null

Belgium 01-10-2026 Squad Only Virtual english

Letting Teams Build Safely with Low-Code, No-Code, and AI Tools. ; How to enable business-led development while keeping security, architecture, and support under control.

Low-code, no-code, and AI tools are giving business teams more ability to build solutions themselves. The challenge is setting the right boundaries before fast local solutions become important operational assets. Three pressure points need attention. - Boundaries must be clear: teams need to know what they can build alone and what requires IT, security, or architecture review. - Supportability matters when a quick solution becomes business-critical. - Risk control remains necessary around data access, compliance, security, process dependency, and maintenance. The working question is simple: how do we enable business-led development while keeping security, ownership, and support under control? If you are trying to enable this safely, let’s compare approaches with others facing the same balance.

Belgium 06-10-2026 All Members Physical english

The Token Trap: Reclaiming Control of Enterprise AI

As enterprise AI transitions from experimental Proofs of Concept (POCs) into real implementations, digital leaders are encountering a shared challenge: consumption-based public cloud token billing models do not fit neatly into traditional IT budgeting. Daily token consumption can rise unexpectedly, pushing expenses through the roof while arbitrary caps quickly kill momentum for innovation. For many CIOs, this raises an open strategic question: How do we keep costs under control while further stimulating innovation? During this interactive CIONET roundtable, we will explore among peers how to navigate AI tokenomics. Rather than treating public cloud LLMs as the default path, we will investigate how different execution environments, ranging from hybrid cloud setups and targeted on-premise models to specialised edge hardware, can help balance cost with performance. This session is intentionally designed as an open peer-to-peer exchange; a space to compare notes, challenge current ways of working and architectural setups, and discuss practical approaches to building predictable, scalable AI models.

Belgium 08-10-2026 All Members Physical english

The Permanent (R)evolution

Every large organisation has been through a major transformation, and most through several. The word transformation is misleading because it suggests a beginning and an end. But organisations that do well are the ones that have given up on the idea of arriving and realise that constant change has become the new norm, and missing a single cycle leaves you permanently behind. This evening, two leaders will share how they think about this, coming from opposite directions. John Porter led Telenet through a sustained period of reinvention spanning the pandemic, a full reorganisation into tribes, M&A, and a shift to a performance driven culture. Along the way, the IT department was dissolved and technology was embedded inside autonomous tribes that run as small businesses. There is no CIO at Telenet. It is Telenet Group’s purpose to become a digital-first, customer-centric organisation. To deliver on this ambition, it has embarked on a transformation journey built on three pillars: (i) the implementation of a scaled-agile operating model (organisation), (ii) the acceleration of digitisation and automation underpinned by optimised IT systems, platforms, and strategic technology partnerships (digitisation), and (iii) a performance leadership culture focused on accountability, ownership, and a change mindset (culture). Kris Vervaet, on the other hand, has just become CIO at KBC, the bank whose mobile app has been ranked best in the world three times and whose AI assistant Kate now handles 70% of customer queries on its own. But Kris is no ordinary CIO: he ran DPG Media Belgium as CEO, and KBC went looking for someone who has led transformation rather than someone who manages technology. So while one organisation got rid of the CIO role, the other reinvented it, and both are thriving. The conversation will range across organisational and IT redesign, the rise of digital-first customer experience, the impact of AI on how every business is run, and the harder questions of culture, talent and leadership. The question for every leader in the room is what that tells you about your own role, your own operating model, and the pace at which you are prepared to keep evolving.

Please Log In with your CIONET account first

Cancer Research UK discovers maximum protection with Trend Micro

Discovers maximum protection with Trend Micro

OVERVIEW

Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research, and has been at the heart of the progress that has seen survival rates in the UK double in the last 40 years. The charity has more than 3,900 employees, funds more than 4,000 scientists, doctors, and nurses across the UK, and works with more than 40,000 volunteers.

CHALLENGES

With more than 2,000 active users to manage across physical machines, VMware virtual desktops, and mobile devices, Cancer Research UK’s client technology manager, Martin Quinn, has his hands full.

Quinn was looking for a new supplier to come in and offer exceptional threat protection, and to help with installation and ongoing management where needed.

Like most organizations, Cancer Research UK is faced with a growing volume of threats ranging from traditional viruses and worms to more sophisticated targeted attacks, and everything in between. When applied to virtual environments, traditional security tools can often cause more problems than they solve by draining resources and consuming too much processing power. For Cancer Research UK, it was vital to find a provider that could offer security platforms designed specifically with virtual and physical environments in mind.

WHY TREND

After an initial meeting at VMworld and a subsequent three- to four-month trial, Quinn opted for the Trend Micro™ Deep Security™ solution to provide industry-leading protection for Cancer Research UK’s virtual desktop infrastructure. Another trial followed for the charity’s physical machines, after which Quinn chose Trend Micro™ Smart Protection for Endpoints.

Trend Micro has been a longtime partner of VMware and that was evident during Deep Security’s seamless integration into Cancer Research UK’s VDI infrastructure. The platform offers a comprehensive range of protection for virtual environments. What’s more, it has been designed to be virtual-ready—offering virtual patching and protection against instant-on gaps with no performance hit.

On the physical side, Trend Micro Smart Protection for Endpoints infrastructure offers a comprehensive breadth of security including vulnerability shielding, anti-malware and protection against spyware, targeted attacks, and ransomware, as well as data-loss prevention. There are flexible deployment options and centralized management, and it also works across mobile devices, removable media, and file servers.

RESULTS

Quinn is delighted with Deep Security’s performance, which keeps mission-critical systems safe, secure, and compliant with no service disruptions.

Quinn is also keen to highlight the instant-on security capabilities that ensure no virtual machine is ever unprotected, even if it has been lying dormant for some time. He is has found Trend Micro’s Support to also be a key differentiator for Cancer Research UK.

Recognising the importance of the customer relationship, Trend Micro was also flexible on licensing—allowing Cancer Research UK to trade in some VDI licensing for Smart Protection for Endpoints.

"What I really valued from a pre-sales point of view was that there was a lot of advice and support, getting us booked onto courses and giving us a more hands–on experience in a training environment with someone who knew the product inside out. That left us reassured that we could implement it and it wouldn’t cause us any problems down the line."

Martin Quinn - Client Technology Manager

WHAT'S NEXT

As for the future, Quinn already has an eye on a full protection suite from Trend Micro to complement the charity’s initial investments. “It’s been a great experience for us,” he said.

"Trend Micro is my strategic choice for threat protection for all of our client environments and I look forward to our continued partnership"

Martin Quinn - Client Technology Manager

Technologies

Trend Micro™ Deep Security™ Trend Micro™ Smart Protection Complete

Partners

CIONET Business Circles

Cyber Circle

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.

Telenet Business Leadership Circle

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.

Les Rencontres

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 !

Female Leadership Circle

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.