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Belgium 9-6-26 Invitation Only Virtual english
Data availability keeps growing, but decision-making often feels slower. Every function builds its own dashboards, metrics multiply, and reports begin to contradict each other. What was meant to improve transparency now creates confusion. The problem is not access to data but alignment on interpretation. When information becomes noise, confidence in reporting collapses. People hesitate to act, functions challenge each other’s numbers, and trust in analytics erodes. The challenge lies in restoring clarity: deciding which metrics matter, who owns them, and how reporting connects back to action. Let’s discuss how to simplify information flows, define consistent metrics, and reconnect dashboards with decision-making. How ownership, cadence, and shared understanding bring alignment back. A closed conversation on rebuilding confidence in data, where clarity replaces overload and information once again supports action.
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Belgium 10-6-26 Invitation Only Physical english
In the middle of the night, 200 miles from the coast, the alarm sounds. The "Man Overboard" cry isn't just about a person in the water; it’s the ultimate test of a crew’s preparation, psychological grit, and split-second communication. For the modern European CIO, the "Man Overboard" moment happens in the data centre, the boardroom, or the headlines. When the system fails, the pressure doesn't just sit on the servers; it sits on you. Join CIONET for an exclusive VIP evening at the coast, a deep dive into the Human and Digital Anatomy of a Crisis. We will explore why some leaders thrive under the crushing weight of a "Black Swan" event while others capsize, and how data serves as the steady keel that keeps the ship upright.
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Belgium 12-6-26 Invitation Only Physical english
AI started small: a few pilots, some dashboards, a couple of chatbots. But then it spread, quickly. Now every department wants a model, every vendor adds “AI-powered” to their pitch, and every regulator is asking about risk and transparency. Governance suddenly went from a nice idea to a full-time job. Scaling governance is harder than launching AI. Policies look great on slides, but in practice, ownership blurs and enforcement stalls. Central control slows things down, while local freedom invites risk. Everyone agrees AI should be safe and ethical, but no one agrees on who signs off when something goes wrong, all leading to AIs living as permanent PoCs. So how do you scale oversight without creating bureaucracy? How do you distribute responsibility between IT, business, and compliance? And what controls actually hold up when AI keeps changing after deployment? Let’s explore how organisations make governance part of daily operations, not an afterthought. A closed conversation for those trying to keep AI credible, compliant, and under control while it spreads across the enterprise.
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June 9, 2026 Squad Session Invitation Only Virtual english
Data availability keeps growing, but decision-making often feels slower. Every function builds its own dashboards, metrics multiply, and reports begin to contradict each other. What was meant to improve transparency now creates confusion. The problem is not access to data but alignment on interpretation.
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June 12, 2026 Squad Session Invitation Only Physical english
AI started small: a few pilots, some dashboards, a couple of chatbots. But then it spread, quickly. Now every department wants a model, every vendor adds “AI-powered” to their pitch, and every regulator is asking about risk and transparency. Governance suddenly went from a nice idea to a full-time job.
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June 18, 2026 Squad Session Invitation Only Physical english
Becoming event-driven sounds like the logical next step: real-time visibility, faster response, tighter integration. The promise is appealing, no? But turning that vision into reality is another story. Where do you start, with technology, operating model, or mindset?
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CIONET Trailblazer: CISO: The Shift from Prevention to Resilience: Turning Visibility into Execution
Published on: January 28, 2026 @ 9:48 AM
CIONET Trailblazer: AI Transformation: Bridging the Cultural Divide to Achieve Competitive Advantage
Published on: December 17, 2025 @ 9:16 AM
Professional Services Firm achieves strategic growth goals with better cloud security
Operating out of Louisiana, this professional services firm provides accounting, insurance, audit, and IT consulting to small and large clients across a broad range of industries. Security is a top priority for the firm as it manages extremely sensitive financial data and personally identifiable information (PII).

“When I joined the firm, I inherited an uneven distribution of security solutions,” says Mark Ligget, Director of IT Services. “There were multiple platforms, some overlapping. It was a challenge to manage, and untenable with a small staff. We needed to make a systemic change.”
The company recently migrated from on-premises systems to a hybrid cloud environment to enable better agility and allow the firm to innovate faster. That’s important as the company expands its business to offer IT consulting and looks to develop a managed service provider (MSP) offering. “We have an advantage because we don’t have the weight of early development to reengineer. We are in a good spot to innovate faster,” says Liggett.
With a goal to protect “any data, any device, anytime, anywhere,” Liggett searched for a solution that would bolster IT security and ensure compliance with strict and frequently evolving regulations.
WHY TREND
Liggett first considered whether the firm could stick with its three incumbent security solution providers. “That didn’t work because different things were protected. We needed a single security platform that could work in the cloud as well as on servers and endpoints,” Liggett explains.
“Trend Micro covers all the major requirements, including PCI compliance and cloud-based solutions. We really liked the SaaS offerings, which makes deployment and management easy.”
With better visibility I can see what’s out there. BEC, ransomware, and email protection all work extremely well. Cloud App Security pays for itself every time I send a report to management.
Mark Liggett - Director of IT Services, Professional Services Firm
SOLUTION
The firm purchased Trend Micro Worry-Free Services endpoint protection to block ransomware and other targeted attacks. “Worry-Free Services provides the cloud-based endpoint protection I’m looking for,” Liggett notes.
The firm also uses Trend Micro Cloud App Security advanced threat and data protection for Microsoft 365, OneDrive, Gmail™, and cloud file-sharing services to extend protection beyond the perimeter. That’s particularly important in the wake of unprecedented events like COVID-19.
“Trend Micro Cloud App Security enables our remote workers to access their files securely through cloud applications like OneDrive and provides the IT team with greater confidence that key data is safe, especially during tax filing season. Had COVID-19 occurred before we started working with Trend Micro, I would’ve insisted everyone work via a VPN because I couldn’t guarantee security or compliance,” says Liggett.
“The rollout was simple and non-interruptive for users. Issues are quickly resolved, and I have confidence that my users are protected. I have everything I need to protect them without putting my hands on their keyboards.”
With Trend Micro, we’ve reduced the time spent dealing with phishing, spam and malicious emails by 90%, going from 10 hours to about an hour a week.
Mark Liggett Director of IT Services, - Professional Services Firm
RESULTS
Better security from the cloud has been a key to helping the firm achieve its strategic growth goals of 5% to 10% per year. With Trend Micro blocking ransomware, targeted attacks, and ensuring that endpoints, inboxes, and client data are fully protected, the firm is focusing on growing the business and expanding its offerings.
“It’s hard to fight what you can’t see. Now, with better visibility I can see what’s out there. Business email compromise (BEC), ransomware, and email protection all work extremely well. Cloud App Security pays for itself every time I send a report to management.”
The most recent monthly report Liggett pulled included scans of over 175,000 emails. Those emails included 20 attempts to compromise business emails, 60 phishing attempts, and multiple malicious files. All of these have escaped Microsoft 365 basic security but none made it past Trend Micro’s detection and protection capabilities.
“Our response time for an end user that’s having issues is reduced to minutes, not hours. We don’t have to hunt around, do scans, or do any heavy lifting to figure out what’s going on. With Trend Micro, we’ve reduced the time spent dealing with phishing, spam and malicious emails by 90%, going from 10 hours to about an hour a week.” says Liggett.
WHAT'S NEXT
“COVID-19 has been a good lesson for us, and we’re fortunate that all our users have laptops and can work from home,” Liggett says. “I’m always looking to improve security coverage and visibility in the field, so Trend Micro™ Deep Security™ will be our next strategic investment to secure our hybrid cloud workloads.”
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CIONET’s Cyber Circle: a new three-event programme exclusively focusing on the most urgent, complex, and high-impact challenges in cybersecurity today. Launched in 2026, this initiative brings together CISOs, CIOs, and senior IT executives with a strong interest in cybersecurity for three curated gatherings each year. As part of CIONET’s trusted executive community, the Cyber Circle provides a confidential, peer-driven environment to exchange insights, share real-world experiences, and address evolving cyber threats. Each session is designed to foster strategic dialogue, strengthen resilience, and elevate cybersecurity as a core driver of business value.
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The Telenet Business Leadership Circle powered by CIONET, offers a platform where IT executives and thought leaders can meet to inspire each other and share best practices. We want to be a facilitator who helps you optimise the performance of your IT function and your business by embracing the endless opportunities that digital change brings.
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Découvrez la dynamique du leadership numérique aux Rencontres de CIONET, le programme francophone exclusif de CIONET pour les leaders numériques en Belgique, rendu possible grâce au soutien et à l'engagement de nos partenaires de programme : Deloitte, Denodo et Red Hat. Rejoignez trois événements inspirants par an à Liège, Namur et en Brabant Wallon, où des CIOs et des experts numériques francophones de premier plan partagent leurs perspectives et expériences sur des thèmes d'affaires et de IT actuels. Laissez-vous inspirer et apprenez des meilleurs du secteur lors de sessions captivantes conçues spécialement pour soutenir et enrichir votre rôle en tant que CIO pair. Ne manquez pas cette opportunité de faire partie d'un réseau exceptionnel d'innovateurs numériques !
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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. Our mission is to shine the spotlight a little brighter on female role models in IT, Tech & Digital, and to empower each other through this inner network community.
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