Security: With digital twins handling critical infrastructure and sensitive data, what are the security and governance frameworks needed to ensure trust in these virtual systems?Why You Should Attend:Next-generation digital twins are no longer just a concept—they are revolutionizing industries by offering a new way to manage complexity. Whether you’re looking to optimize a city, factory, or supply chain, this event will provide practical insights into how digital twins can transform your organisation’s operations and drive future innovation.
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Netherlands Dec 11, 2025 Invitation Only Physical dutch
Navigating tommorrow's threatscape: Cybersecurity insights for digital leaders. Op 28 november in de 3D Makers Zone in Haarlem.
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Thiele Kaolin increases endpoint protection, reduces costs 60% by switching to Trend Micro
Increases endpoint protection, reduces costs 60% by switching to Trend Micro
OVERVIEW
As a leading manufacturer of kaolin clay, a mineral chiefly used in papermaking, Thiele Kaolin Company stays competitive by acquiring companies and expanding into new markets. The strategy has driven growth and success, but it has also added complexity to their security infrastructure. With Trend Micro as its security partner, Thiele Kaolin has evolved their security posture along with the growing needs of the organization.
We were reluctant to leave our current security provider, but after doing the deep dive, it became clear that moving to Trend Micro was in our best long-term interest.
Mark Bailey
Manager of Information Services
Thiele Kaolin Company
CHALLENGES
With the coated paper industry in decline, Thiele Kaolin started to move into new markets, the company needed to improve their security posture while tightly controlling costs. Mark Bailey, Manager of Information Services, was charged with securing a newly diverse and dispersed network of assets with his small security team without increasing costs.
To add to the challenge, the contract for Thiele Kaolin’s incumbent security provider was up for renewal. “Our incumbent provider was changing the way their relationships with mid-size companies were managed and that was going to increase costs for us. Their customer support was slow, which made us uneasy. New threats emerge constantly, so you can’t be complacent. We felt the incumbent was focused more on revenue than on security,” says Bailey.
Our relationship with Trend Micro helps us control the cost of endpoint protection, reducing it by approximately 60%.
Mark Bailey
Manager of Information Services
Thiele Kaolin Company
WHY TREND
Bailey’s team decided to conduct a deep-dive investigation of three security companies who appeared in the leadership position of the Gartner® Magic Quadrant, which included Trend Micro. “Trend Micro’s reputation put them at the top of our short list,” says Bailey.
After a thorough examination of all three solutions, Thiele Kaolin selected Trend Micro. “We were reluctant to leave our current security provider, but after doing the deep dive, it became clear that moving to Trend Micro was in our best long- term interest,” says Bailey.
In addition to Trend Micro’s complete data and endpoint protection, their responsiveness and dedication was a differentiator. “The passion Trend Micro personnel had for innovating and providing a great solution was clear. Trend Micro had an openness and willingness to talk with us about our needs,” says Bailey. “It was our best long-term solution.”
SOLUTION
Thiele Kaolin launched a proof of concept of Trend Micro Apex One for their endpoints, which offers advanced automated threat detection and response against a wide variety of threats. “Trend Micro Apex One’s automation is important to my team, as is the customizable dashboard that makes it easy to monitor threats and anomalies. The incumbent provider’s endpoint protection did not include any investigative tools other than notification that specific activity occurred on an endpoint,” says Ed Harper, Senior Security Systems Administrator at Thiele Kaolin.
Trend Micro Apex Central, the solution’s central management control makes it quick and easy to create and modify policies. “The simplified administration is very important because we have the same threats to manage as larger companies. Being able to drill down and see the details with Trend Micro Apex One is huge for us,” says Bailey. The addition of endpoint detection and response (EDR) also extended greater visibility for the IT Team.
Bailey’s team also appreciated the easy way the Trend Micro team uninstalled Thiele Kaolin’s previous solution. “Trend Micro has a tool that looks for competitive agents to reduce resource contention and that made it easier. They helped us ensure all the old software was gone, to prevent any conflict with the new software,” says Bailey.
RESULTS
Since implementing Trend Micro Apex One, Bailey’s team has seen the number of detected threats drop substantially. “We have not had any malicious activity on our endpoints since installing Trend Micro,” says Harper. Using Trend Micro Apex One is also helping the company reduce expenses as its customer base and the industry evolves. “Our relationship with Trend Micro helps us control the cost of endpoint protection, reducing it by approximately 60%,” says Bailey.
Finally, automated updates ensure that Thiele Kaolin clients always have up-to-date security protection. “We updated the server recently and all the clients started updating automatically. Keeping the software up to date is essential and seeing this work effectively was important to us,” says Bailey.
WHAT'S NEXT
Thiele Kaolin’s manufacturing division is currently exploring TXOne, Trend Micro’s industrial intrusion prevention system, through another proof of concept. “COVID-19 reinforced the need to look at solutions that give manufacturing employees more flexibility. We are excited about TXOne because it will enable better security and remote management so we’ll be better prepared for any future disruptive events,” says Bailey.
Beyond that, Thiele Kaolin leaders are looking for opportunities to grow and diversify the business. “We acquired two companies in the past few years and we anticipate more in the future. Trend Micro makes us more flexible. As we acquire new businesses and our networking becomes more complex, Trend Micro will help us ensure a smooth and
Apex Central Apex One™ Trend Vision One™ - Endpoint Security
Gunter Van Craen - CDIO at Bekaert - Embracing Digital Transformation
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Raul Jimenez - Transforming Data and AI Governance at Sika
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Carla Milovanov - Navigating Transformation: Insights from Landal's CIO
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Claudio Balbo - Senior Director and Head of IT Architecture at Intesa Sanpaolo - Revolutionizing Core Banking
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Angélique Bidault-Verliac - CDPO, SNCF Connect & Tech - Data, AI, and Customer-First Transformation
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Rajat Dhawan - Group Chief Digital & Technology Officer at Soho House - How Data & AI Enhance Member Experiences
The role of the CIO has evolved from managing systems to shaping outcomes: growth, resilience, and competitive edge are now won or lost in the technology arena. Today ’ s CIOs must balance stability with innovation, control costs while attracting scarce talent, and modernise legacy infrastructure while adopting emerging technologies.
As AI transitions from a specialised tool to an all-pervasive force, understanding its profound implications for our human lives is no longer merely academic but an urgent imperative for social well-being and strategic preparedness.
Geopolitical tensions have dominated the headlines for over two years now. In this context, the cyber threat landscape is also evolving rapidly. The protection and security of critical infrastructure – both physical and digital – is becoming increasingly important.
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